The American Cyclopædia (1879)/More, Hannah

MORE, Hannah, an English authoress, born in Stapleton, Gloucestershire, Feb. 2, 1745, died in Clifton, Sept. 7, 1833. She was educated at a seminary kept by her sisters in Bristol, in the direction of which she afterward became associated. At the age of 16 she composed a pastoral drama, "The Search after Happiness" (1773). In 1774 appeared her tragedy of "The Inflexible Captive," and in 1775 two legendary poems, "Sir Edred of the Bower" and "The Bleeding Rock." Garrick brought out her tragedy of "Percy" in 1777. "The Fatal Falsehood" was produced in 1779. About this time religious impressions induced Miss More to cease writing for the stage. A volume of "Sacred Dramas" (1782), "Florio," a satirical tale (1786), a "Poem on the Slave Trade" and "Thoughts on the Manners of the Great" (1788), and "Religion of the Fashionable World" (1791) were among her next productions. She began at Bath in 1795 a monthly periodical called the "Cheap Repository," consisting of short moral tales written by herself, among which was "The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain." The work attained an enormous circulation. Miss More removed to Cheddart, founded there several schools, and soon extended her charitable efforts for the education of the poor into all the surrounding country. After the appearance of her "Strictures on the Modern System of Female Education" (1799), she was invited to draw up a plan of instruction for the princess Charlotte of Wales, and produced "Hints toward forming the Character of a Young Princess" (1805). "Cœlebs in Search of a Wife," her most popular work (1809), went through 10 editions in one year. It was followed by "Practical Piety" (1811), "Christian Morals" (1812), an "Essay on the Character and Writings of St. Paul" (1815), and "Modern Sketches" (1819). In 1828 she removed from Barleywood in Gloucestershire, where she had lived for several years with her sisters, to Clifton. She accumulated by her writings about 30,000, one third of which she bequeathed for charitable purposes. The best edition of her works is in 11 vols. 16mo (London, 1853).—See "Memoirs of the Life and Correspondence of Mrs. Hannah More," by William Roberts (4 vols. 8vo, London, 1834; 2 vols. 12mo, New York, 1836), and " Correspondence of Hannah More with Zachary Macaulay " (London, 1860).