|
Letitia Elizabeth Landon (14 August 1802 – 15 October 1838), English poet and novelist, better known by her initials L. E. L. == Early life == Letitia Elizabeth Landon was born on 14 August 1802 in Chelsea, London to John Landon and Catherine Jane, ''née'' Bishop.〔Byron (2004).〕 A precocious child, Landon learned to read as a toddler; an invalid neighbour would scatter letter tiles on the floor and reward young Letitia for reading, and, according to her father, "she used to bring home many rewards."〔Thomson (1860), 147.〕 At the age of five, Landon began attending Mrs Rowden's〔Though unmarried, Mrs Rowden preferred the title Mrs (Thomson (), 148).〕 school at 22 Hans Place, which counted among its alumnae Mary Russell Mitford and Lady Caroline Lamb.〔 The family moved to the country in 1809, so that John Landon could carry out a model farm project, and Landon was educated at home by her cousin Elizabeth from that point on.〔 Elizabeth, though older, soon found her knowledge and abilities outstripped by those of her pupil: "When I asked Letitia any question relating either to history, geography, grammar - Plutarch's Lives, or to any book we had been reading, I was pretty certain her answers would be perfectly correct; still, not exactly recollecting, and unwilling she should find out just then that I was less learned than herself, I used thus to question her: 'Are you quite certain?' ... I never knew her to be wrong."〔Qtd. in Wu (2006), 1442.〕 When young, Letitia was very close to her younger brother, Whittington Henry, born 1804. Paying for Whittington through university (Worcester Colloege, Oxford) was one of the needs that drove Letitia to publish. She also supported his preferment and later dedicated her poem ‘Captain Cook’ to their childhood days together. Whittington went on to become a minister and published a book of Sermons in 1835. Sadly, he did not show any appreciation for all his sister’s financial assistance but spread false rumours about her marriage and death. Letitia also had a little sister, Elizabeth Jane (1806), who was a frail child and died in 1819, aged just 13. Little is known of Elizabeth but her death may well have left a profound impression on Letitia and it could be Elizabeth who is referred to in the poem ‘The Forgotten One’. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Letitia Elizabeth Landon」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|