A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Hall, Anna Maria
HALL, ANNA MARIA,
Is a native of Ireland; her birth-place was in Wexford county, where her family, whose name was Fielding, was of high respectability. When Miss Fielding was about fifteen, she was brought by her mother to England, and here they resided several years, before revisiting their native county. But the scenes which were familiar to her as a child, must have made a vivid and lasting impression on her mind; and all her sketches evince so much freshness and vigour, that her readers might easily imagine she had passed her life among them. An able critic observes that, "To her early absence from her native country is probably to be traced one strong characteristic of all her writings—the total absence of party feeling on subjects connected with politics or religion."
Miss Fielding was very fortunate in her marriage connection with her husband, Mr. S. C. Hall, an English gentleman, whose. talents and taste, as a successful writer and artist, are widely known. Soon after her marriage, Mrs. Hall commenced her literary career; no doubt the sympathy and approval of her husband incited her genius, and assisted materially in developing her powers. Her first work, entitled "Sketches of Irish Character," appeared in 1829. Of this, and her succeeding works, the following is, probably, a correct, though by no means a flattered estimate. We find it stated in "Chambers' cyclopaedia of English Literature," that "Mrs. Hall's sketches bear a closer resemblance to the tales of Miss Mitford than to the Irish stories of Banim or Griffin, though the latter may have tended to direct Mrs. Hall to the peculiarities of Irish character. They contain some fine rural description, and are animated by a healthy tone of moral feeling and a vein of delicate humour. The coquetry of the Irish girls (very different from that in high life) is admirably depicted. Next year, Mrs. Hall issued a little volume for children, 'Chronicles of a School-Room,' consisting of a series of tales, simple, natural, and touching. The home-truths and moral observations conveyed in these narratives, reflect great credit on the judgment of the writer. Indeed, good taste and good feeling may be said to preside over all the works of our authoress. In 1831, she issued a second series of 'Sketches of Irish Character,' fully equal to the first, which was well received. The 'Rapparee' is an excellent story, and some of the satirical delineations are hit off with great truth and liveliness. In 1832, she ventured on a larger and more difficult work—an historical romance in three volumes, entitled 'The Buccaneer.' The scene of this tale is laid in England, at the time of the Protectorate, and Oliver himself is among the characters. The plot of 'The Buccaneer' is well managed, and some of the characters (as that of Barbara Iverk, the Puritan) are skilfully delineated; but the work is too feminine, and has too little of energetic passion for the stormy times in which it is cast. In 1834, Mrs. Hall published 'Tales of Woman's Trials,' short stories of decidedly moral tendency, written in the happiest style of the authoress. In 1835, appeared 'Uncle Horace,' a novel, and in 1838 'Lights and Shadows of Irish Life,' three volumes. The latter had been previously published in the 'New Monthly Magazine,' and enjoyed great popularity. The principal tale in the collection, 'The Groves of Blarney,' was dramatized at one of the theatres with distinguished success. In 1840, Mrs. Hall issued what has been styled the best of her novels, 'Marian; or a Young Maid's Fortunes,' in which her knowledge of Irish character is again displayed. Katty Macane, an Irish cook, who adopts Marian, a foundling, and watches over her with untiring affection, is equal to any of the Irish portraitures since those by Miss Edgeworth.
The next work of our authoress was a series of 'Stories of the Irish Peasantry,' contributed to Chambers' Edinburgh Journal, and afterwards published in a collected form. In 1840, Mrs. Hall aided her husband in a work chiefly composed by him, and which reflects credit upon his talents and industry—'Ireland, its Scenery, Character,' etc. Topographical and statistical information is here blended with the poetical and romantic features of the country—the legends of the peasantry—scenes and characters of humour and pathos—and all that could be gathered in five separate tours through Ireland, added to early acquaintance and recollection of the country. The work was highly embellished by British artists, and extended to three large volumes. In tasteful description of natural objects, and pictures of every-day life, Mrs. Hall has few superiors. Her humour is not so broad or racy as that of Lady Morgan, nor her observation so pointed and select as [[Author:Maria Edgeworth]Miss Edgeworth|]'s. Her writings are also unequal, but, in general, they constitute easy, delightful reading, and possess a simple truth and purity of sentiment that is ultimately more fascinating than the darker shades and colourings of imaginative composition." Since this was written, our authoress has added to her works of fiction a novel called "The Whilebog."
Mrs. Hairs residence was for some years at The Rosery, Old Brompton, near London, where her home was distinguished for its simple elegance, and the refined taste and hospitality of the gifted pair who presided in this pleasant literary retreat. At present they reside in Surrey, about eighteen miles from London; Mr. Hall is editor of the "Art-Union," and Mrs. Hall a constant subscriber to its pages. There her latest and one of her most interesting works, "Midsummer Eve; a Fairy Tale of Love," first appeared, with superb illustrations. The most distinguished artists in Great Britain furnished the pictorial semblances of the author's pure and beautiful ideas; we hardly know which deserves most praise. The volume was issued in 1848, and well sustains the intention of the authoress: "I have endeavoured," she says, "to trace the progress of a young girl's mind from infancy to womanhood; the good and evil influences to which it is subjected; and the trials inseparable from a contest with the world." Since this work there have appeared in the "Art Journal," as it is now called, a series of illustrated sketches of the homes and haunts of genius and virtue in our land, under the title of "Pilgrimages to English Shrines." Mrs. S. C. Hall, as she always gives her name to her works, seemingly desirous of associating her husband's fame with her own, never loses an opportunity of inculcating those virtues as well as graces which make the happiness and enlarge the best influence of her own sex. Another beautiful trait of her character, is her active benevolence; she engages in those associated efforts to benefit society by taking Care for woman's education and comfort, now beginning to be made in England. We find her name on the Committee for the Asylum of the "Governesses' Benevolent Institution;" and in the establishment of "The Queen's College" for the better promotion of female education, Mrs. S. C. Hall is warmly interested.