Frances Brooke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frances Brooke
Frances Brooke by Catherine Read ca. 1771
Born	Frances Moore (1724-01-12)12 January 1724 Claypole, Lincolnshire, England
Died	23 January 1789(1789-01-23) (aged 65) Sleaford, England
Occupation	English-Canadian writer

Frances Brooke (born Frances Moore; 1724–1789) was an English writer. She wrote novels, essays, and plays. She also translated books from other languages. Her most famous work is believed to be the first English novel ever written in Canada.

About Frances Brooke's Life

Frances Moore was born in Claypole, Lincolnshire, England, in 1724. Her father was a clergyman, which is a religious leader. Sadly, her father died when she was only three years old. Her mother also passed away soon after.

Starting Her Writing Career

By the late 1740s, Frances had moved to London. There, she began her career as a poet and playwright. She became well-known after she started publishing her essay series called The Old Maid.

She used the pen name Mary Singleton, Spinster for this weekly magazine. She wrote 37 issues between 1755 and 1756. This magazine was similar to another popular one called The Spectator.

Marriage and Life in Canada

In 1756, Frances married Rev. Dr. John Brooke. He was a rector, or church leader, in Colney, Norfolk. The next year, her husband went to Canada to work as a military chaplain. Frances stayed in England.

In 1763, she wrote her first novel, The History of Lady Julia Mandeville. That same year, Frances sailed to Quebec, Canada, to join her husband. He was serving as a chaplain for the British army there. In the autumn of 1768, she returned to London and kept writing.

Her Famous Canadian Novel

Frances Brooke was very well-known in London's writing and theater groups. In 1769, she published The History of Emily Montague. This book is famous because it was the first novel written in Canada.

Because of her time in North America, some people call her "the first novelist in North America." Her writing shows how wise and experienced she was about life. One of her famous thoughts was: "It is a painful consideration, my dear, that the happiness or misery of our lives are generally determined before we are proper judges of either."

Another reviewer suggested her book for young ladies. They praised her for her "lively style" and "happy descriptive talent." They also liked her "well-marked characters" and "tender and delicate sentiments."

A Word About "Literally"

Also in 1769, Frances Brooke's novel The History of Emily Montague was used in the earliest example for the word "literally" in the Oxford English Dictionary. This was for when "literally" is used to mean "figuratively" or "in a way that is not actually true."

The sentence from her novel was: "He is a fortunate man to be introduced to such a party of fine women at his arrival; it is literally to feed among the lilies." This example was still used in the dictionary's 2011 update.

Frances Brooke passed away in Sleaford, England, when she was 65 years old.

Frances Brooke's Published Works

Here are some of the books and plays Frances Brooke wrote or translated:

• Letters from Juliet Lady Catesby to her friend, Lady Henrietta Campley, 1760 (This was a translation from a French book by Marie-Jeanne Riccoboni)
• The History of Lady Julia Mandeville – 1763 (A novel)
• The History of Emily Montague. London: J. Dodsley, 1769 (Her famous Canadian novel)
• The Excursion – 1777 (A novel)
• The Siege of Sinopoe – 1781 (A play)
• Rosina: A Comic Opera, in Two Acts – 1783 (An opera)
• Marian: A Comic Opera, in Two Acts – 1788 (An opera)
• The History of Charles Mandeville – 1790 (A novel, published after her death)

Frances Brooke's Legacy

Many people who study literature see Frances Brooke as the first Canadian novelist. This is because of her 1769 book, The History of Emily Montague. Most of what we know about her writing comes from this book.

After it was rediscovered, many scholars became interested in it. By 2004, more than a dozen academic articles had been written about it. Modern copies of the book are available, including special scholarly editions.

People who study Brooke's work have looked at different ideas in Emily Montague. These include ideas about trade in 18th-century Canada and early ideas of women's rights.

How Her Work Was Received

While people often discuss the meaning of Emily Montague, the book itself gets mixed reviews. Some recent critics say that Brooke's writing style was understandable for her time. However, they also note that it had some weaknesses.

Desmond Pacey, a writer, said that Emily Montague had some artistic problems. He felt the story was simple and the writing style was often stiff. He also thought the characters were not very lively.

Juliet McMaster said that Emily Montague inspired another famous writer, Jane Austen. Austen even made fun of some parts of it in her own book, Love and Freindship. Still, McMaster called Emily Montague a "mean literary achievement," meaning it was quite good.

Even when it was first published, people had different opinions. The Monthly Review in 1769 said the story had "nothing extraordinary in it." Also, while Brooke is called a Canadian novelist, some experts say her work was based on English styles. They believe it did not have a big impact on Canadian literature later on.

Other works by Brooke, like her 1777 novel The Excursion, have also been studied. People look at them for their descriptions of nature and how they made fun of the English theater scene. Some of her plays, like The Siege of Sinopoe from 1781, are not as well-known.

Frances Brooke's personal life has also been studied. People are interested in her relationships with famous actors like David Garrick and Mary Ann Yates.

In 1985, a group of scientists named a crater on the planet Venus after Frances Brooke. This was a way to honor her contributions.