Emma Roberts (author)
Emma Roberts (27 March 1791 – 17 September 1840), often referred to as "Miss Emma Roberts", was an English travel writer and poet known for her memoirs about India. In her own time, she was well regarded, and William Jerdan considered her "a very successful cultivator of the belles lettres".[1]
Early life
Emma Roberts was born on 27 March 1791, either in London or (according to other sources) in Methley, near Leeds.[2][3] She was one of three children of Captain William Roberts and his wife, Eliza. The family was of Welsh origin, and had strong military links: William was in the Russian service, and afterwards paymaster of an English regiment; his brother was General Thomas Roberts, who raised the 111th Regiment of Foot in 1794; and Emma's brother became a lieutenant in the army, but died young.[2]
After her father died, her mother took Emma and her elder sister to Bath. Her mother is said to have "some literary pretensions".[4]
Emma received some of her education from
Emma Roberts should not be confused with her near-contemporary Jane Roberts, with whom she corresponded.
Career
Roberts's literary career began with the publication of Memoirs of the Rival Houses of York and Lancaster ... in 1827.
Back in England Roberts turned to editing for a while. She edited a new edition (the 64th) of
In April 1840 she was taken ill while on a visit to Satara. She moved to Poona to recover, but only a day after arriving died there on 17 September.[2] She was buried the same day, near the grave of Maria Jane Jewsbury.[2][8] Her account of her journey to Bombay was published posthumously in 1841.
Works
- Memoirs of the Rival Houses of York and Lancaster, historical and biographical: embracing a period of English history from the accession of Richard II. to the death of Henry VII (1827)
- Oriental Scenes (1832)
- Scenes and Characteristics of Hindostan; with sketches of Anglo-Indian society (1835)
- Views in India, China, and on the Shores of the Red Sea; Drawn by Prout, Stanfield, Cattermole, Purser, Cox, Austen, &c. from original sketches by Commander Robert Elliott, R.N.; with descriptions by Emma Roberts (1835)
- The Zenana and Minor Poems of Letitia Elizabeth Landon: with a memoir by Emma Roberts (1837)
- Notes of an Overland Journey through France and Egypt to Bombay (1841)
References
- ^ Jerdan, William (1855). The Autobiography of William Jerdan. Vol. 4. London. p. 329.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/23747. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ ISBN 0-7190-3788-3.
- ^ a b Elwood, [Anne] (1843). Memoirs of the Literary Ladies of England. Vol. 2. London: Henry Colburn. pp. 333–347.
- ISBN 978-3039110971.
- doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/59581. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ Anon. (1865). "Memories of authors: a series of portraits from personal acquaintance: Miss Landon". The Atlantic Monthly. 15. Boston: Ticknor and Fields: 330–340 (332, 334).
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hale, Sarah Josepha Buell (1855). Woman's Record, or, Sketches of all distinguished women: from the creation to A.D. 1854: arranged in four eras: with selections from female writers of every age. Harper and Brothers. p. 885.
- ^ The select journal of foreign periodical literature (Vol. 1). Boston: Charles Bowen. 1833. p. 130.
- ^ "Song". The Edinburgh Literary Journal. 2: 301. 1829.
- ^ "Scenes and characteristics of Hindostan. By Miss Emma Roberts". The Quarterly Review. 55. London: John Murray: 174. 1836.
- ISBN 1-57958-247-8.
Further reading
- Anon. (May 1841). "Obituary: Miss Emma Roberts". The Gentleman's Magazine. 2nd ser. 15 (5): 544.