Piozzi, Hester Lynch

Piozzi, Hester Lynch

▪ English writer
née  Salusbury , also called (1763–84)  Harriet Lynch Thrale , byname  Mrs. Thrale 
born Jan. 27, 1740, Bodvel, Carnarvonshire, Wales
died May 2, 1821, Clifton, Bristol, Eng.
 English writer and friend of Samuel Johnson (Johnson, Samuel).

      In 1763 she married a wealthy brewer named Henry Thrale. In January 1765 Samuel Johnson was brought to dinner, and the next year, following a severe illness, Johnson spent most of the summer in the country with the Thrales. Gradually, he became part of the family circle, living about half the time in their homes. A succession of distinguished visitors came there to see Johnson and socialize with the Thrales.

      In 1781 Thrale died, and his wife was left a wealthy widow. To everyone's dismay, she fell in love with her daughter's music master, Gabriel Piozzi, an Italian singer and composer, married him in 1784, and set off for Italy on a honeymoon. Dr. Johnson openly disapproved. The resulting estrangement saddened his last months of life.

      When news reached her of Johnson's death, she hastily compiled and sent back to England copy for Anecdotes of the late Samuel Johnson, LL.D., during the last Twenty Years of his Life (1786), which thrust her into open rivalry with James Boswell (Boswell, James). The breach was further widened when, after her return to England in 1787, she brought out a two-volume edition of Letters to and from the late Samuel Johnson, LL.D. (1788). Although less accurate in some details than Boswell's, her accounts show other aspects of Johnson's character, especially the more human and affectionate side of his nature.

      When many old friends remained aloof, Mrs. Piozzi drew around her a new artistic circle, including the actress Sarah Siddons. Her pen remained active, and thousands of her entertaining, gossipy letters have survived. She retained to the end her unflagging vivacity and zest for life.

Additional Reading
The standard authorities remain J.L. Clifford, Hester Lynch Piozzi (Mrs. Thrale) (1941); and Thraliana (her journal kept sporadically between 1776 and 1809), ed. by K.C. Balderston, 2 vol. (1942). The Thrales of Streatham Park, ed. by Mary Hyde (1977), includes an unpublished journal of Hester's (1766–78) and a biography.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Piozzi,Hester Lynch — Pioz·zi (pyôtʹsē), Hester Lynch. Known as “Mrs. Thrale.” (thrāl) 1741 1821. British writer whose books Anecdotes of the Late Samuel Johnson (1786) and Letters to and from the Late Samuel Johnson (1788) recount her friendship with the famed… …   Universalium

  • Piozzi, Hester Lynch (Salusbury) — (1741 1821)    Miscellaneous writer, m. Henry Thrale, a wealthy brewer, and, after his death, Gabriel Piozzi, an Italian musician. Her chief distinction is her friendship with Dr. Johnson, who was for a time almost domesticated with the Thrales.… …   Short biographical dictionary of English literature

  • Hester Thrale — Hester Lynch Thrale by Sir Joshua Reynolds Hester Lynch Thrale (born Hester Lynch Salusbury and after her second marriage, Hester Lynch Piozzi) (27 January 1741 [NS] – 2 May 1821) was a British diarist, author, and patron of the arts. Her diaries …   Wikipedia

  • Hester Thrale — Hester Lynch Thrale por Sir Joshua Reynolds. Hester Thrale, (Bodvel Hall, Caernarvonshire, Gales, 16 de enero de 1741 Clifton, cerca de Bristol, 2 de mayo de 1821) fue una redactora galesa de un diario, viajera por Europa, escritora y protectora… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Hester Thrale — mit Tochter (Gemälde von Joshua Reynolds, etwa 1777) Hester Lynch Thrale, geborene Salusbury, später verheiratete Piozzi, (* 27. Januar 1741 in Bodvel Hall, Caernarvonshire, Wales; † 2. Mai 1821 in Clifton) war eine englische Autorin, Salonière… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Hester Thrale — Hester Lynch Thrale, née Hester Lynch Salusbury et nommée après son second mariage Hester Lynch Piozzi (16 janvier 1741 – 2 mai 1821), était une femme de lettres britannique d origine galloise, auteur de journaux intimes, de chroniques et de… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Hester Maria Elphinstone, Viscountess Keith — Infobox Person name = Hester Maria Elphinstone, Viscountess Keith image size = caption = Hester Maria Queeney Thrale (left) aged 15,with her mother HesterPainted by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1781) birth date = 17 September 1764 birth place = Southwark …   Wikipedia

  • Piozzi — /pee ot see/; It. /pyawt tsee/, n. Hester Lynch. See Thrale, Hester Lynch. * * * …   Universalium

  • Piozzi — Pi•oz•zi [[t]piˈɒt si[/t]] n. big Hester Lynch Thrale, Hester Lynch …   From formal English to slang

  • Piozzi — /pee ot see/; It. /pyawt tsee/, n. Hester Lynch. See Thrale, Hester Lynch …   Useful english dictionary

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