A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Chezy, Wilhelmine Christine Von
CHEZY, WILHELMINE CHRISTINE VON,
A German poetess, whose maiden name was Yon Klenke, was born at Berlin, January 26th., 1783. She married Mr. Von Haslfker, but they had lived only a short time together, when they applied for and obtained a divorce. She was afterwards married to the celebrated French orientalist. Von Chezy; but this second marriage proved no more happy in its results than the first; and, according to a mutual agreement between her and her husband, she was again divorced. She then devoted herself to the education of her two sons by her second husband; they did honour to their instructor, and have since obtained considerable literary fame.
Frau Von Chezy lived alternately in Munich, Vienna, and Paris. She was, on her mother's side, a grandchild of the celebrated poetess Frau Karsch, whose talents seem to have descended to her. As a writer, she is best known by the name of Helmina, under which she has written tales and romances in verse. Her writings are characterized by a fertile imagination, a pleasing style, and warm feeling; though they cannot always bear the test of a critical examination. She has also written a few spirited prose works, and the opera Euryanthe, which was set to music by Von Weber. The best of her works are "The Martinman Birds," the "Six noble Employments," and "Recollections of Vienna." She died in 1849.