Woman of the Century/Marquise Clara Lanza

2279924Woman of the Century — Marquise Clara Lanza

LANZA, Marquise Clara, author, born in Fort Riley, a military post in Kansas, where her MARQUISE CLARA LANZA. father, Dr. W. A. Hammond, the celebrated physician and specialist, then in the service of the government, was stationed, 12th February, 1858. Her father removed to New York City when she was seven years old, and she has lived in that city ever since, with the exception of several protracted visits to Europe. She was educated in a French school in New York, and, after finishing her course there, studied in Paris and Dresden. Her training and reading cover a wide range. In 1877 she became the wife of the Marquis de Lanza, of Palermo, Sicily. Her family consists of three sons. Although she has written from her early girlhood, her literary career did not begin until her first novel, "Mr. Perkins' Daughter," was published in 1884. That was followed by "A Righteous Apostate" (1886), and by a collection of short stories, "Tales of Eccentric Life" (1887), "Basil Morton's Transgression" (1890), "A Modern Marriage" (1891), and "A Golden Pilgrimage" (1892). She has written much for the magazines, and at one time occupied herself exclusively with journalism. She is an accomplished mandolinist, and occasionally performs in charitable entertainments. She is the center of a circle of clever people in New York City.