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American poet

Lydia Huntley Sigourney
Built-in	(1791-09-01)September one, 1791 Norwich, Connecticut
Died	June 10, 1865(1865-06-10) (aged 73)

Lydia Huntley Sigourney (September ane, 1791 – June ten, 1865), née Lydia Howard Huntley, was an American poet, writer, and publisher during the early and mid 19th century. She was unremarkably known as the "Sweet Vocalizer of Hartford." She had a long career equally a literary expert, publishing 52 books and in over 300 periodicals in her lifetime. While some of her works were signed anonymously, most of her works were published with only her married name Mrs. Sigourney. During the lyceum movement that flourished in the United States in the 19th century, women named literary societies and study clubs in her honor.

Biography [edit]

Early life [edit]

Mrs. Sigourney was born in Norwich, Connecticut to Ezekiel Huntley and Zerviah Wentworth. Their only child, she was named after her father's offset wife, Lydia Howard, who had died shortly later marrying Ezekiel.

In her autobiography Letters of Life Sigourney describes her relation to her parents, her decision to care for them, and her intent to avoid union considering it would interfere with this relationship.

I had . . . reason for fugitive serious advances. My mind was made up never to leave my parents. I felt that their absorbing love could never be repaid by the longest life-service, and that the responsibility of an only child, their sole prop and solace, would be strictly regarded past Him who readeth the heart. I had seen aged people surrounded by indifferent persons, who considered their care a burden, and could not endure the thought that my tender parents, who were without near relatives, should be thrown upon the fluctuating kindness of hirelings and strangers. To me, my father already seemed anile, though scarcely sixty; and I said, in my musing hours, Shall he, who never denied me aught, or spoke to me otherwise than in beloved-tones, stretch forth his hands in their weakness, "and detect none to gird him"? (241).

Education and the school for young ladies [edit]

She was educated in Norwich and Hartford. With her friend Nancy Maria Hyde, Sigourney opened a school for young ladies in Norwich in 1811^[1] The schoolhouse was forced to close when Hyde became ill and was no longer able to teach. Later the close of the Norwich school, she conducted a similar school in Hartford in the home of Daniel Wadsworth from 1814 until 1819. Frances Manwaring Caulkins entered the Norwich school in September 1811, and remained a very warm friend and frequent correspondent with Sigourney thereafter.^[2]

When she was quite young, one of her neighbors, the Widow Lathrop, was friendly with her and encouraged her to develop. Afterward her friend Madam Lathrop died, Lydia was sent to visit Mrs. Jeremiah Wadsworth, an acquaintance of the Widow Lathrop in [Hartford, Connecticut]. This visit put her in contact with Daniel Wadsworth. Daniel helped her set up a school for girls, arranging for daughters of his friends to nourish.^[3] In 1815, he as well helped her publish her kickoff work, Moral Pieces in Prose and Verse, arranging the publishing and performing the initial editing himself. Sigourney described Wadsworth equally her "kind patron" and says that he "took upon himself the whole responsibility of contracting publishers, gathering subscriptions, and even correcting the proof sheets".^[4] She goes on to say that "He delighted in drawing a lonely mind from obscurity into a freer temper and brighter sunbeam".^[5]

Marriage and married life [edit]

On June 16, 1819, she married Charles Sigourney, and after her marriage chose to write anonymously in "leisure" time.^[6] It was not until her parents were in dire need and her married man had lost some of his old affluence that she began to write as an occupation. When she was referred to as the likely author of the anonymous Messages to Young Ladies, Past a Lady she admitted authorship and began to write openly every bit Mrs. Sigourney.^[7]

After her death, John Greenleaf Whittier composed a poem for her memorial tablet:

She sang lonely, ere womanhood had known
The gift of song which fills the air to-twenty-four hours:
Tender and sugariness, a music all her ain
May fitly linger where she knelt to pray.

^[eight]

Writings and criticism [edit]

The principal themes of Sigourney's writing include death, responsibility, religion — a strong belief in God and the Christian faith — and work. She ofttimes wrote elegies or poems for recently deceased neighbors, friends, and acquaintances. Her work is ane example of Victorian-era death literature which views death as an escape to a ameliorate identify, particularly for children. A contemporary critic chosen her work, infused with morals, "more than like the dew than the lightning".^[9] She enjoyed substantial popularity in her lifetime and earned several nicknames, including "the American Hemans", the "Sweet Singer of Hartford", and the "female Milton".^[10] Her influences included the work of Hannah More, William Wordsworth, and William Cowper.^[11]

Conduct literature [edit]

An advocate of gendered spheres of society, Sigourney followed the example of Hannah More than in creating a gendered rhetorical theory.^[1] Sigourney wrote two acquit books. Her first, Letters to Immature Ladies, was published in 1833 and was printed more than than 20-v times. This volume argued that women should do reading aloud, and likewise offered advice in letter of the alphabet writing and memorization. Sigourney promotes the importance of beingness amusing throughout the book, and suggests ways to take notes, along with communication on how to paraphrase what one has read. Sigourney recommends that girls should form reading societies, and says that women should utilise their virtue to promote its appearance in others.^[12]

In 1835, Lydia Sigourney published Zinzendorff, and Other Poems which featured a notable poem entitled Garafilia Mohalbi.^[thirteen] American painter and miniaturist Ann Hall also featured the aforementioned subject in a miniature portrait which afterwards became a popular engraving past E. Gallaudet an engraver from Boston. A mazurka was written by Carl Gartner entitled Garafilia and a ship besides diameter the same proper noun.^{[fourteen] [15]} Garafilia Mohalbi had been captured at the historic period of seven by the Turks during the Greek War of Independence. She was kidnapped and sold as a slave to an American Merchant Joseph Langdon. He freed her and adopted her equally his girl. Garafilia was sent to go live with his family in Boston. Three years later Mohalbi died in 1830 at the historic period of 13 and became the subject of an artistic movement.^[16]

Sigourney's 2d deport book, Letters to My Pupils, was published in 1837. In this book, Sigourney focuses on pronunciation and conversation, and claims that women should railroad train in enunciation even if they are not going to be speaking publicly. According to Sigourney, women's conversation should attach to iii rules: It should requite pleasure; it should be instructive and it should be comforting. Sigourney also fabricated a case for the value of silence at times, and argued that part of a adult female'due south role is to be a good listener.^[1]

In both of these books, Sigourney advocates traditional 19th century gendered spheres of club, only she also suggests that women tin can influence society through their teaching, conversation, and letter writing. Like Madeleine de Scudéry, Sigourney stresses the importance of existence agreeable in conversation.^[12]

Legacy [edit]

Since her decease, her writings largely have been forgotten. When remembered, she has been criticized for beingness shallow or for catering to the society in which she lived where women were expected to avoid public lives. For instance, much of her writing is referred to every bit "hack work" by Haight, her only biographer. Others accept attributed her influence to her relationships with wealthy, powerful people of her twenty-four hour period or to good business sense. Kolker points out that much of the criticism has come from modern ideas of finding a personal voice through poesy while Sigourney'south avowed intent was to benefit others (66). This purpose would mean that she had no need to find a personal voice.

However, co-ordinate to Nineteenth Century Criticism, "recently... there has been a renewed interest in Sigourney, particularly among feminist literary scholars. Critics such as Annie Finch, Nina Baym, and Dorothy Z. Baker take studied Sigourney's successful effort to establish herself equally a distinctly American and distinctly female poet." Nina Baym writes about Sigourney'due south construction of her own identity that through canny participation, it continued throughout her lifetime.^[17]

She was i of the most popular writers of her day, both in the U.s. and in England, and was called 'the American Hemans.' Her writings were characterized by fluency, grace and quiet reflection on nature, domestic and religious life, and philanthropic questions; but they were likewise frequently sentimental, didactic and commonplace. Some of her blank verse and pictures of nature suggest Bryant. Among her about successful poems are 'Niagara'^[18] and 'Indian Names.' The latter was set to music by Natalie Merchant for the 2010 album, Leave Your Sleep. Throughout her life, she took an active involvement in philanthropic and educational piece of work (1911 Encyclopædia Britannica). Some of her most popular work deals with Native American bug and injustices. An early advocate for social reform in slavery and in internal migration, Sigourney felt obligated to use her position to help oppressed members of society. In her posthumously published autobiography, "Letters of Life", Sigourney stated that she wrote with the hope of 'being an instrument of good'.^[19]

Her influence was tremendous. She inspired many young women to attempt to become poets. According to Teed:

Equally a dedicated, successful writer, Lydia Sigourney violated essential elements of the very gender roles she celebrated. In the process, she offered immature, aspiring women writers around the country an example of the possibilities of achieving both fame and economical advantage (xix).

Rev. Eastward. B. Huntington wrote a pocket-size consideration of Mrs. Sigourney'southward life before long later on her death. He idea that her success came "considering with [her] gifts and [her] success, she had with singular kindliness of center fabricated her very life-work itself a abiding source of blessing and joy to others. Her very goodness had made her great. Her genial goodwill had given her power. Her loving friendliness had made herself and her name everywhere a charm" (85). She wrote to inspire others, and Huntingdon felt that she had been successful.

She contributed more than two k manufactures to many (nearly 300) periodicals (1911 Encyclopædia Britannica) and some 67 books.

In 1844, Sigourney, Iowa, the county seat of Keokuk County, Iowa, was named in her honor. A large oil-paint portrait of Lydia nevertheless graces the foyer of the county courthouse.

Her poem "Sailor'southward Hymn At Departing," from her book Poems for the Ocean (1850) is repeatedly quoted in the 2019 pic The Lighthouse.

Lyceum motion [edit]

Sigourney'south commitment to didactics, writing, and charity was testimony to women's possibilities for self-edification and, no doubt, a role model for women. When Sigourney gave up her anonymity for skilful, she became the most widely known "authoress" and "poetess" in America. As a result, during the lyceum movement that flourished in the United States in the 19th century, women named literary societies and study clubs in her honor, including the post-obit examples:^[20]

• Sigourney Society (Oxford, New York) — founded at the Oxford Female Seminary, ca. 1836
• Sigourney Society (Gaffney, South Carolina) — founded at Limestone Springs Female person High School in 1848 — Lydia Sigourney was invited to become an honorary fellow member; she accepted
• Sigourney Guild (Griffin, Georgia) — founded at Griffin Female person Higher, ca. 1848–1858^[21]
• Sigournian Literary Society (Pennsylvania) — founded every bit a society for young ladies at Glade Run Classical and Normal Academy (Glade Run Presbyterian Church) ca. 1851 — At that place is a Glade Run Presbyterian Church in Valencia, Pa., in Butler Canton, and a West Glade Run Presbyterian Church in Kittanning, Pa., in Armstrong Canton. The Glade Run University was founded in the Presbytery of Kittanning, and some sources reference Armstrong County.
• Sigournian Social club (Centreville, Indiana) — founded at White Water College in 1856
• Sigournean Gild (Moore'due south Hill, Indiana) — founded equally a women's literary society at Moore's Hill Male and Female person Collegiate Institute (later Moore's Loma Higher) in 1857 — The club, which was known for a time as the Sigs, ultimately became the Chi Epsilon chapter of Chi Omega sorority; the higher, which relocated to Evansville, Indiana, in 1919, is at present the Academy of Evansville.
• Sigournean Lodge (Indianapolis, Indiana) — founded by Lydia Curt equally the kickoff literary lodge for women at North Western Christian Academy (at present Butler University) in March 1859 — The society published a newsletter, The Sigournean Casket.
• Sigournean Gild (Greensboro, N Carolina) — founded at Greensboro Female College (at present Greensboro College) prior to 1863 — likewise known as Sigournian Society and Sigourney Order
• Sigournean Society (Batavia, Illinois) — founded at the Batavia Establish, circa March 1866
• Young Ladies' Sigournean Band (Kokomo, Indiana) — flourished circa 1870s
• Sigournean Club (Olathe, Kansas) — founded equally a women's study lodge in 1890 and patently survived until the 1970s — According to its constitution, "The object of this lodge shall exist the attainment of a higher plane of life through wide culture, free discussion and common helpfulness."
• Sigournean Lodge (Winfield, Kansas) — organized as an afternoon written report lodge in 1898 — The main purpose of the club was to farther the report of art and literature.
• Sigournean Club (Ottawa, Kansas) — founded prior to 1899 — This order contributed a consummate library of l books to the Kansas Traveling Libraries in 1899.^[22]

There doubtless were many other such societies that were founded during the lyceum movement and named in honor of Lydia Huntley Sigourney.

Selected works [edit]

Landing at Jamestown, an engraving by A.Fifty. Dick, was used equally the frontispiece of Pocahontas and Other Poems.

• Moral Pieces in Prose and Poesy (1815)
• Traits of the Aborigines of America (1822), a poem
• A Sketch of Connecticut Twoscore Years Since (1824)
• Poems (1827)
• Evening Readings In History (1833)
• Letters to Immature Ladies (1833), one of her best-known books
• Sketches (1834)
• Poetry for Children (1834)
• Zinzendorff, and Other Poems (1835)
• Olive Buds (1836)
• Letters to Mothers (1838), republished in London
• Pocahontas, and Other Poems (1841)
• Pleasant Memories of Pleasant Lands (1842), descriptive of her trip to Europe in 1840
• Scenes in My Native Land (1844)
• Letters to My Pupils (1851)
• Olive Leaves (1851)
• The Faded Hope (1852) in memory of her but son, who died when he was nineteen years old
• By Meridian (1854)
• The Daily Counsellor (1858), poems
• Gleanings (1860), selections from her poesy
• The Man of Uz, and Other Poems (1862)
• Letters of Life (1866), giving an business relationship of her career

Popular culture [edit]

In 1837, Henry Russell used Ms. Sigourney's verse form for his song Washingtons Tomb.

References [edit]

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Lydia Sigourney" in Rhetorical Theory by Women before 1900: an Anthology. Ed. Jane Donawerth. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2002. 141-43. Print.
2. ^ Andrew, John Albion (1869). THE NEW-ENGLAND HISTORICAL & GEOLOGICAL Register AND ANTIQUARIAN JOURNAL (Public domain ed.). pp. 402–.
3. ^ Haight, 9
4. ^ Sigourney, 325
5. ^ Sigourney, 325–326
6. ^ Haight, 33–34
7. ^ Haight, 35
8. ^ Wagenknecht, Edward. John Greenleaf Whittier: A Portrait in Paradox. New York: Oxford University Press, 1967: 111.
9. ^ Brooks, Van Wyck. The Flowering of New England. New York: East. P. Dutton and Visitor, Inc., 1952. p. 163
10. ^ Watts, Emily Stipes. The Poetry of American Women from 1632 to 1945. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press, 1978: 83. ISBN 0-292-76450-2
11. ^ Watts, Emily Stipes. The Poetry of American Women from 1632 to 1945. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press, 1978: 84. ISBN 0-292-76450-2
12. ^ ^{a b} "Lydia Sigourney." Rhetorical Theory past Women earlier 1900: an Anthology. Ed. Jane Donawerth. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2002. 141-43. Print.
13. ^ "Lydia Howard Sigourney" Zinzendorff and Other Poems Routeledge 1835: p. 212
14. ^ "Carl Gartner" Garafilia Nathan Richardson at the Musical Exchange 1855: p. one
15. ^ "U.Due south. Government" Usa Congressional Serial Set Volume 543 U.s. Congress 1849: p. 147
16. ^ "Stephen Henry Gimber" The Youth's Keepsake A Christmas and New year'south Present Geo. A. Leavitt, publisher 1831: p. 9
17. ^ Baym, Nina. "Reinventing Lydia Sigourney." American Literature 62.3 (1990): 385–404.JSTOR. Duke University Printing. Web. 26 Mar. 2011.
18. ^ http://world wide web.niagarapoetry.ca/Contents.html#sigourney Archived 2008-06-03 at the Wayback Machine
19. ^ "Lydia Howard Huntley Sigourney." The Norton Album of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym, Robert Due south. Levine, and Arnold Krupat. Vol. B. New York: W. West. Norton &, 2007. 1028-029. Print.
20. ^ Scheetz, George H. "From Lyceum to Library: A Free Public Library for Batavia." Books Between Bites [Batavia (Sick.) Public Library lecture serial], Thursday, April 19, 2007
21. ^ "Editors' Department," The Lady's Abode Magazine of Literature, Fine art, and Manner (Philadelphia, T. S. Arthur & Co.), XII (Baronial 1858): 98. Also known as Arthur's Abode Magazine (index and running heads)
22. ^ "History of the Traveling Libraries." Eleventh Biennial Written report of the Kansas Traveling Libraries Committee, 1918–1920. Topeka, 1920, p. 11.

Further reading [edit]

• Collin, Grace Lathrop. "Lydia Huntley Sigourney", a biography published in New England Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly, New Series, republished in Vol. 27. Boston: America Company, 1902 (available at Cyberspace Archive).
• Haight, Gordon South. Mrs. Sigourney, The Sweetness Singer of Hartford. New Haven: Yale Academy Press, 1930.
• Hart, John Seely. The Female Prose Writers of America Philadelphia, 1857. At Net Archive.
• Huntington, Rev. E.B. "Lydia H. Sigourney." Eminent women of the age, being narratives of the lives and deeds of the most prominent women of the present generation. Hartford, Conn., 1868. Image at Internet Archive.
• Kolker, Amy Sparks. The Circumscribed Path: Nineteenth-Century American Poetesses. Diss. University of Kansas, 1999. Ann Arbor: UMI, 1999. 9941646.
• Mattheu, Elizabeth-Christina. "Britannia'southward Poet! Graecia's Hero, Sleeps! ...": Philhellenic Poetry by Women, 1817–1852. Diss. University of Athens, 2001. Ann Arbor: UMI, 2001. 3015876.
• Sigourney, Lydia Howard Huntley. Letters of Life. New York, 1867. E-text at the Cyberspace Archive.
• Sigourney, Lydia. Lydia Sigourney: Selected Poetry and Prose. Gary Kelly Ed. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-55111-620-4.
• Teed, Melissa Ladd. Work, Domesticity and Localism: Women'southward Public Identity in Nineteenth-Century Hartford, Connecticut. Diss. University of Connecticut, 1999. Ann Arbor: UMI, 2000. 9949129.

External links [edit]

• Finch, Annie. "An Unsung Singer. "The Sentimental Poetess in the World: Metaphor and Subjectivity in Lydia Sigourney's Nature Verse." Legacy, Autumn 1987.
• Griffin, George. Lydia H. Sigourney Papers
• "Lydia Sigourney." Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism Article on Sigourney
• Works by Lydia Sigourney at Project Gutenberg
• Works by or about Lydia Sigourney at Internet Archive
• Works by Lydia Sigourney at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
• Niagara Falls Poetry Project – Sigourney poems
• The Victorian Web: Lydia Sigourney
• Sigourney correspondence at Mountain Holyoke Higher

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Sigourney

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