Who is Matilda Betham

Mary Matilda Betham, known by family and friends as Matilda Betham (16 November 1776 – 30 September 1852),: 143  was an English diarist, poet, woman of letters, and miniature portrait painter. She exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts from 1804 to 1816. Her first of four books of verses was published in 1797. For six years, she researched notable historical women around the world and published A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country in 1804.

Early life

Betham was the eldest of 14 children born to Rev. William Betham of Stonham Aspal, Suffolk and Mary Damant of Eye, Suffolk.: 91  Her father researched and published books on royal and English baronetage genealogy. He was also a schoolmaster and the Anglican rector of Stok...
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Matilda Betham Poems

• Written On Whitsun-monday, 1795
  At an open window sitting,
  On this day of mirth and glee,
  ‘Cross a flow'ry vista flitting,
  Many passing forms I see....
• Written In Zimmermann's Solitude
  Hail, melancholy sage! whose thoughtful eye,
  Shrunk from the mere spectator's careless gaze,
  And, in retirement sought the social smile,
  The heart-endearing aspect, and the voice...
• Vignettes 26: Elegy On Edward Betham, Lost In The Duchess Of Gordon East Indiaman, Off The Cape Of G
  Lovely as are the wide and sudden calms
  Upon a lake, when all the waters rise,
  To smooth each undulation, and present
  A plain of molten silver-is the hope,...
• Vignettes 25
  Fear has to do with sacred things,
  And more than all from Pity springs.
  Two school-girls once-the time is past,
  But ever will the memory last-...
• Vignettes 24: On The Death Of Herbert Southey: Addressed To His Father
  Knowing the nature of thy grief,
  Too deep, too recent for relief,
  Oh! why impatient must I press
  So early on a friend's distress!...

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Matilda Betham Quotes

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Comments about Matilda Betham

• Stephenmturton: amazing. maybe the first english dictionary of women’s biography? a tradition continued by… mary hays, female biography (1803) mary pilkington, memoirs of celebrated female characters (1804) matilda betham, a biographical dictionary of the celebrated women of every age (1804)
• Mazdaki: sanghis, most likely, don’t know that iqbal had actually adapted matilda betham-edward’s poem as lab pe aati hai dua. the original reads like: god make my life a little light within the world to glow; a little flame that burneth bright, wherever i may go ...
• Anngraigh: and then in turn, her niece, novelist matilda betham-edwards, wrote a biographical note about mary betham in her "six life stories of famous women" and published some of her letters.
• Suffolkarchives: happy birthday to matilda-betham edwards, 1836-1919 suffolk's very own children's author, poet, and novelist find out more at the 'women don't do such things' exhibition now open at the suffolk archives book free
• Temporal3: lub pe aati hay dua... i. “god make my life a little light” by matilda barbara betham-edwards (1836–1919) god make my life a little light within the world to glow; a little flame that burneth bright, wherever i may go.

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