Elizabeth Somerville facts for kids
Elizabeth Somerville (1774–1840) was a Scottish novelist who wrote primarily for children. She later became a school mistress.
Background
Somerville was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Her parents are Elizabeth Helme and William Helme,.Her mother, Elizabeth, was a school teacher and translator. In her writing she also went as Mrs. Somerville.
In her later life, she moved to Lancashire and lived in District 9 of the county.
There is also evidence that her and her family suffered from financial issues. According to an 1841 census, she made her money through independent means.
Works
The following is a list of published works authored by Somerville.
- Preludes to Knowledge, Or, Amusing and Instructive Conversations on History, Astronomy, Geography, Optics, and the Division of Time in Different Countries. Interspersed with Stories, Moral and Entertaining (1803)
- Lessons for children of three years old (1800)
- The history of little Charles, and his friend Frank Wilful (1808)
- The birth-day, or, Moral dialogues and stories for the instruction and amusement of juvenile readers (1802)
- Choice tales, for the improvement of youth of both sexes (1803)
- James Manners, little John, and their dog Bluff (1801)
- The history of little Phoebe and the reclaimed child (1809)
- The village maid, or, Dame Burton's Moral Stories (1803)
- Flora: or the deserted child (1800)
- The faithful mirror (1799)
- Aurora and Maria; or the Advantages of Adversity. A Moral Tale. (1809)
Her work was also advertised in The Morning Chronicle. It was presented to readers as "Mrs. Somerville's new Christmas present for youth."
Perception
The British Critic describes Somerville's Preludes to knowledge… as “a very [pleasing] and proper book for children about ten or twelve years of age, in which [amusement] is judiciously blended with [instruction]."
Somerville can also be found in a Biographical Dictionary of Authors in Great Britain, referred to as an "author of several ingenious books for children."
In the Anti-Jacobin Review, Somerville's book Aurora and Maria; or the Advantages of Adversity. A Moral Tale, is depicted as "a very neat, interesting, instructive, and moral tale, replete with natural and affecting incidents, impressive examples, and salutary lessons very well adapted to...improve the minds of the youth."
