Elizabeth Ryves facts for kids

Elizabeth "Eliza" Ryves (born 1750, died 29 April 1797) was a talented writer from Ireland. She wrote many different things, like poems, plays, novels, and news articles. She also translated books from French into English.

Eliza's Life Story

Eliza Ryves came from an old, important Irish family. Her father was an army officer in Ireland. After he passed away, Eliza sadly lost her family money because of unfair legal tricks.

In 1775, Eliza, now very poor, traveled to London. She hoped to get her money back from the government, but she was not successful. So, she decided to try and earn a living as a writer.

She wrote in many different styles. This included plays, poetry, and articles about politics. She also wrote a novel called The Hermit of Snowden (1789). People think this book might be about her own life. Eliza often wrote for magazines without getting paid. In her later years, her poems showed her Whig political beliefs. The Whigs were a political group in Britain who believed in certain ideas about government. Her poems were often about important public figures.

Eliza as a Translator

Besides being a writer, Eliza learned French. This allowed her to translate several books into English. Some of these included The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a letter from Raynal to the French National Assembly, and Review of the Constitutions of the Principal States of Europe. She started to translate a work by Jean Froissart, but it was too hard, so she stopped.

Her Published Works

In 1777, Eliza published a book of poems called Poems on Several Occasions. People could subscribe (pay in advance) to get a copy. She was paid £100 for two of her plays, but they were never performed. These plays were a funny opera called The Prude (1777) and another play called The Debt of Honour.

Isaac D'Israeli, who knew Eliza, said that she wrote all the history and political parts for a publication called The Annual Register for some time. The Annual Register was a yearly book that shared news and important events.

Eliza's Final Years

Eliza Ryves died in April 1797 in London. She was still poor and had never married. A story published after her death in The Gentleman's Magazine said something special about her. It said that Eliza spent the last of her money to buy meat. She did this to help feed a hungry family who lived above her. Isaac D'Israeli wrote kindly about her in his book Calamities of Authors (1812). He showed great sympathy and praise for her.

Eliza's Writing Style

In 1784, a writer for The Monthly Review commented on Eliza's poem, An epistle to the Right Honourable Lord John Cavendish. The reviewer said, "This praising poem seems to have been written with true respect for the person it is about. The feelings are right; and they are expressed in strong, good verse."

Here is a short part from her poem "A Song," from Poems on several occasions. It talks about missing someone:

Oblivion! sweet balm of our woes,
Where, where thy calm spring shall I find?
Its wave shall restore my repose,
And banish his form from my mind.

Eliza Ryves also wrote The Hastiniad; an heroic poem. In three cantos. This poem is described as a funny, satirical poem that supported the Whig political party. It was written in a style similar to another famous satirist, John Wolcot. The poem is a mock epic, which means it's a long, funny poem that makes fun of serious topics. It made fun of Warren Hastings. He was the Governor-General of India and faced questions about his actions when he returned to England.

In this part of the poem, Eliza praises Indian leaders for their love of their country:

Oh, glorious Chiefs! what northern sphere
Shall e'er such gen'rous Kings revere
As you, with patriot love replete,
Who pour'd your stores at Hasting's feet?

Selected Works

• Poems on several occasions (1777)
• Ode to the Rev. Mr. Mason (1780)
• Dialogue in the Elysian fields, between Caesar and Cato (1784)
• An epistle to the Right Honourable Lord John Cavendish, late Chancellor of the Exchequer (1784)
• The Hastiniad; an heroic poem. In three cantos (London: Debrett's, 1785)
• Ode to the Right Honourable Lord Melton, infant son of Earl Fitzwilliam (1787)
• The hermit of Snowden: or memoirs of Albert and Lavinia (1789)