Defiance : the extraordinary life of Lady Anne Barnard

A brilliant and unconventional figure, Anne Barnard lived a life that might have been the outline of a novel by her contemporary, Jane Austen, or by Edith Wharton. She was born in Scotland in 1772, lived at the heart of Georgian society, and yet defined herself by defiance of convention. Anne Barnard's charisma was undeniable: she wrote the most popular Scottish ballad of her day, had her poetry praised by Walter Scott, and at the age of eighteen dazzled Dr. Johnson with her repartee. Both a beauty and a wit, Barnard had affairs with several prominent men but ended up marrying none of them. She lived independently and traveled by herself to Paris to observe the French Revolution. Her eventual marriage, to an impoverished, much younger army officer, scandalized polite society. The couple escaped to the Cape Colony, England's first African possession, where Barnard painted the vivid landscapes and worked on her memoirs. Stephen Taylor has been given access to... The First Major Biography Of Eighteenth-century Writer And Socialite Lady Anne Barnard. Born In Scotland In 1750, Lady Anne Barnard Lived At The Heart Of Georgian Society. She Wrote One Of The Most Popular Ballads Of Her Day, Captivated Sir Walter Scott With Her Poetry, Rubbed Shoulders With The Prince Of Wales, And Dazzled Samuel Johnson With Her Repartee. Lady Anne’s Charisma And Talent Were Undeniable; She Was Well Known As Both A Beauty And A Wit. However, She Was Also Seen As An Eccentric—an Artist Defined By Her Defiance Of Convention. Lady Anne Had Romantic Affairs With Several Prominent Men, But She Married None Of Them. She Preferred To Live Independently—even Traveling Alone To Paris During The Upheaval Of The French Revolution. When She Did Marry, It Was To An Impoverished Army Officer Many Years Her Junior. The Pairing Scandalized Polite Society. Hounded By Gossip, The Couple Escaped To The Cape Colony—england’s First African Possession—where Lady Anne Painted The Vibrant Landscapes And Penned Her Memoirs. An Indefatigable Diarist, She Proved Herself One Of The Extraordinary Chroniclers Of The Era. Stephen Taylor Draws On Lady Anne’s Private Papers, Including Six Volumes Of Her Never-before-published Memoirs, To Construct A Vivid Biography Of Her Remarkable Life. Illustrated With Lady Anne’s Own Drawings As Well As Portraits By Her Contemporaries, Defiance Offers A Lively And Wholly Absorbing Portrayal Of A Woman Far Ahead Of Her Time. 'An eccentric life, wonderfully told. Lady Anne Barnard was a brave traveller, artist and observer. Stephen Taylor brings her brilliantly out of the shadows.' Stella Tillyard Lady Anne Barnard lived at the heart of Georgian society, yet was never fully part of it. The Prince of Wales counted among many friends and she was brilliant in company. But she was seen as an eccentric - an outsider. What defined this poet and musician, artist and hostess, was defiance of convention. High-born yet an egalitarian, she rejected numerous suitors, lived independently by buying and renting houses and travelled alone to observe the French Revolution. When she did marry it was to a junior army officer, twelve years younger than she, and together they withdrew to Africa. Her curious ways attracted gossip right into her final years when she raised a mysterious dark-skinned child at her home in Berkeley Square. Anne Barnard's verse was celebrated by Walter Scott but she was also a brilliant and indefatigable diarist. Stephen Taylor has been given access to her private papers, notably six volumes of memoirs which have never been published, and which show her to be one of the unheralded chroniclers of her time. Draws On Six Volumes Of Unpublished Memoirs To Chronicle The Life Of Lady Anne Barnard, An Eighteenth- And Nineteenth-century Poet And Painter, Who Lived On Her Own Terms And Defied The Conventions Of Her Day. Stephen Taylor. First Published In Great Britain Under The Title Defiance: The Life And Choices Of Lady Anne Barnard -- Copyright Page Includes Bibliographical References (pages 345-373) And Index.