Mary Dawes Blackett

Mary Ann Dawes Blackett (fl. 1786-1791) was an English author of two collections of poetry and one book of conduct literature. Her Suicide; a poem (1789) addressed what was considered by foreigners and English alike to be a pressing national problem.[1]

Mary Dawes Blackett
Title page Mary Dawes Blackett The mointress 1791
Title page of Mary Dawes Blackett's The mointress; or, The Πconomy of female life. In a series of letters. London, 1791.
BornMary Dawes
Died1792
Vauxhall, South London
Resting placeSt. Mary-at-Lambeth
Occupationwriter
LanguageEnglish
NationalityBritish
PeriodRomantic era
Years active(fl. 1786-1791)
Notable workSuicide; a poem (1789)
SpouseThomas Blackett
ChildrenCatherine Blackett (daughter)
 Literature portal

Life

The little that is known of Blackett's life comes mainly from the genealogical research of the Blackett family[2] or from her own writings. Details of her birth and antecedents are unknown. She was likely married to one Thomas Blackett of Bloomsbury, though the records are not definitive. Her husband was probably a Roman Catholic as by her own account her only daughter, Catherine (born c. 1773?), was educated in a convent in Nice despite Blackett herself being Protestant.[3][4] Based on references in her writings, it would appear that Blackett was widowed, and also suffered the loss of a brother at sea.[5] The details of her death are better known: she died in Vauxhall, now part of south London, and was buried at St. Mary’s, Lambeth on 8 August 1792.[6]

Work

Blackett apparently had many acquaintances, including poet Thomas Chatterton. She published three known works: two poetic and one a series of letters to her daughter. All three works were "printed for the author" (i.e. self-published).

'The antichamber; a poem, in three cantos" (1786) is a satire on courtiers. Only the first canto, 158 lines of heroic couplets, was published.[5]

Suicide; a poem (1789), 402 lines of heroic couplets, is inscribed to Richard Cosway. In this "ode to Chatterton," Blackett addresses the presumed English predisposition to suicide,[7] which she describes as a "horrid Mania" that calls "for the most serious consideration."[8] The poem critiques the death penalty for inuring the population to death, describes six suicides, and offers a message of fortitude in adversity.[5]

The mointress (1791) is a piece of conduct literature in the form of letters addressed to her daughter.

Works

Poetry
  • The antichamber; a poem, in three cantos. ... By M. Blackett. London: printed for the author, by T. Bensley; and sold by James Ridgway, 1786.[9]
  • Suicide; a poem. Inscribed, by permission, to Richard Cosway, principal painter to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. By Mary Dawes Blackett. London: printed by W. Justins, for the author; and sold by Robinson, Pater-noster-row; Debrett, Piccadilly; Edwards, Pall Mall Sewell [sic], Cornhill; and Hodgson, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1789.[10]

Conduct literature
  • The mointress; or, The Œ conomy of female life. In a series of letters. From Mary Daws Blackett, to her daughter. London: Printed by James Adlard, No. 39, Duke Street West Smithfield. For the author: and sold by W. Miller, Old Bond Street; and G.G.J. & J. Robinson, Pater-Noster-Row, 1791.[11]

Etexts
  • The mointress; or, The Œ conomy of female life. In a series of letters. From Mary Daws Blackett, to her daughter. London: Printed by James Adlard, No. 39, Duke Street West Smithfield. For the author: and sold by W. Miller, Old Bond Street; and G.G.J. & J. Robinson, Pater-Noster-Row, 1791.(Google Books)

Notes
  1. Bartel, Roland. "Suicide in Eighteenth-Century England: The Myth of a Reputation." Huntington Library Quarterly Vol. 23, No. 2 (Feb., 1960), pp. 145-158 (14 pages) Accessed 26 August 2022. <https://doi.org/10.2307/3816205> <https://www.jstor.org/stable/3816205>
  2. The Blacketts of North East England. Accessed 26 August 2022.
  3. Blackett, Mary Dawes, The mointress; or, The Πconomy of female life. In a series of letters. From Mary Daws Blackett, to her daughter. 1791.
  4. "Roman Catholic Blacketts" (11/21/2019). The Blacketts of North East England. Accessed 26 August 2022.
  5. Todd, Janet, ed. A Dictionary of British and American women writers, 1660-1800. Totowa, N.J.: Rowman & Allanheld, 1985, Accessed 26 August 2022. p. 48. (Internet Archive)
  6. "Blacketts and literature" (11/21/2019). The Blacketts of North East England. Accessed 26 August 2022.
  7. Brown, Ron M. The art of suicide. London: Reaktion Books, 2001, p. 134. (Internet Archive)
  8. Preface, Suicide; a poem. London, 1789.
  9. Blackett, Mary Dawes. The antichamber; a poem, in three cantos. ... By M. Blackett. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 6589. Accessed 26 August 2022.
  10. Blackett, Mary Dawes. Suicide; a poem. Inscribed, by permission, to Richard Cosway, principal painter to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. By Mary Dawes Blackett. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 6591. Accessed 26 August 2022.
  11. Blackett, Mary Dawes. The mointress; or, The Πconomy of female life. In a series of letters. From Mary Daws Blackett, to her daughter. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 6573. Accessed 26 August 2022.

Further reading

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Mary Dawes Blackett
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