Esther Vanhomrigh facts for kids
Esther Vanhomrigh (born around 1688 – died June 2, 1723) was an Irish woman of Dutch background. She was a close friend and correspondent of the famous writer Jonathan Swift. Swift gave her the special nickname Vanessa. He created this name by taking "Van" from her last name, Vanhomrigh, and adding "Esse," which was a short, sweet way to say her first name, Esther.
Swift even wrote a poem about her called Cadenus and Vanessa in 1713. In this poem, he wrote:
- Each girl, when pleased with what is taught,
- Will have the teacher in her thought.
Contents
Her Early Life and Meeting Swift
Esther was the daughter of Bartholomew Van Homrigh. Her father was a merchant from Amsterdam who later lived in Dublin, Ireland. He even became the Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1697. Her mother, also named Esther, was the daughter of an Irish tax official. Esther grew up in a place called Celbridge Abbey in County Kildare, Ireland.
Esther's father passed away in 1703. A few years later, in 1707, her mother moved the family to London. It was in December of that year that Esther met Jonathan Swift. They met in a town called Dunstable while her family was traveling to London. This meeting marked the start of their important 17-year friendship. Esther was 22 years younger than Swift. He admired her strong personality.
Swift later became her tutor, helping her with her studies. After her mother died in 1714, Esther followed Swift to Ireland. She returned to Celbridge Abbey, but she was not happy there.
Her Friendship with Jonathan Swift
Esther's friendship with Swift was very intense and had its challenges. It lasted for 17 years. However, their friendship became difficult because Swift also had a very close friendship with another woman named Esther Johnson, whom he called "Stella." Swift had known Stella since she was a little girl. Their friendship was also very strong.
It is believed that Esther Vanhomrigh asked Swift to choose between her and Stella. When he did not, their close friendship ended in 1723.
Esther Vanhomrigh became very ill after this. She died on June 2, 1723. She likely died from tuberculosis, a serious lung disease. Her sister Mary and her mother had also died from the same illness.
Her Will and Legacy
Esther's father had left her with enough money. However, she had to deal with debts left by her mother and her brother. In her will, she named two men she didn't know very well, Robert Marshall and George Berkeley, to handle her estate. George Berkeley later became a famous philosopher. Because of the debts, there was a long lawsuit, and much of her money was lost in legal fees.
Swift was not mentioned in her will. His letters to her were published after her death.
How She is Remembered
A special part of St Patrick's University Hospital is named "Vanessa" in her honor.
More than 100 years after her death, a famous artist named John Everett Millais painted a picture of her in 1868. The painting is called Vanessa. It shows Esther holding a letter. However, this painting is not a real portrait of her. It is an imagined picture because no true portraits of Esther Vanhomrigh exist today.
Many stories and plays have been inspired by Esther Vanhomrigh's life:
- Margaret Louisa Woods wrote a novel about her called Esther Vanhomrigh in 1891.
- Elizabeth Myers wrote a novel called The Basilisk of St. James in 1945. This book focuses on the friendships of Jonathan Swift with both Esther Vanhomrigh (Vanessa) and Esther Johnson (Stella).
- In a 1994 film called Words Upon the Window Pane, Esther Vanhomrigh is played by Orla Brady. The movie shows a fictional meeting where the spirits of Swift, Stella, and Vanessa appear to continue their old discussions.
