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Books translated by women

Introduction
Books by women
Suffragette literature
Books compiled by women
Books translated by women
Books for women
Books about women
Biographies of women
On women's education
Owned by women
Illustrated by women
Published by women
  


Guyon, Jeanne Marie Bouvier de la Motte. L'ame amante de son Dieu. Cologne: 1717. Sp Coll S.M. 639 

This is a free translation of the two emblem books, Pia desideria by Hermann Hugo and Amoris divini emblemata by Otto van Veen, translated by Madame Guyon (1648-1717). A French mystic, she published this volume anonymously but revealed her authorship in the Paris edition of 1790. Guyon led an interesting life being associated throughout her life with Père Lacombe, a Barnabite. Guyon preached her ideas on mysticism throughout Europe but was frequently asked by the Catholic Church to move on, and was occasionally arrested. As well as translation, Guyon also published a number of works during her life, including Le nouveau testament de notre seigneur Jesus-Christ ; avec des explications & reflexions qui regardent la vie interieure (1713). There are a number of volumes by Guyon held in the Special Collections Department.

Epictetus. All the works of Epictetus, which are now extant ... Translated from the original Greek, by Elizabeth Carter. With an introduction, and notes, by the translator . London: 1748 Sp Coll Bg55-b.1

Elizabeth Carter was the daughter of an eminent Latin, Greek and Hebrew scholar, who made no distinction between the education of his sons and daughters. Consequently, as a result of her fathers liberal thinking on the education of women,  Carter became a successful linguist mastering numerous languages including Italian, German, Spanish and French. This translation of Epictetus is regarded as Carter's greatest work, and through its publication gained fame and reputation - earning a sufficient amount of money to live in comfort.

Frontispiece from L'ame amante de son Dieu



First opening from An English-Saxon homily on the birth-day of St. Gregory  

Aelfric. An English-Saxon homily on the birth-day of St. Gregory; anciently used in the English-Saxon Church...Translated into modern English with notes,&c. By Eliz. Elstob. London: 1709. Sp Coll Bf76-l.19

Elizabeth Elstob (1683-1756) was one of the most learned students of Anglo-Saxon and the early Teutonic languages of her time in England. Her life illustrates the difficulties which a woman scholar, however gifted and industrious, then had to face. Elstob, a supporter of women's education, kept a school for poor children and eventually, through the influence of her friends gained a post as governess to the children of the Duchess of Portland.

There is a manuscript note at the start of the book detailing the circumstance which surrounded the purchase of the volume, the book's condition and some background information on the volume.

Saint-Pierre, Bernadin. Paul and Virginia. Translated from the French by Helen Maria Williams. London: 1796. Zy-i.23

Helen Maria Williams (1762-1827) was a half Welsh, half Scottish authoress who settled in Paris. Williams was a friend of the Girondins, a political group of moderate republicans active during the French Revolution and many of whom were captured and executed. Williams was almost arrested with the group, but escaped to Switzerland, returning to Paris in 1797 and remaining here until her death. Williams published a number of works during her life time including Edwin and Eltruda, A Legendary Tale (1782) and Julia: A Novel; Interspersed with Some Poetical Pieces (1790), her first novel to be published.