The Poems and Prose of Mary, Lady Chudleigh (Women Writers in English 1350-1950)

The first edition of the collected poetry and prose of the Restoration feminist, Mary, Lady Chudleigh (1656-1710), this volume includes The Ladies Defence as well as her final prose meditations. New biographical and bibliographical information in the Introduction revises the existing accounts of her life and literary career. The volume makes available for the first time the complete range of Chudleigh's literary experiments and calls for a reassessment of the image of the woman writer of the Restoration. A friend of John Dryden and Mary Astell, Chudleigh experimented with a variety of literary forms, from satire to biblical paraphrase, but always maintained her belief in the importance of education for women and the necessity for self-determination. Contents......Page 8 Foreword......Page 12 Introduction......Page 18 The Ladies Defence: Or, The Bride-Woman's Counsellor Answer'd......Page 38 To All Ingenious Ladies......Page 40 The Preface to the Reader......Page 48 The Ladies Defence: Or, a Dialogue Between Sir John Brute, Sir William Loveall, Melissa, and a Parson......Page 52 Poems on Several Occasions......Page 78 To The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty......Page 80 Preface......Page 81 On the Death of his Highness the Duke of Glocester......Page 84 On the Vanities of this Life......Page 96 To Almystrea......Page 103 To Clorissa......Page 104 To Mr. Dryden, on his excellent Translation of Virgil......Page 107 Song......Page 110 To Eugenia......Page 111 Song......Page 113 The Wish......Page 114 The Elevation......Page 115 The Happy Man......Page 116 A Dialogue between Alexis and Astrea......Page 117 To the Ladies......Page 120 To the Queen's most Excellent Majesty......Page 121 The Resolution......Page 125 A Pindarick Ode......Page 149 Icarus......Page 151 Song......Page 153 A Dialogue between Virgil and Mævius......Page 155 To the Learn'd and Ingenious Dr. Musgrave of Exeter......Page 157 The Observation......Page 161 Solitude......Page 163 On the Death of my Honoured Mother Mrs. Lee......Page 166 On the Death of my dear Daughter Eliza Maria Chudleigh......Page 172 The Offering......Page 177 The Resolve......Page 181 Song......Page 182 The Inquiry......Page 183 The Choice......Page 189 The Fifteenth Psalm Paraphras'd......Page 192 One of Lucian's Dialogues of the Dead Paraphras'd......Page 194 To the Queen's most Excellent Majesty......Page 198 The Song of the Three Children Paraphras'd......Page 204 The Preface......Page 206 The Song of the Three Children Paraphras'd......Page 214 Essays upon Several Subjects in Prose and Verse......Page 280 To Her Royal Highness The Princess Sophia......Page 282 To The Reader......Page 283 Of Knowledge......Page 288 Of Pride......Page 298 Of Humility......Page 305 Of Life......Page 311 Of Death......Page 313 Of Fear......Page 318 Of Grief......Page 323 Of Riches......Page 333 Of Self-Love......Page 338 Of Justice......Page 342 Of Anger......Page 348 Of Calumny......Page 369 Of Friendship......Page 380 Of Love......Page 389 Of Avarice......Page 400 Of Solitude......Page 422 P......Page 428 Y......Page 429 The first edition of the collected poetry and prose of the Restoration feminist, Mary, Lady Chudleigh (1656-1710), this volume includes "The Ladies Defense" as well as her final prose meditations. New biographical and bibliographical information in the Introduction revise the existing accounts of her life and literary career. (Poetry)