Jane Emily Herbert

Jane Emily Herbert (1821 – 26 May 1882) was an Irish poet who, in her time, was hailed as the legitimate successor, in the female line, to the laurel vacant since the death of Felicia Hemans in 1835.[1]

Early life and family

Jane Emily Herbert was born to parents Henry Monckton Herbert and Elizabeth Jane Barlow. In 1839 her father kept a school in Arklow, County Wicklow, as evidenced by an article that appeared in The Freeman's Journal of 8 November 1839, while her mother and some of her siblings attended to the farm of about 50 acres. The article states the family moved in a respectable station in society. Her mother, Elizabeth Jane, was a sister of Arthur Craven Barlow, Esq., of Saunders Court & Mt Anna in Wexford, and Thomas William Barlow, Esq.,(as evidenced by the dedication in The Bride of Imael which reads: "To my widowed mother and her brothers Arthur Craven Barlow and Thomas William Barlow Esq., of Dublin").[2] Both were prominent in society, the latter being for many years the solicitor for the Board of Ordnance in Ireland, and both married into the Jeffares family of Wexford. Following the death of Arthur's first wife, Susannah, about one year after their marriage, he married Dorothy Cooper, daughter of John Cooper of Birchgrove, Wexford. Their children immigrated to New Zealand, while most of Thomas William and Ann Jeffare's children immigrated to Australia.[3][4][5]

Published works

Poetical Recollections of Irish History

Her earliest published work Poetical Recollections of Irish History in 1842, which she wrote at age only 22, was hailed by many of which the following are samples:

The Bride of Imael

Of her work The Bride of Imael; or Irish Love and Saxon Beauty,[2][6] the Dublin Evening Mail of 28 January 1848, quotes Benjamin Disraeli thus, "A beautiful volume, in which I found grace and fancy, a melodious ear, and the healthy interest of a National subject."[7]

The following are samples of further quotes pertaining to this particular work:

On 24 July 1853, in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette the following article was recorded:[8]

"We are happy to be able to state that Miss Herbert the clever authoress of The Bride of Imael, and one of whose productions we published a few weeks since, is nearly restored to health. She has been staying a short time on a visit to her brother the Rev. T. W. Herbert, in St. Thomas, where she was taken dangerously ill, and left this (Friday) morning for Bristol."

Ione's Dream, and Other Poems

Ione's Dream, and other poems was published in 1853 and positively reviewed in the Dublin University Magazine and others.[9] The following quotes from some of the literary critics of the day appeared in the Dublin Evening Mail of 5 August 1853:[10]

Ione's Dream was also a part of David Scott Mitchell's personal collection. He was founder and benefactor of The Mitchell Library, Sydney.[12]

A Short History of Ireland

A Short History of Ireland from the Earliest Periods to the Year 1798 apparently first appeared in 1886. A Short History of Ireland, from 400 to the year 1829, published in 1887, was reported to be "a posthumous work by the late Miss Herbert, a lady who in her day was well known as an accomplished writer of verse, and who in all she wrote showed the keen interest she felt in the past history of our country."[13]

Siblings

Jane Emily was one of five siblings.[3][4]

Later life

Herbert married the surgeon Thomas Mills in the Parish of Monkstown on 11 November 1858. According to their Church Marriage Record her address was Kingstown at that time, while the address for Thomas is given as Staffordshire. To date not much is known of Thomas, other than his occupation and that he was a son of Thomas Mills who was recorded as being a "gentleman".[3]

Jane Emily Herbert (Mills) was recorded as a widow on her death record when she died of heart failure at home in Moryn Lodge, Sorrento Road, Dalkey, Dublin, on 26 May 1882.[3][14]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Just published: The Bride of Imael". Dublin University Magazine (29). 1847. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 "The bride of Imael: or, Irish love and Saxon beauty; a poem". Dublin: William Curry. 1847. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Palmer, Mrs. Lefayre (May 10, 2010). "Old residents of Dalkey - The Herbert Family" (PDF). Dalkey Deilginis 'Thorn Island' Community Council Newsletter 397 (16): 18–19. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Barlows in Ireland". Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  5. "In Search of the Barlows" (PDF). Ireland’s Genealogical Gazette (Genealogical Society of Ireland) 2 (11): 4. 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  6. "Holdings: The bride of Imael, or, Irish love and Saxon beauty :". Catalogue.nli.ie. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  7. "The Bride of Imael". Dublin Evening Mail. 28 January 1848. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  8. "Patriotic Irish Poet Jane Emily Herbert 1821 - 1882". Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  9. "Recent poems and translations: Ione's Dream". Dublin University Magazine 42 (CCXLIX): 259–260. 1853. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 "Just Published Ione's Dream, and Other Poems". Dublin Evening Mail. 5 August 1853. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  11. "Ione's Dream, and Other Poems". Dublin Evening Mail. 15 July 1853. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  12. "Herbert, Jane Emily, d.c. 1886.". State Library Catalogue, New South Wales. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  13. "Just published: A Short History of Ireland". The Christmas Bookseller: 202. 1887. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  14. "Jane Emily Herbert". Rootsweb. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
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