Authoress, daughter of Thomas Mulso, and born at Twywell, Northants, wrote for the “Rambler” (No. 10), “Adventurer,” and “Gentleman’s Magazine;” but is now chiefly remembered by her “Letters on the Improvement of the Mind” (1772). She married an attorney in 1760, but next year was left a widow. See her Works with Life (4 vols. 1807).

Personal

  I went one evening last week to the Dean of Winchester’s, where we met Mrs. Chapone, who looked less forbidding than usual; but she is deadly ugly to be sure;—such [an] African nose and lips, and such a clunch figure!

  Mrs. Chapone was of a lively and sanguine temperament, possessed of humour and sagacity, and knowledge of the world, which made her an entertaining companion, and a sound adviser. Her disposition was kind and amiable, and her principles were excellent.

  But though the dignity of her mind demanded, as it deserved, the respect of some return to the visits which her love of society induced her to pay, it was a tête-à-tête alone that gave pleasure to the intercourse with Mrs. Chapone: her sound understanding, her sagacious observations, her turn to humour, and the candour of her affectionate nature, all then came into play without effort: and her ease of mind, when freed from the trammels of doing the honours of reception, seemed to soften off, even to herself, her corporeal infirmities. It was thus that she struck Dr. Burney with the sense of her worth; and seemed portraying in herself the original example whence the precepts had been drawn, for forming the unsophisticated female character, that are displayed in the author’s “Letters on the Improvement of the Mind.”

General

  Mrs. Chapone’s “Letters” are written with such good sense, and unaffected humility, and contain so many useful observations, that I only mention them to pay the worthy writer this tribute of respect. I cannot, it is true, always coincide in opinion with her; but I always respect her.

  Nor was she only diligent in acquiring the accomplishments of elegance and taste; the studies of philosophy and theology occupied a large portion of her time; for her devotion was ardent, and her reasoning powers of uncommon strength. Her enthusiastic love of genius, and her scepticism with regard to dogmatic assertion, led her, while very young, into a warm admiration of Richardson the author of “Clarissa,” and into a masterly refutation of his arbitrary opinions on parental authority and filial obedience; a correspondence which has been lately published, and forms a most respectable proof of early proficiency in argumentative discussion.

  Her enthusiastic love of genius made her a warm admirer of Richardson, the novelist, to whom, however, she could not surrender her opinions. With him she entered into an able correspondence on the subject of filial obedience; and her letters, though written at the age of twenty-two, display much ability, and strength and clearness of mind.