Elizabeth Ogilvy Benger (baptised on 15 June 1775 at West Camel, Somerset, died on 9 January 1827 in London) was an English biographer, novelist and poet.[1] Some of her poetry had a strong social message.
Elizabeth was the daughter of John Benger or Benjey and his wife Elizabeth (Chambers) Benger.[2] Her father was a tradesman in Wells. He became a Royal Navypurser in 1782 and the family lived mainly in Chatham, Kent until 1797.[3] According to a fellow writer, Lucy Aikin, Elizabeth early showed "an ardour for knowledge, a passion for literature". She was allowed at the age of twelve to attend a local boys' school to learn Latin,[4] and the next year had a poem published, The Female Geniad.[5] This featured "female theologians, scholars, and preachers such as Cassandra del Fides, Isabella of Barcelona, and Issona of Verona, alongside Cornelia, as historic women to inspire 'the British fair' of her day."[6] It was preceded by a customarily apologetic preface that "deploys innocence with great sophistication," as recent commentators put it. "The voice... is the voice of cultural authority."[7]
Elizabeth wanted to become a playwright, but she had no success and soon turned to poetry with a social message. "The Abolition of the Slave Trade" appeared in 1809, with verse by James Montgomery and James Grahame on the same subject.[10] Then came two novels, the second of which was also translated into French.[11]
The Female Geniad; a Poem. Inscribed to Mrs. Crespigny. By Elizabeth Ogilvy Benger, of Portsmouth; written at the age of thirteen. (1791)
Poems on the Abolition of the Slave Trade; written by James Montgomery, James Grahame, and E. Benger. Embellished with engravings from pictures painted by R. Smirke, Esq. R.A. (1809)
The West-Indies, by James Montgomery and other poems, on the abolition of the slave-trade, by James Grahame, and E. Benger. (1810)
Marian. A Novel. In Three Volumes. (1812)
The Heart and the Fancy; or, Valsinore. A Tale. By Miss Benger. In Two Volumes. (1813)
Klopstock and His Friends: A Series of Familiar Letters, written between the years 1750 and 1803. Translated from the German, with a Biographical Introduction. bu Miss Benger. (1814)
Memoirs of the late Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton. With a selection from her correspondence, and other unpublished writings. (1818)
Memoirs of Mr. John Tobin, Author of The Honey-Moon. With a Selection from his unpublished writings. By Miss Benger, Author of Memoirs of Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton. (1820)
Memoirs of the Life of Anne Boleyn, Queen of Henry VIII. By Miss Benger. Author of Memoirs of Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton, John Tobin, &c. In Two Volumes. (1821)
Memoirs of the Life of Mary Queen of Scots. By Miss Benger, Author of "Memoirs of Anne Boleyn," "Mrs. Hamilton," &c. &c. In Two Volumes. (1823)
Memoirs of Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia, Daughter of King James the First. Including Sketches of the state of Society in Holland and Germany, in the 17th century. By Miss Benger, Author of Memoirs of Anne Boleyn, Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scotts, &c. &c. In Two Volumes. (1825)
The Laurel. Fugitive Poetry of the XIXth Century. (1830)
↑ Marian (1812) and The Heart and the Fancy, or Valsinore (London: Longman & Co., 1813).
↑ Klopstock and his friends. A series of familiar letters, written between the years 1750 and 1803 (London, 1814).
↑ Memoirs of the late Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton. With a selection from her correspondence, and other unpublished writings (London: Longman, 1818); Memoirs of John Tobin ... With a selection from his unpublished writings (London: Longman, 1820); Memoirs of the Life of Anne Boleyn, Queen of Henry VIII (London: Longman, 1821); Memoirs of the Life of Mary Queen of Scots (London: Longman, 1823); Memoirs of Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia, daughter of King James the First. Including sketches of the state of society in Holland and Germany, in the 17th century (London: Longman, 1825); ODNB entry and British Library catalogue.
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