Charlotte Turner Smith (1749–1806)
Author of The Old Manor House
About the Author
Disambiguation Notice:
Charlotte Turner Smith, the 18th C. poet and novelist, was born Charlotte Turner. Many of her works can be found on the Charlotte Smith author page; however the two pages should not be combined due to the existence of other authors called Charlotte Smith.
Image credit: Charlotte Turner Smith, 1792, by George Romney. Wikimedia Commons.
Works by Charlotte Turner Smith
Delphi Complete Poetical Works of Charlotte Smith (Illustrated) (Delphi Poets Series) (2014) 2 copies
Rambles farther: a continuation of Rural walks: in dialogues; Intended for the use of young persons 1 copy
The romance of real life 1 copy
The Poems of Charlotte Smith (Women Writers in English 1350-1850) by Stuart Curran (1993-01-01) 1 copy
Letters of a Solitary Wanderer: The Hungarian (Cont'd); Leonora; Guilelmine de Mortivalle, Vol 5 1 copy
Rural Walks 1 copy
Associated Works
The Making of a Poem: A Norton Anthology of Poetic Forms (2000) — Contributor — 1,466 copies, 9 reviews
Our Haunted Shores: Tales from the Coasts of the British Isles (2022) — Contributor — 65 copies, 2 reviews
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Other names
- Turner, Charlotte
- Birthdate
- 1749-05-04
- Date of death
- 1806-10-28
- Gender
- female
- Occupations
- poet
novelist
translator
children's book author - Relationships
- Dorset, Catherine Ann (sister)
- Short biography
- Charlotte Turner Smith was born into a wealthy London family. She received a typical late 18th-century girl's education at a school in Kensington, where she learned dancing, drawing, music, and acting. She loved to read and write, and even submitted a few poems to a magazine. Her mother's early death, combined with her father's financial problems, forced Charlotte to marry young. In 1765, at age 15, she married Benjamin Smith, with whom she had 12 children. The marriage was unhappy, and Benjamin Smith was an irresponsible husband and father. He illegally spent his inheritance money and wound up in debtor's prison. Charlotte became a writer to support her family. Her first published work, Elegiac Sonnets and Other Essays (1784), was extremely successful and was reprinted nearly a dozen times and translated into French and Italian. Charlotte’s literary success empowered her to leave her husband. She became a friend of many famous artists and writers of her day, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Erasmus Darwin, Mary Hays, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and Robert Southey. She supported the French Revolution and its republican principles, and was influential in the rise of the Romantic poets. Her last novel, The Young Philosopher (1798), was considered outspoken radical fiction by Sir Walter Scott and others. Besides poetry, Charlotte Turner Smith wrote children's literature, a two-volume history of England, and A Natural History of Birds, which was published posthumously. In the last 20 years of her life, she had to move frequently due to financial concerns as her popularity waned and her health declined. Her novels were republished again at the end of the 20th century, and literary critics interested in women poets and writers have helped revive her reputation.
- Nationality
- UK
- Birthplace
- London, England
- Places of residence
- Farnham, Surrey, England
London, England
Tilford, Surrey, England - Place of death
- Tilford, Surrey, England, UK
- Burial location
- Stoke Church, Stoke Park, Guildford, England
- Disambiguation notice
- Charlotte Turner Smith, the 18th C. poet and novelist, was born Charlotte Turner. Many of her works can be found on the Charlotte Smith author page; however the two pages should not be combined due to the existence of other authors called Charlotte Smith.
- Associated Place (for map)
- England
Members
Discussions
Group read: Emmeline, The Orphan Of The Castle by Charlotte Smith in Virago Modern Classics (July 2019)
Reviews
Orlando Somerive is the second son in a prosperous family, but his future prospects are unclear. His brother Philip stands to inherit their father’s estate, despite having squandered everything he has received so far. But Orlando has become a favorite of a very wealthy distant relation, Mrs Rayland. Known primarily for being a crotchety old woman, Mrs Rayland presides over her vast estate at Rayland Hall and while it’s likely Orlando will inherit, Mrs Rayland has remained coy about the show more specifics of her will. Meanwhile, Orlando has fallen in love with Monimia, the niece of Mrs Rayland’s most trusted servant. Their romance must be kept secret so as not to jeopardize Orlando’s future prospects. Orlando and Monimia’s relationship develops over the first half of the novel, as does his relationship with his parents, brother, and sisters.
Responsibility for the family begins to settle on Orlando’s shoulders. Because Orlando’s financial future is uncertain, he must find a profession. General Tracy, a friend of Orlando’s father, pays a visit and begins wrangling to marry Orlando’s sister for his own personal gain. The General agrees to obtain a British Army commission for Orlando, boldly asserting he will be able to serve without leaving England. But Orlando is immediately swept up in the American War of Independence. Suffice to say our hero’s journey over the second half of the novel contains many twists and turns before its inevitable satisfying conclusion.
Charlotte Smith was one of the women authors who influenced Jane Austen. Smith began as a poet and then turned to novels. The Old Manor House was published in 1793 and includes many fine turns of phrase, considerable humor, and a surprising anti-war stance. Highly recommended. show less
Responsibility for the family begins to settle on Orlando’s shoulders. Because Orlando’s financial future is uncertain, he must find a profession. General Tracy, a friend of Orlando’s father, pays a visit and begins wrangling to marry Orlando’s sister for his own personal gain. The General agrees to obtain a British Army commission for Orlando, boldly asserting he will be able to serve without leaving England. But Orlando is immediately swept up in the American War of Independence. Suffice to say our hero’s journey over the second half of the novel contains many twists and turns before its inevitable satisfying conclusion.
Charlotte Smith was one of the women authors who influenced Jane Austen. Smith began as a poet and then turned to novels. The Old Manor House was published in 1793 and includes many fine turns of phrase, considerable humor, and a surprising anti-war stance. Highly recommended. show less
The sense of accomplishment derived from actually finishing this novel must be experienced to be appreciated; after completing 540 pages of tightly packed text, with footnotes and poetry, I felt as relieved as the heroine Celestina and her beloved Willoughby!
The story itself is incredibly drawn out, with the initial separation and final reunion divided by copious passages of description, introspection and wallowing by the lead characters. This type of gothic romance would be mocked by Jane show more Austen in 'Sense and Sensibility' twenty years later, but Charlotte Smith provides a happy ending for her melodramatic and self-involved couple. Poor Celestina (the Marianne character) is torn from her perfect if poor future with Willoughby, and left in doubt as to whether they can ever be together again; elaborate and infuriating events conspire to keep them apart for the bulk of the novel, each separately bemoaning their fate, until an extraordinary coincidence resolves their destiny. Celestina has to suffer a persistent and slightly disturbed young man fighting an arrogant libertine for her attentions; Willoughby considers marrying his rich cousin out of desperation. She endures two new acquaintances bending her ear with their forlorn life stories and disappears off to a distant Scottish island, a setting almost as miserable as she is; he travels into the Ardennes and is regaled with the curiously relevant memoirs of a persecuted nobleman. Of course, the real purpose of this courtship novel is to drill home the author's politics, a woman inspired by the American and French Revolutions - the poorer classes triumph, whilst the decaying aristocrats try to hold onto their crumbling power and influence. Exasperating, but entertaining. show less
The story itself is incredibly drawn out, with the initial separation and final reunion divided by copious passages of description, introspection and wallowing by the lead characters. This type of gothic romance would be mocked by Jane show more Austen in 'Sense and Sensibility' twenty years later, but Charlotte Smith provides a happy ending for her melodramatic and self-involved couple. Poor Celestina (the Marianne character) is torn from her perfect if poor future with Willoughby, and left in doubt as to whether they can ever be together again; elaborate and infuriating events conspire to keep them apart for the bulk of the novel, each separately bemoaning their fate, until an extraordinary coincidence resolves their destiny. Celestina has to suffer a persistent and slightly disturbed young man fighting an arrogant libertine for her attentions; Willoughby considers marrying his rich cousin out of desperation. She endures two new acquaintances bending her ear with their forlorn life stories and disappears off to a distant Scottish island, a setting almost as miserable as she is; he travels into the Ardennes and is regaled with the curiously relevant memoirs of a persecuted nobleman. Of course, the real purpose of this courtship novel is to drill home the author's politics, a woman inspired by the American and French Revolutions - the poorer classes triumph, whilst the decaying aristocrats try to hold onto their crumbling power and influence. Exasperating, but entertaining. show less
I read late into the night last night and then started again first thing this morning in order to finish this delightful read. It's a delightful story of life in 18th century England. As mentioned above, the book was published in 1793 and the last chapters are set in North America and England during the American War of Independence with some characters who were in the British Army at that time which gave it an interesting twist. More central to the story, however, is the day-to-day life of show more people of all classes in England at the time. There's romance, crime, affluence and poverty, etc. all mingled together to provide an interesting picture of English society at the time and to keep the reader interested in the main characters and their lives.
Ms. Smith also uses some delightfully descriptive language -- for example: "...though the age and profession of the Doctor protected him from the effects of the resentment he (Orlando) felt, began however a more severe remonstrance; which the Doctor not being disposed to listen to, ros show less
Ms. Smith also uses some delightfully descriptive language -- for example: "...though the age and profession of the Doctor protected him from the effects of the resentment he (Orlando) felt, began however a more severe remonstrance; which the Doctor not being disposed to listen to, ros show less
Emmeline Mowbray is an illegitimate orphan who has been allowed by her uncle to use her father’s name and live in his castle in Wales. When her uncle and her cousin, Delamere, visit the castle, everything changes for young Emmeline. Delamere becomes obsessed with her and places her in physical danger. Instead of restraining his son, Emmeline’s uncle keeps forcing her to move. She makes friends wherever she goes, but the threat of Delamere’s violence continues to hang over her and show more limits her choices of companions and activities. Emmeline and her acquaintances are members of the class that doesn’t work, and since they have nothing better to do, they worry about who might say what to whom, and how others will react to that, and work themselves up into highly emotional states. The book is interesting as a specimen of the literature of its time, but readers shouldn’t expect writing of Austen’s caliber. show less
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- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
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- ISBNs
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