"To Sing the Town": Women, Place, and Print Culture in Eighteenth-Century Bath

Abstract

"ToSingtheTown": Women,Place,andPrintCulturein Eighteenth-CenturyBath ELIZABETHCHILD TosingtheTown,wherebalmyWatersflow, TowhichAMELIA'SHealththeNationsowe, Mymuseaspires;whileconsciousBlushesrise, AndherweakPinionstremble,eresheflies; Till,drawingVigourfromthoselivingSprings, ShedarestoraiseherVoice,andstretchherWings. —The Description of Bath ' Writingabout"theTownwherebalmyWatersflow"madeMary Chandler'sliteraryreputation.ShepublishedTheDescriptionofBath anonymouslyin1733;by1767ithadgoneintoeighteditions.Thepoem earnedChandlerpraisefromPope,inclusioninMaryScott's1774TheFe- maleAdvocate,andlife-longlocalcelebrity.2AsaresidentofBath,Chan- dlercouldspeakconfidentlyabouttownhistory,thelocalscenery,thespa's life-givingwaters,thesocialdiversionsofthetouristpopulation,andthe accomplishmentsofprominentcitizens.LatereditionsofTheDescriptionof BathaddedbothadedicationtoPrincessAmeliaandChandler'sname.But itwasChandler'smasteryofthelocalscene,ratherthanthetropeofroyal patronage,thatauthorizedhertowrite,toworkinadifficultpoeticform,to publishherworkandtorevealherauthorship.Herpoemoffersaparadigm foraparticularconditionofauthorship:theconditionofplace. 155 156 / CHILD Todate,geographyhasplayedlittleroleinfeminism'streatmentofeigh- teenth-centuryEnglishwomen'swriting.Instead,therecoveryofmostfemaleauthorshasbeenunselfconsciouslyLondon -centric,privilegingthe metropolisastheonlysignificantsiteofliteraryproduction.3Whileperform- ingvaluablerecoverywork,theresurgenceofcriticalinterestinauthorslike Behn,Manley,Haywood,Lennox,BurneyandWollstonecraftatthesame timehasimplicitlyfosteredametropolitan(andtherebyexclusionary)narra- tiveofwomen'swriting.Allofmesewritersspentmajorpartsoftheirlives— oratleasttheirprofessionalcareers—inLondon.Theyhadgoodreasonto doso:Londonwasenormouslyimportanttoeighteenth-centuryEnglishcul- turallifeformenandwomenalike.ToconflateLondonwithEngland,or metropoliswithnation,however,promotesahomogenoussocioculruralge- ographyattheexpenseofactualhistoricalheterogeneity.Oneresultofourmetropolitanbiashasbeenaskewednarrativeofwomen'sinvolvementin printculture.Foreighteenth-centuryEnglishwomen,lessmobileandmore constrictedthantheirmalepeersintermsofaccesstoLondon'sliterarycul- ture,thetransformationofprovincialtownsthatoccurredacrossthecentury wasadeterminingconditionofauthorship.4Evenacursoryreviewofpro- vincialurbanlocalessuchasBathimmediatelybeginstochallengetheex- tanthistoriography,uncoveringasignificantrecordofwomen'sliterarypro- ductionthathasbeenobscuredbyLondon'slongshadow.5 MargaretEzellhasrecentlyurgedfeministscholarshiptopracticeamuch more"self-conscioushistoricism,"arguingthat"existingassumptionsabout modesofliteraryproductionandabouthistoriographycanbechallengedand ...importanttextsbywomenwriterscanberecoveredbyare-visioningof theliterarypast."6Alocationalmodelforwomen'sliteraryhistoryoffers sucharevisioning.FeministattentiontoChandler,forexample,hastended tofocusontheinfluenceofAlexanderPope.7ReadingChandlerspecifically asaBathwomanwriter,ontheotherhand,inscribesherintoacommunityof eighteenth-centuryauthorsrangingfrombetter-knownfiguressuchasSarah Scott,SarahFielding,CatharineMacaulayandSophiaLee,tolesserknown authorslikeJaneBowdler,EstherLewis,LadyAnnaMillerandAnn Thicknesse.Thesewomenbelongedtodifferentsocialclasses,workedin differentgenresandhelddiverseideologicalpositions.Consideringsuch authorsonthebasisofplace,however,promotesnewpatternsofinquirythat challengepreviousassumptionsaboutthoseverycategoriesandproposenew waysofreadingtheirtexts. FocusingprimarilyonwomenengagedinBath'sprintcultureintheeigh- teenthcentury,Iwillarguethatthetown'surbandynamicsfosteredwomen'swritinginwaysdistinct,bothmateriallyandconceptually,fromthemetro- politanscene.Keyfactorsinthisdifferentiationincludedtherapidgrowthof Women,Place,andPrintCultureinEighteenth-CenturyBath/157 localpublishingasacommercialenterprise,town-specificmodelsofboth socialrelationsandtheorganizationofpublicspace,andtheavailabilityof civicrhetoricandcivicideologyasauthorizingagents.Ineachofthesear- eas,Bathoffersausefulcasestudyofthewaysinwhicheighteenth-century women'swritinggrowsoutof,andrespondsto,thelocal. ItmightbesaidthattheliteraryhistoryofEnglandrestsuponaspatial metaphor:Londonasthehubofawheel,radiatingcultureouttotheprovin- cialtownsandbeyond.Takencollectively,however,thetrajectoryofthe careersdiscussedbelowdecentermetropolitanhegemony,emphasizinginsteadtheincreasingfeasibilityofliteraryenterpriseforwomenoutsideof London.Remappingthisterrainprovidesamorecontextualliteraryhistory, onethatresistsessentialistclaimsaboutgenderandforegroundsinsteadthe multipleandcomplexconditionsofauthorshipshapingwomen'sliterarypro- duction. SocialhistorianshavedubbedtheeighteenthcenturyEngland's"urban Renaissance,"referringtothetremendoussocioeconomicgrowthandbur- geoningprosperitythatencompassednotonlyLondonbutalsotheprov- inces.8TownslikeBath,Bristol,Norwich,Exeterandthenewindustrialsites,whileadmittedlyonlyafractionofLondon'ssize,stillbecamelarge enough,andwealthyenough,tosupportsweepingarchitecturalrenovation, permanentmeaters,printers,multiplebookshopsandlibraries,andevenschol- arlysocieties. Thatwomenbeganto"livebythepen"earlyinthelongeighteenthcen- turyiswellknown.Thecausalroleofnewlyvigorouslocaleconomiesin thatprocess,however,hasbeenlargelyoverlooked.DuringtheRestorationandearlyeighteenth-century,asPaulHunterhasshown,livinginLondon wasprobablyanecessaryconditionforfinanciallysuccessfulfemaleauthor- ship.9Butasthecenturyworeon,moreandmoreprovincialwomensup- portedthemselvesbywriting.Bathwasaparticularlyimportantsitebysheer dintofthenumberofwomenauthorswholived,wroteandpublishedthere. TheproductivityofaumorsinBathlikeSarahFielding,SarahScott,Catharine Macaulay,SophiaLeeandlessfamiliarfigureslikeLadyAnnaMillersug- geststhatthewidespreadurbanvitalitythatwastransformingsmalltowns likeBathfromprovincialbackwatersintoimportantcommercialandcul- turalcentersplayedasignificantroleinshapinganincreasingly professionalizedliteraryculture. Thedecentralizationofpublishingwasacrucialfactorinthis professionalization.FollowingthelapseoftheCopyrightActin1695,pro- vincialprintersandbooksellersenjoyednearlyacenturyofgrowthequalto, orevenexceeding,thatoccurringinLondon.10Eventhoughcopyrightsre- mainedlargelyinthehandsofLondoncartelsthroughoutmuchofthecen- 158 / CHILD tury,theeagernessofLondonpublisherstosecureprovincialdistribution agreementsatteststothecommercialpotentialofferedbyextra-metropolitan sites.By1730,mostoftheimportantEnglishtownsboastedatleastone newspaper;bythemid-1740s,booksellersandstationerswereconducting businessinapproximately174townsacrossthenation,respondingtorapid growthinbothprovincialleisureandprovincialliteracy.''Bytheendofthe century,Bath'stenbookstoresandseveralnewspapersweretypicalofthe kindofprintapparatusoperatinginlargerprovincialtowns.12 ThisdiffusionofprintcultureoutofLondonhadclearmaterialramifica- tionsforwomen.Whereasmetropolitanpublisherswereusuallyhighlyse- lective,localbusinesseswereeagerenoughformaterial,especiallytexts targetedtoregionalaudiences,toactivelysolicitmanuscripts.Localpatterns ofdemandandconsumptionfosteredanewenablingsubjectfreeofgender constraints:thetownitself.Loco-specificliteraturebecameparticularlyim- portantinBathandotherspatowns,wherewritingwittyversesontheavail- ablepleasuresandpastimesformedapopularsocialactivityamongtourists andresidents,maleandfemale.13Chandler'sDescriptionofBathhelped inauguratethelocaldemandforplace-specificliterarycommodities;onecritic hassuggestedthat"[h]ersis...thefirstworktochoosethecityofBathas itssubject."14Ofobviouslocalappeal,thepoemwasactivelypromotedby Bath'sleadingbookseller,JamesLeake.Initsdescriptionoflocalattractions ,Chandler'spoemdevotesawholestanzatoLeake'sbookshop,asavvy marketingstrategythatprobablyaccountsforthesignificantroleLeakeplayed inkeepingthepoembeforethepubliceye;itadvertisedboththetownand Leakehimself.'5Leake'snameappearsontheimprintsforthefirstseven editionsofDescriptionofBath.Initiallylistedinasubsidiarypositionto Londonbooksellers,Leaketookoverastheprimarypublisherwiththesec- ondedition.WhileDescriptionofBathearnedChandleranationalreputa- tion,itwaslocalpromotionanddistributionthatkeptherworkincirculation forsomanydecades—localpromotionthatthepoemitselfhelpedorches- trate. LocalauthorsHannahMoreandAnnYearsley,bothfromnearbyBristol, wereequallyquicktoexploitregionalmarketopportunitiesinadifferent genre,thatofdrama.Whileneitherengagedinloco-specifictheatricsperse (althoughanumberofsuchworkswereperformed,suchasthepopularlocal piece,Bladud),eachrecognizedtheemergenceoflocaltheaterinBathasa lucrativeandprestigiousvenueforliteraryproduction.Bath'sOrchardStreet Theateropenedin1750andquicklycametoberecognizedasthesiteofsomeofthebesttheatricalworkinEngland,becomingin1768thefirst"The- atreRoyal"outsideofLondon.16TheBaththeatershareditscompanywith Bristol,twelvemilesaway,meaningthataspiringlocalplaywrightshadpo- tentialaccesstoaudiencesintwoimportanturbancenters,withoutthediffi- Women,Place,andPrintCultureinEighteenth-CenturyBath/159 culliesanddegradationssufferedbymanymetropolitanwomenplaywrights.17 Moreeventuallymadeherfortunefromdidactictracts,whileYearsley'srepu- tationrestedprimarilyonverse.Buttheavailabilityofhighqualitylocal theater(notalleighteenth-centuryprovincialtownscouldevenboastaper- manentplayhouse)playedapivotalroleinbothoftheircareers. WhiletheOrchardStreetcompanytendedtorepriseLondonhits,italso sponsoredoriginalworkandthemanagementwasclearlyreceptivetothe effortsoflocalwomen.More'sfirstpublicventureintothetheater,atransla- tionofPietroMetastasio'sTheInflexibleCaptive,debutedinBathin1775.18 Theperformancelaunchedhertheatricalandprofessionalliterarycareer; shewentontohaveaspectacularLondondebutwithPercyin1777.More movedthereafterinmoreglamorousmetropolitanliterarycircles,butshe neverrelinquishedherpersonalorprofessionalwestcountryconnections.19 Theresultwasafaithfulhometownaudienceeagertoembraceoneofits own:"whenPercywasremountedinBristolinSeptember1778,acrowd threatenedtostormthebuildingtosecureseats."20 Adecadelater,theBath/BristolcompanyprovidedMore'serstwhilepro- tegeeYearsleywithhertheatricaldebut,ahistoricaldramaentitledEarl Goodwin,achoiceofformperhapsinspiredbyMore'ssuccesswithPercy. Theplayranforsevennightsinthetwotownsinthefallof1789.21Goodwin neverreachedtheLondonstage,butlocalinterestinYearsley,nicknamed "theBristolmilkwoman,"wasenoughtogeneratetherespectablesumof 80£inauthorialprofitsfromtheperformancesalone.22Theplayreceived metropolitanaswellaslocalnotices,andwas"wellreviewed"whenpub- lishedtwoyearslater.23Theavailabilityofalocalvenuethusprovided Yearsleywiththeopportunitytoexperimentwithanewliteraryform,andto bewellcompensatedforthatexperimentation. Bath'sbest-knownfemaleplaywrightwasSophiaLee,who"soughta humblehomeinBath"afterherfirstplay,TheChapterofAccidents,was humiliatinglyrejectedbyCoventGarden'sThomasHarrissometimebetween 1774-77.24ChapterwaseventuallyproducedbyGeorgeColmanatthe Haymarketin1780,achievingenormouspopularsuccess,butLeechoseto remaininBathwhereshecontinuedtowriteplaysaswellasfictionand poetry,and,likeMore,torunasuccessfulgirl'sschoolwithhersister.That choicesuggeststhatBathofferedLeebothpsychologicalandmaterialad- vantagesoverLondonasaworkingenvironment.HercircleinBathincluded prominentthespianfiguressuchasSarahSiddons,whogotherstartonthe Bathstage,aswellasLee'ssisterHarriet,herselfaplaywrightalthough neverassuccessfulasSophia.25 Thespreadofsophisticatedculturaltastesintothetowns,andtheemerg- ingmechanismsforfeedingthosetastes,enabledsuccessfulLondonwriters likeSophiaLeetorelocatewithoutcommittingprofessionalsuicide.Bath 160 / CHILD wasparticularlyattractiveasanalternativetoLondonbecauseitalsoof- feredthehydrotherapeuticbenefitsofitsfamouswatersandalowercostof living,importantconsiderationsforthemanywomentoosickortoopoorto sustainprofessionalliterarycareersinthecapital. Bath'swell-knownmid-century"bluestocking"circlecoalescedaround womenwhohadfledtherebecauseofhealthproblems,financialstraits,or both.CatharineMacaulay'sprefatorycommentstoherΛmodestpleafor thepropertyofcopy-right(printedinBathin1774)notedthe"heavyop- pressionofsickness,andlanguorofbody"thathaddrivenhertoBath.26 Macaulayrecoveredfromthatimmediatecrisis,butcontinuedtosufferfrom poorhealthandaccordinglystayedinBathforseveralyearswhereshepre- sidedoveracircleofadmirersbothlocalandmetropolitan.Although Macaulaysetasideherambitious,multi-volumedHistoryofEnglandfrom theAccessionofJamesItothatoftheBrunswickLinewhileinBath,she didproducethefirstvolumeinaplannedseriesonTheHistoryofEngland fromtheRevolutiontothePresentTimeinaSeriesofLetterstoaFriend, publishedinBathin1778.27 Twentyyearsearlier,SarahFieldinghadalsoretreatedtoBathindes- perationoverherfailinghealth.ShortlybeforeleavingLondon,shewrotetoSamuelRichardsoncomplainingofthedampmetropolitanair,saying,"Surely IamasweakasaFeathereverythingstrikesmedown...";hersufferingwas soacutethatitrenderedherunabletowrite.28Afewweekslater,shewrote RichardsonfromBaththat"thewatersagreesowellwithme,thatIhopein timetheywillworkasperfectacurefromdiseasesasanoldwomancan expect."29Fielding'sprofessionaloutputduringheryearsinBath'senvirons includedTheLivesofCleopatraandOctavia(1757),TheHistoryofthe CountessofDellwyn(1759),TheHistoryofOphelia(1760)andXenophons MemoirsofSocrates(1762)—alevelofactivitythatequalsherliterary productioninLondon. Fielding'smoveapparentlywasfacilitatedbyLeake,whoinadditionto beingBath'sleadingbooksellerwasalsoRichardson'sbrother-in-law.While FieldingcontinuedtorelyprimarilyonLondonfirmsforpublication,Leake's nameappearsontheimprintsforboththefirstandsecondeditionsof Cleopatra.ShealsousedBathprinterCorneliusPopeforthefirsteditionof hertranslationofXenophon,explaininginaletterthatthebook"istobe printedhere,forIcouldnotundertakeaJourneytoLondon,andhereisan ingenuousyoungManlatelysetupthatIbelievewilldoitverywell."30In othercorrespondence,Fieldingrefersseveraltimestodoingbusinesswith herLondonpublisher,AndrewMillar,inBath:"IexpectMillarinBathto- morrowifhekeepstothetimeappointed,andwillthensettleitwithhim,but ifheshouldnotcomewillwritetohimnextweek."31ForFielding,Bath Women,Place,andPrintCultureinEighteenth-CenturyBath/161 affordedthephysicalwell-beingtocontinuewriting,localresourcesforpro- ductionanddistributionwhenshewastooilltotravel,andeven,onocca- sion,localaccesstometropolitanbusinessconnections. Thefactthathigh-profileliterarywomenwereabletosustaincareersin Bathissignificantbothintermsofthediffusionoffemaleliteraryprofes- sionalismasanational,ratherthanpurelymetropolitan,phenomenon,but alsointhecollectiveimplicationsforlocalculture.FemaleauthorslikeField- ing,More,Macaulay,LadyMillerandSarahScott,whomIwilldiscussat greaterlengthbelow,wieldedagreatdealofculturalauthorityonthelocal scene,attractingandinspiringotherlike-mindedmenandwomen.London's eighteenth-centuryliteraryculture,bycontrast,tendedtorevolvearound powerfulmalefigureslikeRichardson,JohnsonandGarrick,creatingapara- digmofliteraryinfluencethatrelegatedwomenwriterstoperipheralstatus. InLondon,theSarahFieldingsandHannahMoresorbitlikelesserstars aroundachosensun,thenarrativeoftheirtextualproductioninsistentlyref- erentialratherthanautonomous.32OutsideofLondon,however,alternative patronagerelationshipsemerged,33relationshipsthatexposethemetropoli- tanparadigmasplace-specificratherthanhegemonic.ScottandFielding, forinstance,prosperedinBathbecausetheywereabletoformanalmostexclusivelyfemalenetworkthereofemotional,intellectualandfinancialsupport .34ForFielding,theBathcirclegraduallysupersededthemale-domi- natedliterarycirclescentraltoherprofessionaldevelopmentinLondon.She continuedtocorrespondwithRichardson,butincreasinglyitseemstohave beenScottandher"bluestocking"circleinBath,aswellasScott'swealthy sisterElizabethMontaguonamorelongdistancebasis,wholookedafter Fielding'sphysical,financialandliterarywelfare.Fieldingwasalsobefriended byRalphAllen,Bath'swell-knownentrepreneurandliterarypatron,whose beneficiariesincludedAlexanderPopeandHenryFielding.WhileAllenbe- queathedSarahFielding£100inhiswill,however,herfemalefriendsin Bathfelthecouldhaveextendedhimselfmoreonherbehalf,andexerted themselvestooverseeherwelfareonamoredailybasis.35Rizzohassug- gestedthatElizabethMontagu'spatronageingeneraltendedtobeexcep- tionallyself-servingandfocusedprimarilyonwritersfromthelowerclasses,36 butinthiscaseMontaguappearstohavequitegenerous,quietlytunneling foodandgiftstoFieldingthroughScottforseveralyears,andeventually providingherwithanannuity.Fieldingwasnotinapositiontoofferfinan- cialassistancetoherliteraryfriends,buttherelationshipwithScottwas reciprocalinotherways.Scott...

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