Agnes Strickland
Encyclopedia
Agnes Strickland was an English
historical writer
and poet
.
Hall, Suffolk
, Agnes was educated by her father, and began her literary career with a poem, Worcester Field, followed by The Seven Ages of Woman and Demetrius. Abandoning poetry, she next produced, among others, Historical Tales of Illustrious British Children (1833), The Pilgrims of Walsingham (1835), Tales and Stories from History (1836). Her chief works, however, are Lives of the Queens of England from the Norman Conquest, and Lives of the Queens of Scotland, and English Princesses, etc.. (8 vols., 1850–1859), Lives of the Bachelor Kings of England (1861), and Letters of Mary Queen of Scots, in some of which she was assisted by her sister Elisabeth. Strickland's researches were laborious and conscientious, and she remains a useful source, but she failed to exercise the level of objectivity that a modern historian would aspire to. Her style is considered mediocre, by some, but writing should be compared only directly to that of the contemporaries of the time. Most of the Strickland sisters' historical research and writing was actually done by Elisabeth. Elisabeth however eschewed all publicity and Agnes was put forward as author.
Two of Agnes's other sisters were also writers, Susanna Moodie
and Catharine Parr Traill
, who are famous for their works about pioneer life in early Canada
, where they both emigrated with their husbands in 1832.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
historical writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
.
Biography
The daughter of Thomas Strickland of ReydonReydon
Reydon is a village and civil parish, north-west from Southwold and south east of Wangford in Waveney District and the ceremonial county of Suffolk in England. It has a population of 2,567....
Hall, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, Agnes was educated by her father, and began her literary career with a poem, Worcester Field, followed by The Seven Ages of Woman and Demetrius. Abandoning poetry, she next produced, among others, Historical Tales of Illustrious British Children (1833), The Pilgrims of Walsingham (1835), Tales and Stories from History (1836). Her chief works, however, are Lives of the Queens of England from the Norman Conquest, and Lives of the Queens of Scotland, and English Princesses, etc.. (8 vols., 1850–1859), Lives of the Bachelor Kings of England (1861), and Letters of Mary Queen of Scots, in some of which she was assisted by her sister Elisabeth. Strickland's researches were laborious and conscientious, and she remains a useful source, but she failed to exercise the level of objectivity that a modern historian would aspire to. Her style is considered mediocre, by some, but writing should be compared only directly to that of the contemporaries of the time. Most of the Strickland sisters' historical research and writing was actually done by Elisabeth. Elisabeth however eschewed all publicity and Agnes was put forward as author.
Two of Agnes's other sisters were also writers, Susanna Moodie
Susanna Moodie
Susanna Moodie, born Strickland , was an English-born Canadian author who wrote about her experiences as a settler in Canada, which was a British colony at the time.-Biography:...
and Catharine Parr Traill
Catharine Parr Traill
Catharine Parr Traill, born Strickland was an English-Canadian author who wrote about life as a settler in Canada.-Biography:...
, who are famous for their works about pioneer life in early Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where they both emigrated with their husbands in 1832.
Biographies
- Lives of the Queens of England. 12 vols., 1840–1848
- The Letters of Mary Queen of Scots. 1842-1843
- Lives of the Queens of Scotland and English Princesses Connected with the Regal Succession of Great Britain. 8 Vols., 1851–1859
- Lives of the Bachelor Kings of England. 1861
- The Lives of the Seven Bishops Committed to the Tower in 1688. Enriched and Illustrated with Personal Letters, Now First Published, from the Bodleian Library. 1866
- Lives of the Tudor Princesses, Including Lady Jane Gray and Her Sisters. 1868
- Lives of the Last Four Princesses of the Royal House of Stuart. 1872
Children's books
- The Moss-House: In Which Many of the Works of Nature Are Rendered a Source of Amusement to Children. 1822
- The Tell-Tell. 1823
- The Aviary; Or, An Agreeable Visit. Intended for Children. 1824
- The Use of Sight: Or, I Wish I Were Julia : Intended for the Amusement and Instruction of Children. 1824
- The Little Tradesman, or, A Peep into English Industry. 1824
- The Young Emigrant. 1826
- The Rival Crusoes, or, The Shipwreck: Also A Voyage to Norway; and The Fisherman's Cottage : Founded on Facts. 1826
- The Juvenile Forget Me Not; Or, Cabinet of Entertainment and Instruction. 1827
- Historic Tales of Illustrious British Children. 1833
- Tales of the School Room. 1835
- Tales and Stories From History. 1836
- Alda, the British Captive. 1841