Comments on: Ouida: The Passionate Victorian by Eileen Bigland

By: catherine

catherine — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:21:12 +0000

Oops, that was a typo – it should have been Ravencourt Park, near Hammersmith. She lived in Bessborough House, although I don’t know whether it’s still standing.

By: Thomas Smith

Thomas Smith — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:35:52 +0000

Fascinating post. Do you know if the Ravenscroft Park mentioned is in Barnet, North London? I can’t find any other reference to it, and would be very interested to know.

By: catherine

catherine — Tue, 04 May 2010 08:23:34 +0000

Many thanks for your fascinating comment, Roger. I’ve sent you an email.

By: Roger Quin

Roger Quin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:16:33 +0000

First let me congratulate you on your wonderful website which I have found fascinating. I Googled Ouida wishing to find out more about her and was delighted to discover your post on her. I’ve been looking through some of my maternal grand-father’s letters (the writer Harold Begbie 1871-1929) and was amused by a couple from Ouida (Lucca 1900) in which she ticks him off for some, presumably jingoistic statement, about the British against the Boers. Her rather eccentric style and wonderful looped calligraphy intrigued me and now, thanks to you, I feel ready to tackle one of her books. Which would you recommend? By the way, there are also four letters by Marie Corelli.

Roger

By: catherine

catherine — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:56:46 +0000

Many thanks for your comment, Bob. It’s interesting how many people have read some of Ouida’s work, despite her apparent waning popularity. Yes, I can imagine that Corelli got up most people’s noses! Ouida also apparently hated Rhoda Broughton, although she was friends with Florence Marryat. I’d love to know exactly what went on.

By: Robert Champ

Robert Champ — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:02:35 +0000

Catherine,

Thanks so much for this. I didn’t know much about Ouida before reading your post–just that she had written _A Dog of Flanders_, a book I like very much.

As I was reading along, I was thinking about Marie Corelli, a woman at least as eccentric as Ouida, although not so prone to affairs of the heart. And then, she shows up in your post! I can well imagine why Ouida might have taken a dislike to Corelli, and may have seen her offer of financial help as a form of gloating.

One day I might try _Under Two Flags_. Sounds like a diverting book.

Bob

By: catherine

catherine — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 13:14:29 +0000

Thank you for your lovely comments, Charlotte and Anna. I have quite a few other Victorian writers up my sleeve (metaphorically speaking), so will share them with you soon.

By: Anna van Gelderen

Anna van Gelderen — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 11:53:02 +0000

Another wonderful story about a Victorian writer I had never even heard of. Keep them coming!

By: Charlotte

Charlotte — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:21:27 +0000

I have a couple of novels by Ouida but it’s difficult to find out much about her or the novels so thank you! That was a great story, although a little sad too!

By: catherine

catherine — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:02:45 +0000

Thanks for your comment, Essie. Her story is exactly why there should be a biography. Even those not interested in her fiction couldn’t fail to find Ouida fascinating!