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Author: Cowley, Hannah

Biography:

COWLEY, Hannah, formerly Parkhouse (1743-1809: ODNB)

pseudonym Anna Matilda

Born in Tiverton, Devon, she was the daughter of Philip Parkhouse, a bookseller, and his wife Hannah (Richards) Parkhouse. In 1772 she married Thomas Cowley and moved to London where he had a position in the Stamp Office and later an appointment as a captain with the East India Company. He died in India in 1797, on a visit to one of their three children. She had her greatest successes as a comic playwright in London from 1776 to 1794, and was best known for Who's the Dupe? (1779) and The Belle's Stratagem (1780); but she also wrote tragedies, historical dramas, and poetry. In 1801 she retired to Devon. Her Della Cruscan poetry was satirised by Gifford in The Maeviad (1809). (RPW; ODNB 14 May 2018)

 

Other Names:

  • Mrs. Cowley
  • Mrs. Hannah Cowley
  • Mrs. [Hannah] Cowley
 

Books written (24):

London: J. Dodsley, R. Faulder, L. Davis, T. Becket, W. Owen, T. Lowndes, G. Kearsly, W. Davis, S. Crowder, T. Evans, Richardson and Urquhart, 1779
2nd edn. London: J. Dodsley, R. Faulder, L. Davis, T. Davies, T. Becket, W. Owen, T. Lowndes, G. Kearsly, W. Davis, S. Crowder, T. Evans, Richardson and Urquhart, 1779
3rd edn. London: L. Davis, T. Longman, J. Dodsley, T. Cadell, W. Owen, S. Crowder, T. Davies, T. Beckett, G. Kearsley, C. Dilly, T. Evans, Richardson and Urquhart, and R. Faulder, 1780
4th edn. London: L. Davis, T. Longman, J. Dodsley, T. Cadell, W. Owen, S. Crowder, T. Davies, T. Becket, G. Kearsley, C. Dilly, T. Evans, Richardson and Urquhart, and R. Faulder, 1780
London: L. Davis, T. Longman, J. Dodsley, T. Cadell, W. Owen, S. Crowder, T. Davies, T. Becket, G. Kearsley, C. Dilly, T. Evans, Richardson and Urquhart, and R. Faulder, 1780
London: G. G. J. and J. Robinson, 1787
Dublin: Wilkinson, Burnet, Chamberlaine, Moncrieffe, Gilbert, Wilson, Wogan, Colles, Byrne, McDonnel, W. Porter, McKenzie, Colbert, Parker, Halpin, Jones, Lewis, Dornin, and Butler, 1788
London: printed by John Bell, 1788
3rd edn. Dublin: printed by Bernard Dornin, 1790
Carlisle/ London: printed by F. Jollie/ B. Law and Son, W. Clark, and J. Taylor [J. Taylor in Volume II], 1794
5th edn. London: James Ridgway, 1795
London: G. Wilkie and J. Robinson, 1810
2nd edn. London: Wilkie and Robinson, 1812
London: Wilkie and Robinson, 1813