A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Hunt, Arabella
HUNT, Arabella, singer, lutenist, and singing mistress, was the instructress in singing of the Princess (afterwards Queen) Anne. She was also a favourite of Queen Mary, who made her one of her personal attendants in order that she might have frequent opportunities of hearing her sing. Many of the songs of Purcell and Blow were composed for her. The beauty of her person equalled that of her voice. Congreve wrote an ode 'On Mrs. Arabella Hunt singing,' which is mentioned by Johnson as the best of his irregular poems. She died Dec. 26, 1705. After her death an engraving from her portrait by Kneller was published, with some panegyrical lines by Congreve (not from his ode) subjoined.
[ W. H. H. ]