Claiming the Pen: Women and Intellectual Life in the Early American South

282 Pages·2005·1.735 MB·English

by  Catherine Kerrison

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Claiming the Pen
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CLAIMING THE PEN
Women and Intellectual Life in
the Early American South
Catherine Kerrison
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Cornell University Press
ithaca and london
Copyright © 2006 by Cornell University
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts thereof,
must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher.
For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street,
Ithaca, New York 14850.
First published 2006 by Cornell University Press
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kerrison, Catherine, 1953–
Claiming the pen : women and intellectual life in the early American South / Cather-
ine Kerrison.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8014-4344-2 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8014-4344-X (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Women—Southern States—Intellectual life—18th century. 2. Women—Books
and reading—Southern States—History—18th century. 3. Women authors, Ameri-
can—Southern States—History—18th century. 4. Women and literature—Southern
States—History—18th century. 5. American literature—Southern States—History
and criticism. I. Title.
HQ1438.S63K47 2006
305.48'9630975—dc22 2005016063
Cornell University Press strives to use environmentally responsible suppliers and materi-
als to the fullest extent possible in the publishing of its books. Such materials include
vegetable-based, low-VOC inks and acid-free papers that are recycled, totally chlorine-
free, or partly composed of nonwood fibers. For further information, visit our website at
www.cornellpress.cornell.edu.
Cloth printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Justin, Sarah, and Elizabeth

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Contents
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List of Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
1. Toward an Intellectual History of Early Southern Women 1
2. “The Truest Kind of Breeding”: Prescriptive Literature in
the Early South 34
3. Religion, Voice, and Authority 70
4. Reading Novels in the South 105
5. Reading, Race, and Writing 139
Conclusion: The Enduring Problem of Female Authorship
and Authority 185
Postscript 195
Abbreviations 199
Notes 201
Index 259
vii

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Illustrations
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1. “Fair Lady Working Tambour,” London, c. 1770 16
2. “The Conversation Group,” English, c. 1775 58
3. “Lady’s Toilette: The Wig,” English, c. 1802 62
4. “Maternal Advice,” London, 1795 113
5. “Correspondence,” London, 1760 172
ix