Arabella Hunt was an English vocalist and lutenist, celebrated for her beauty

Beauty

Beauty is a characteristic of a person, animal, place, object, or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure, meaning, or satisfaction. Beauty is studied as part of aesthetics, sociology, social psychology, and culture...

 and talents.

The Princess Anne

Anne of Great Britain

Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...

 had lessons from her, and Mary II of England

Mary II of England

Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...

 found her some employment in the royal household in order to enjoy her singing. John Hawkins

John Hawkins (author)

Sir John Hawkins was an English author and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson and Horace Walpole. He was part of Johnson's various clubs but later left The Literary Club after a disagreement with some of Johnson's other friends. His friendship with Johnson continued and he was made one of the executors...

 tells with great detail how the queen, after listening to some of Henry Purcell

Henry Purcell

Henry Purcell – 21 November 1695), was an English organist and Baroque composer of secular and sacred music. Although Purcell incorporated Italian and French stylistic elements into his compositions, his legacy was a uniquely English form of Baroque music...

's music performed by Mrs. Hunt, John Gostling

John Gostling

John Gostling was a 17th century Church of England clergyman and bass singer famed for his range and power. He was a favourite singer of Charles II and is particularly associated with the music of Henry Purcell.-Background:...

, and the composer, abruptly asked the lady to sing an old Scottish ditty. Mrs. Hunt's voice was said by a contemporary to be like the pipe of a bullfinch; she was also credited with an 'exquisite hand on the lute.' She was admired and respected by the best wits of the time; John Blow

John Blow

John Blow was an English Baroque composer and organist, appointed to Westminster Abbey in 1669. His pupils included William Croft, Jeremiah Clarke and Henry Purcell. In 1685 he was named a private musician to James II. His only stage composition, Venus and Adonis John Blow (baptised 23 February...

 and Purcell wrote difficult music for her; John Hughes

John Hughes (poet)

John Hughes was an English poet also noted for his editing of and commentary on the works of Edmund Spenser. Writing at the very end of 17th Century and at the beginning of the 18th, he also translated French drama and poetry, including Molière. Hughes was a favorite of the nobility and...

, the poet, was her friend; William Congreve

William Congreve

William Congreve was an English playwright and poet.-Early life:Congreve was born in Bardsey, West Yorkshire, England . His parents were William Congreve and his wife, Mary ; a sister was buried in London in 1672...

 wrote a long irregular ode on 'Mrs. Arabella Hunt singing,' and after her death penned an epigram under a portrait of her sitting on a bank singing. The painting was by Godfrey Kneller

Godfrey Kneller

Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1st Baronet was the leading portrait painter in England during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and was court painter to British monarchs from Charles II to George I...

. There are mezzotints by Smith (1706) and Charles Grignion; and Hawkins gives a vignette in his History.

Mrs. Hunt died 26 Dec. 1705. In her will, proved 6 Feb. 1706, she is described as of the parish of St. Martin-in- the-Fields. She left her property to her 'dear mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Hunt.'