Born in 1720 in New York City, Charlotte Ramsay was the daughter of a British army officer who was said to have been lieutenant-governor of the colony, although no evidence for the claim survives. She grew up in Albany, New York, until the age of fifteen, when she was sent to live with relatives in England. For some years she was supported by a series of aristocratic patronesses. In October 1747 she married Alexander Lennox, a printer. In that year she published her first book, Poems on Several Occasions. An attempt at acting in 1748 was short-lived, as Horace Walpole╒s opinion that she was ╥a deplorable actress╙ was widely shared.
Her career in literature was largely opened to her by her acquaintance with Samuel Johnson and in lesser part by her association with Samuel Richardson, both of whom offered encouragement and assistance. In 1750 she published her first novel, The Life of Harriot Stuart. Two years later her most famous book appeared, The Female Quixote, or the Adventures of Arabella, a satire, somewhat in the Cervantean manner, on popular French romances and their readers. Subsequent books included Shakespear Illustrated, a pioneering study of the playwright╒s sources, 1753, The Memoirs of M. de Bethune, Duke of Sully, a translation, 1756, The Memoirs of the Countess of Berci, translation, 1756, Memoirs for the History of Madam de Maintenon, and of the Last Age, translation, 1757, The History of Henrietta, a novel, 1758, Philander and Angelica, or Quixote in Petticoats, plays, both 1758, The Greek Theatre of Father Brumoy, translation, 1759, Sophia a novel, 1762, The Sister, a play given one performance at Covent Garden, 1769, Meditations and Penitential Prayers Written by the Duchess de la ValliÅre, translation, 1774, Old City Manners, a dramatic adaptation, 1775, and Euphenia, a novel, 1790. During 1760╨1761 she also published a short-lived periodical, The Lady╒s Museum. Her literary efforts brought her little income but much renown. Johnson honored her by quoting her in his dictionary. She died in London on January 4, 1804.
.styl ` ( ! ¬ 5¬ # 5¬ : !I ! !I ; !I ┴ 5¬ ┬ !I ╢ !I ╨ !I !I 3 !I ½ !I ┴ !I ∙ !I $ !I ; !I _ !I t !I ╢ !I ╦ !I π !I ⌠ !I ² !I !I $ !I 8 !I Z !I o !I u !I à !I Å !I ╞ !I !I $ !I 5 !I W !I ` !I » !I └ !I link `
