Born in Chelsea, Letitia Elizabeth Landon was educated at Frances Rowden's school and at home. Her first poem was published by William Jerdan in 1818, and in a few years she became the best-known contributor to his Literary Gazette, where she published under the signature "L. E. L." Many were reprinted in The Improvisatrice (1825) which went through six printings. Landon later supported herself by composing novels and contributing to the literary annuals. In 1834 an engagement to John Forster was broken off over rumors of scandal; rumor also attributed the poet's death to suicide after a brief marriage to George Maclean.
TEXT RECORDS:
1823The Female Head on the left of "The Hours."
PUBLICATIONS:
The fate of Adelaide, a Swiss romantic tale; and other poems. 1821.
The improvisatrice; and other poems. 1825.
The troubadour; catalogue of pictures, and historical sketches. 1825.
The golden violet, with its tales of romance and chivalry; and other poems. 1827.
Poetical works. 3 vols, 1827.
The Venetian bracelet, the lost Pleiad, a history of the lyre, and other poems. 1830.
Romance and teality. 3 vols, 1831.
The Easter gift: a religious offering. 1832.
Fisher's drawing room scrap book [editor and contributor]. 1832-38.
The book of beauty [sole contributor]. 1833.
Francesca Carrara. 3 vols, 1834.
Miscellaneous poetical works. 1835.
The vow of the peacock, and other poems. 1835.
Traits and trials of early life. 1836.
Ethel Churchill; or the two brides. 3 vols, 1837.
Flowers of loveliness. 1838.
Works. 2 vols, 1838.
The zenana and minor poems of Letitia Elizabeth Landon. 1839.
Poetical works. 4 vols, 1839.
Life and literary remains of Letitia Elizabeth Landon, ed. Samuel Laman Blanchard. 1841.
Poetical works. 2 vols, 1850.
Poetical works, ed. W. B. Scott. 1873.
Poetical works, ed. F. J. Sypher. 1990.
Critical writings, ed. F. J. Sypher. 1996.
PROFILE AND
ASSOCIATES:
English
Anglican
privately educated
woman writer
poet
novelist
The Literary Gazette
The New Monthly Magazine
Forget-Me-Not
Friendship's Offering
Literary Souvenir
The Amulet
Pledge of Friendship
The Bijou
The Keepsake
Juvenile Forget-Me-Not
Juvenile Keepsake
Allan Cunningham
Anna Brownell Jameson
William Jerdan
William Maginn
Mary Russell Mitford
Bryan Waller Procter
Frances Arabella Rowden
REFERENCE:
DNB; CBEL (3rd ed).
"The Literary Coterie" Repository of the Arts, Literature, &c (September, October, December 1825) 67-68, 216-17, 346-47; Alexander Dyce, Specimens of British Poetesses (1825); Alexander Dyce, Specimens of British Poetesses (1827); "Memoir of Letitia Elizabeth Landon" The Albion 5 [New York] (17 June 1837) 186-87; Henry Chorley, "Mrs Maclean" The Athenaeum (5 Jan 1839); "The last Letters of L. E. L." Gentleman's Magazine NS 11 (February 1839) 150-52; obituary in Gentleman's Magazine NS 11 (February 1839) 212-13; Samuel Laman Blanchard, Life and Literary Remains of Letitia Elizabeth Landon (1841); Sarah Sheppard, Characteristics of the Genius and Writings of Letitia Elizabeth Landon (1841); Anne Katherine Elwood, Memoirs of Literary Ladies of England (1843); Robert Chambers, Cyclopaedia of English Literature (1844); William Jerdan, in Autobiography (1852); Sarah Josepha Hale, Woman's Record (1855); John C. and Katherine B. Thomson, The Queens of Society (1860); S. C. and A. M. Hall, "Memoirs of Authors: Miss Landon" Atlantic Monthly 2 (March 1865) 330-340; S. C. Hall, in A Book of Memories (1871); E. S. Robertson, in English Poetesses (1883); Maclise Gallery (1898); D. E. Enfield, Letitia Elizabeth Landon: A Mystery of the Thirties (1928); Janet E. Courtney, "Alphabetical Graces" London Mercury 26 (August 1932) 326-338; Mary B. Whiting, "Letitia Elizabeth Landon — A Century-Old Tragedy" Congregational Quarterly 13 (July 1935) 335-345; R. Flower, "Letitia E. Landon" British Museum Quarterly 11 (1937); Lionel Stevenson, "Miss Landon, 'The Milk-and-Watery Moon of Our Darkness,' 1824-30" MLQ 8 (September 1947) 355-363; Helen Ashton, Letty Landon (1951); B. E. Metcalf, in Maclean of the Gold Coast (1962); Brenda H. Renalds, "Letitia Elizabeth Landon: A Literary Life" [Ph.D. dissertation, University of South Carolina, 1985]; G. Stephenson, Letitia Landon: the Woman behind L.E.L. (1995).
COMMENTARY RECORDS
for Letitia Elizabeth Landon:
BIOGRAPHY RECORDS
for Letitia Elizabeth Landon:
AUTHOR AS CRITIC:
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