Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Harwood, Isabella
HARWOOD, ISABELLA (1840?–1888), dramatist and novelist, daughter of Philip Harwood [q. v.], editor of the ‘Saturday Review,’ and of a Scotch lady of the name of Neil, was born about 1840. She commenced her literary career as a reviewer and writer of fiction, and between 1864 and 1870 produced a series of successful novels, among which ‘Abbot's Cleve,’ ‘Carleton Grange,’ and ‘Raymond's Heroine’ deserve especial notice. At a later period she found her true sphere in the almost utterly neglected department of the poetical drama. Her plays, published under the pseudonym of Ross Neil, ‘Lady Jane Grey,’ ‘Inez’ (1871), ‘The Cid,’ ‘The King and the Angel,’ ‘Duke for a Day’ (1874), ‘Elfinella,’ ‘Lord and Lady Russell’ (1876), ‘Arabella Stuart,’ ‘The Heir of Linne,’ ‘Tasso’ (1879), ‘Andrea the Painter,’ ‘Claudia's Choice,’ ‘Orestes,’ ‘Pandora’ (1883), are always elegant and often truly poetical, and merit a high rank as literary compositions, though too purely literary and too little substantial for the stage. Miss Harwood was most amiable, sensible, and accomplished, and shared her father's musical taste and proficiency. She did not long survive him, dying at Hastings in June 1888.
[Personal knowledge.]