Elizabeth Somerville

Elizabeth Somerville (1774–1840) was a Scottish novelist who wrote primarily for children. She later became a school mistress.[1]

Background

Somerville was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Her parents are Elizabeth Helme and William Helme,.Her mother, Elizabeth, was a school teacher and translator.[1] In her writing she also went as Mrs. Somerville.[2]

Somerville found in the 1841 British census, along with a Mary Somerville, Jane Somerville, and Elizabeth Somerville.

In her later life, she moved to Lancashire and lived in District 9 of the county.[3]

There is also evidence that her and her family suffered from financial issues.[4][1] According to an 1841 census, she made her money through independent means.[3]

Works

The following is a list of published works authored by Somerville.

  • Preludes to Knowledge, Or, Amusing and Instructive Conversations on History, Astronomy, Geography, Optics, and the Division of Time in Different Countries. Interspersed with Stories, Moral and Entertaining (1803)[5]
  • Lessons for children of three years old (1800)[6]
  • The history of little Charles, and his friend Frank Wilful (1808)[7]
  • The birth-day, or, Moral dialogues and stories for the instruction and amusement of juvenile readers (1802)[8]
  • Choice tales, for the improvement of youth of both sexes (1803)[9]
  • James Manners, little John, and their dog Bluff (1801)[10]
  • The history of little Phoebe and the reclaimed child (1809)[11]
  • The village maid, or, Dame Burton's Moral Stories (1803)[12]
  • Flora: or the deserted child (1800)[13]
  • The faithful mirror (1799)[13]
  • Aurora and Maria; or the Advantages of Adversity. A Moral Tale. (1809)[14]

Her work was also advertised in The Morning Chronicle. It was presented to readers as "Mrs. Somerville's new Christmas present for youth."[2]

Perception

The British Critic describes Somerville's Preludes to knowledge… as “a very [pleasing] and proper book for children about ten or twelve years of age, in which [amusement] is judiciously blended with [instruction]."[15]

Somerville can also be found in a Biographical Dictionary of Authors in Great Britain, referred to as an "author of several ingenious books for children."[16]

In the Anti-Jacobin Review, Somerville's book Aurora and Maria; or the Advantages of Adversity. A Moral Tale, is depicted as "a very neat, interesting, instructive, and moral tale, replete with natural and affecting incidents, impressive examples, and salutary lessons very well adapted to...improve the minds of the youth."[14]

References
  1. "Corvey | Adopt an Author". extra.shu.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  2. Archive, The British Newspaper. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-02-09.
  3. "Ancestry Library Edition". www.ancestrylibrary.com. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  4. "Login". searcharchives.bl.uk. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  5. "Preludes to knowledge, or, Amusing and instructive conversations on history, astronomy, geography, optics, and the division of time in different countries". ufdc.ufl.edu. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  6. "Search Results [gatech.on.worldcat.org]". gatech.on.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  7. Somerville, Elizabeth (1808). The history of little Charles, and his friend Frank Wilful : embellished with cuts. University of California Libraries. Litchfield [Conn.] : Printed by Hosmer & Goodwin.
  8. Somerville, Elizabeth (1803). The birth-day, or, Moral dialogues and stories for the instruction and amusement of juvenile readers. Huddersfield: Printed by Brook & Lancashire for B. Crosby and Co.
  9. Somerville, Elizabeth (c. 1803). Choice tales, for the improvement of youth of both sexes. University of California Libraries. New-York : Printed and sold by G. & R. Waite, No. 64, Maiden-Lane.
  10. Somerville, Elizabeth (1801). James Manners, little John, and their dog Bluff. University of California Libraries. London : Printed for the Proprietors : and sold by Darton and Harvey, Grace-Church Street : and E. Newbery, St. Paul's Church Yard.
  11. Somerville, Elizabeth (1815). The history of little Phoebe and the reclaimed child. Hartford: Printed by Sheldon et Goodwin.
  12. Somerville, Elizabeth; Tanner, Benjamin (1802). The village maid, or, Dame Burton's moral stories for the instruction and amusement of youth ... : to which are added, Plain tales. University of California Libraries. Philadelphia : Printed and sold by John Bioren, no. 88, Chesnut Street.
  13. Watson, George; Willison, Ian R. (1969). The New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521079341.
  14. The Anti-Jacobin Review and Magazine. J. Whittle. 1809. p. 309. elizabeth somerville lessons for children review.
  15. The British Critic. F. and C. Rivington. 1803.
  16. Watkins, John; Shoberl, Frederic (1816). A Biographical Dictionary of the Living Authors of Great Britain and Ireland: Comparising Literary Memoirs and Anecdotes of Their Lives; and a Chronological Register of Their Publications, with the Number of Editions Printed; Including Notices of Some Foreign Writers Whose Works Have Been Occasionally Published in England. Colburn. p. 324. elizabeth somerville 1774 juvenile.
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