Lady Morgan’s Memoirs
Sydney Owenson to Thomas Charles Morgan, 24 December 1811
December 24.
Irish books are pouring in on all
sides—anonymously, too, which is very singular, and mostly
“Rebelly” books as you English would call them. Has Lady Abercorn
Taaf’s
Impartial History of Ireland? I hear it is beautifully
written, and full of eloquence. I think, to-morrow, Livy will have talked over her journey with Clarke, and something will decidedly be
settled. Till then, and now, ever and ever yours in every way,
I write, as usual, in a hurry. There is a puff in
the Irish papers to-day, so like
Stockdale, that I could swear he sent it
over for insertion. I’ll try and get it for you before I send this.
Sir Arthur Clarke (1778-1857)
Irish physician and fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons; in 1808 he married Olivia
Owenson, sister of Lady Morgan.
Lady Olivia Clarke [née Owenson] (1785 c.-1845)
The younger sister of Lady Morgan who married Dublin physician Sir Arthur Clarke
(1778-1857) in 1808. She wrote songs and a play, and published in the
Metropolitan Magazine and
Athenaeum.
Anne Jane Hamilton, marchioness of Abercorn [née Gore] (1763-1827)
Daughter of the earl of Arran; in 1783 she married Henry Hatton (d. 1793), in 1800 John
James Hamilton, first marquess of Hamilton. She entertained literary figures at her villa
at Stanmore, among them Lady Morgan.
John Joseph Stockdale (1777-1847)
London bookseller who operated a shop in Pall Mall between 1807 and 1822; in 1825 he
achieved notoriety by publishing the
Memoirs of Harriette Wilson.