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Hester Lynch Thrale's writings

Thraliana - The diary of Mrs Hester Lynch Thrale

Posted Sun, 11/10/2009 - 13:40 by David Thrale

Thraliana: Book spineWritten by Hester Lynch Thrale. Published 1951 by Oxford at the Clarendon Press. Edited by Katherine C. Balderston

When Hester Thrale was thirty-five years old, her husband Henry Thrale gave her a set of six handsome quarto blank books, bound in undressed calf, each bearing on its cover a red label stamped in gold with the title Thraliana. This took place in 1776, a few weeks before their thirteenth wedding anniversary.

Thraliana is a collection of Hester Lynch Thrale's thoughts, experiences and some of her verses from this period of her life. It was important because it was almost, if not quite, the first English Ana.

Hester Lynch Thrale's works

Posted Thu, 24/09/2009 - 22:48 by David Thrale

Hester Lynch Thrale: by M. Bovi after P. Violet c.1800Hester was a prolific writer of verses, and later books. This article summarises her work.

The second morn of May

Posted Sun, 20/09/2009 - 21:24 by David Thrale

Written by Hester Lynch Thrale. Thraliana entry dated May 1777.

Bach y graig House: 1776 by S. HooperI never disputed with my Husband in my Life, but to save my Wood in Wales from being cut down as Mr Thrale apparently intended to do: after about a Week’s Intreaties, Tears, and Sullens on my part, he promised me their Lives.

Lady with an English Watch

Posted Sun, 20/09/2009 - 21:24 by David Thrale

Written by Hester Lynch Thrale. Thraliana entry dated 21 January 1782.

Here’s an Italian Copy of Verses written to a Lady with an English Watch.

Napoleon's invasion threat

Posted Sun, 20/09/2009 - 21:23 by David Thrale

Written by Hester Lynch Thrale. Thraliana entry dated February 1804.

Between 1803 and 1804 London was braced for an expected invasion by France’s Napoleon Bonaparte.

Herschel's telescope

Posted Sun, 20/09/2009 - 21:23 by David Thrale

Hester Lynch Thrale: 1800Written by Hester Lynch Thrale. Thraliana entry dated September 1787.

The Thrales had made William Herschel's acquaintance in his home at 19 New King Street, Bath in the spring of 1784, three years after he discovered the planet Uranus.

A little Son and Heir

Posted Sun, 20/09/2009 - 21:23 by David Thrale

Written by Hester Lynch Thrale. Thraliana entry dated 15 November 1804.

Cecilia Margaretta Mostyn: née ThraleCecilia Mostyn set it in my Head to make these nonsensical Rondeaux She had heard—& so had I—of one made by some lady upon Two Black Eyes but we could not find it—so I made her these on a Country Girl coming to the Metropolis at this foggy Time of Year ’Tis natural enough—tho silly.

Old England to Her Daughters

Posted Sun, 20/09/2009 - 21:23 by David Thrale

Written by Hester Lynch Thrale 1803.

After 1801, Hester Lynch Thrale’s only known publication was this anonymous anti-Napoleonic broadside from 1803. In this text, England, imagined as an old woman, calls on her daughters not to faint or fall into fits in the face of French enemies but to remain strong and calm.

Calais and Dover

Posted Sun, 20/09/2009 - 21:23 by David Thrale

Written by Hester Lynch Thrale. Thraliana entry dated 21 May 1787.

The Verses I left at the opposite Inns of Calais & Dover have been picked up & printed in the Newspapers—

Convolvulus by Sophia Thrale

Posted Sun, 20/09/2009 - 21:12 by David Thrale

Sophia Thrale: Thought to be a self-portrait or by Prince Hoare.Written by Hester Lynch Thrale. Thraliana entry dated 6 August 1780.

The other two Girls leave me tomorrow they will do very well; Sophy has a Turn for making Verses, bad enough to be sure, yet such a Turn shews Genius in a Girl who was nine Years old only a fortnight ago. The following is one of her Attempts forsooth upon a wild Convolvulus which She picked up here between Brighthelmston & Rottenden.