Frances Boscawen


Frances Evelyn "Fanny" Boscawen was known as a literary hostess, correspondent and member of the Bluestockings Society. She was born Frances Evelyn Glanville on 23 July 1719 at St Clere, Kemsing, Kent. In 1742 she married Edward Boscawen. When his navy work took him away from home, his wife would send him passages from her journal, some of which were later published.

Family

Their children were:
After Boscawen's death in 1761, Frances returned to her London house at 14 South Audley St, where she became an important hostess of Bluestocking meetings. Her guests included Elizabeth Montagu, Dr Johnson, James Boswell, Joshua Reynolds, Frances Reynolds, Elizabeth Carter, and later Hannah More, who described her as "sage" in her 1782 poem The Bas Bleu, or, Conversation, published in 1784. Her widowhood inspired Edward Young's 1761 poem Resignation. She "was widely known in literary London as a model letter-writer and conversationalist, prized for her wit, elegance, and warm heart," according to a present-day scholar.
Frances died at home in London on 26 February 1805 and is buried at St Michael Penkevil church in Truro.