OUIDA Pseudonym of Marie Louise De La Ramée (1839-1908), novelist.
Collection of Autograph Letters Signed ('Ouida') to Lady Anna Chandos Pole, comprising thirty-nine letters, mostly with envelopes, 1883-1886 where dated. A fine correspondence covering a wide range of subjects. The sequence is as follows: 1883 (1 letter), 1884 (3), 1885 (5), 1886 (1) and undated (29).
Ouida settled permanently in Florence with her mother in 1874, and the present correspondence makes frequent references to places in Italy. Although the letters inevitably deal with social business, Ouida occasionally mentions her own writing as well as her opinions on royalty, politics and current affairs, along with mentions of visitors, the weather and day to day activities. Her effusive manner and sometimes prejudiced opinions figure strongly in these letters.

'... Monsieur Capel is charming but like many charming people seems to be in a good deal of trouble. ...' [undated]
'... I suppose you have seen the absurd story about Capel and myself? The Press seems to do nothing but invent fictions about me. ...' [November 1884]

It is likely that Ouida is referring to Thomas John Capel, a Roman Catholic prelate suspended in 1882 due to general mismanagement of his scholastic offices, though the charges against him were later found to be not proven.

'... The outcome of the Election is to me a very lamentable one. If the Country had any spirit or honour it would never forgive the murderer of Gordon. ...' [December 1885, from Florence]
'Can you tell me how one addresses Matthew Arnold ... I want to send him The Mad World. ...' [undated]
'... Will you kindly ask Colonel Rous[?e] if he received a political poem I sent ... I hear Norfolk is very Radical but I hope it is not true.' [18 November 1885]
'... I have been greatly distressed at the defeat of the Unionists ... a frightful prospect to have Gt Britain virtually ruled by the Irish members ... it seems amazing that the Country is not more awake to its peril. ...' [undated]
'... I did not come to Rome as I was not strong enough ... My illness was very terrible, peritonitis and accompanying complications ... ' [undated]
'... The accompanying book has been sent me with the assurance that the "Portrait" at Pages 27 to 31 is - myself!! ... The author ... sent me last year some horrible "Poems" (so called) asking me to help him to publish them ...!!' [undated]

[No: 20775]