Autobiography of Mrs. Fletcher of Edinburgh: With Selections from Her Letters and Other Family Memorials

Eliza Fletcher (born Eliza Dawson) (1770-1858) was an English writer, literary patron and supporter of parliamentary reform and liberal politics. Fletcher became a patron of the poets Ann Yearsley and Hannah More, and later in life formed friendships with prominent writers Elizabeth Gaskell and Harriet Martineau. After her marriage to politician and electoral reformer Archibald Fletcher in 1791, she became more radical in her political views. This volume, first published in 1874, contains Fletcher's autobiography, edited by her daughter, Lady Mary Richardson. Fletcher describes her life chronologically, providing fascinating detail on her childhood and adolescence, and citing correspondence illustrating her relationships with her friends. She provides sharp observations on political issues and describes the social and literary circles in which she moved, giving valuable information on literary society and politics during the early nineteenth century. For more information on this author, see http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=fletel