Adela Florence Nicolson
Encyclopedia
Adela Florence Nicolson (née Cory) (9 April 1865-4 October 1904) was an English poet who wrote under the pseudonym
Laurence Hope.
, Gloucestershire
, the second of three daughters to Colonel
Arthur Cory and Fanny Elizabeth Griffin. Her father was employed in the British army at Lahore
, and thus she was raised by her relatives back in England
. She left for India
in 1881 to join her father. Her father was editor of the Lahore arm of The Civil and Military Gazette, and it was he who in all probability gave Rudyard Kipling
(a contemporary of his daughter) his first employment as a journalist. Her sisters Annie Sophie Cory
and Isabel Cory also pursued writing careers: Annie wrote popular, racy novels under the pseudonym "Victoria Cross," while Isabel assisted and then succeeded their father as editor of the Sind Gazette.
Adela married Colonel Malcolm Hassels Nicolson, who was then twice her age and commandant
of the 3rd Baluchi
Regiment in April 1889. A talented linguist
, he introduced her to his love of India and native customs and food, which she began to share. This widely gave the couple a reputation for being eccentric
. They lived in Mhow for nearly ten years. After he died in a prostate
operation, Adela, who had been prone to depression
since childhood, committed suicide
by poisoning herself and died at the age of 39 on 4 October 1904 in Madras
. Her son Malcolm published her Selected Poems posthumously in 1922.
In 1901, she published Garden of Kama
, which was published a year later in America under the title India's Love Lyrics. She attempted to pass these off as translations of various poets, but this claim soon fell under suspicion. Somerset Maugham published a story called The Colonel's Lady loosely based on the ensuing scandal. Her poems often used imagery and symbols from the poets of the North-West Frontier of India and the Sufi
poets of Persia. She was among the most popular romantic poets of the Victorian
and Edwardian eras. Her poems are typically about unrequited love
and loss and often, the death that followed such an unhappy state of affairs. Many of them have an air of autobiography or confession. Her poetry was extremely popular during the Edwardian period, being hailed by such men as Thomas Hardy
, and having two films as well as some musical adaptions of her poetry made, but since then her reputation has faded into near-obscurity. British composer Amy Woodforde-Finden
set four of her lyrics from The Garden of Kama to music, the most popular of which was Kashmiri Song
; and after these proved a critical success, set four more lyrics from Stars of the Desert (published in 1903) to music as well.
Details on her life are not easy to find due to her relative lack of letters, but Lesley Blanch
in her book, Under A Lilac-Bleeding Star, included some biographical information that drew on unpublished memoir
s written by her son. In Diaries and Letters from India, Violet Jacob
provided some information about the Nicolsons and their milieu, although most of what is known of Violet, as she came to be known, had to be gleaned through her poetry. It is tempting to read much of her own life into her poems, but one must be careful in doing this, yet her dedication to her husband in this verse:
shortly before her suicide makes it hard for people to avoid this.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Laurence Hope.
Biography
She was born on 9 April 1865 at Stoke BishopStoke Bishop
Stoke Bishop is a very affluent and medium-sized outer city suburb in the north-west of Bristol, located in between Westbury-on-Trym, Sneyd Park, and Sea Mills. Although relatively small, Stoke Bishop's population has increased due to substantial infilling on the Smelting Works sports ground and...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, the second of three daughters to Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Arthur Cory and Fanny Elizabeth Griffin. Her father was employed in the British army at Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, and thus she was raised by her relatives back in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She left for India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1881 to join her father. Her father was editor of the Lahore arm of The Civil and Military Gazette, and it was he who in all probability gave Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
(a contemporary of his daughter) his first employment as a journalist. Her sisters Annie Sophie Cory
Annie Sophie Cory
Annie Sophie Cory was the author of popular, racy, exotic novels under the pseudonyms Victoria Cross, Vivian Cory and V.C. Griffin.-Life:...
and Isabel Cory also pursued writing careers: Annie wrote popular, racy novels under the pseudonym "Victoria Cross," while Isabel assisted and then succeeded their father as editor of the Sind Gazette.
Adela married Colonel Malcolm Hassels Nicolson, who was then twice her age and commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of the 3rd Baluchi
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
Regiment in April 1889. A talented linguist
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
, he introduced her to his love of India and native customs and food, which she began to share. This widely gave the couple a reputation for being eccentric
Eccentricity (behavior)
In popular usage, eccentricity refers to unusual or odd behavior on the part of an individual. This behavior would typically be perceived as unusual or unnecessary, without being demonstrably maladaptive...
. They lived in Mhow for nearly ten years. After he died in a prostate
Prostate
The prostate is a compound tubuloalveolar exocrine gland of the male reproductive system in most mammals....
operation, Adela, who had been prone to depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
since childhood, committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by poisoning herself and died at the age of 39 on 4 October 1904 in Madras
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. Her son Malcolm published her Selected Poems posthumously in 1922.
In 1901, she published Garden of Kama
Garden of Kama
The Garden of Kama is a book published in 1901 and written by Adela Florence Nicolson under the pseudonym Laurence Hope, and illustrated by Byam Shaw. The poems in the book were passed off as translations of Indian poets by a man, and thus the book received much more attention that they would...
, which was published a year later in America under the title India's Love Lyrics. She attempted to pass these off as translations of various poets, but this claim soon fell under suspicion. Somerset Maugham published a story called The Colonel's Lady loosely based on the ensuing scandal. Her poems often used imagery and symbols from the poets of the North-West Frontier of India and the Sufi
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
poets of Persia. She was among the most popular romantic poets of the Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
and Edwardian eras. Her poems are typically about unrequited love
Unrequited love
Unrequited love is love that is not openly reciprocated or understood as such, even though reciprocation is usually deeply desired. The beloved may or may not be aware of the admirer's deep affections...
and loss and often, the death that followed such an unhappy state of affairs. Many of them have an air of autobiography or confession. Her poetry was extremely popular during the Edwardian period, being hailed by such men as Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy, OM was an English novelist and poet. While his works typically belong to the Naturalism movement, several poems display elements of the previous Romantic and Enlightenment periods of literature, such as his fascination with the supernatural.While he regarded himself primarily as a...
, and having two films as well as some musical adaptions of her poetry made, but since then her reputation has faded into near-obscurity. British composer Amy Woodforde-Finden
Amy Woodforde-Finden
Amy Woodforde-Finden was a composer who is best known for writing the music to "Kashmiri Song" from Four Indian Love Lyrics by Laurence Hope....
set four of her lyrics from The Garden of Kama to music, the most popular of which was Kashmiri Song
Kashmiri Song
"Kashmiri Song" is a song by Amy Woodforde-Finden based on a poem by Laurence Hope, pseudonym of Adela Florence Nicolson.The poem first appeared in Hope's first collection of poems, The Garden of Kama , also known as India's Love Lyrics....
; and after these proved a critical success, set four more lyrics from Stars of the Desert (published in 1903) to music as well.
Details on her life are not easy to find due to her relative lack of letters, but Lesley Blanch
Lesley Blanch
Lesley Blanch, MBE, FRSL was an English writer, fashion editor and writer of history....
in her book, Under A Lilac-Bleeding Star, included some biographical information that drew on unpublished memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
s written by her son. In Diaries and Letters from India, Violet Jacob
Violet Jacob
Violet Jacob was a Scottish writer, now known especially for her historical novel Flemington and her poetry....
provided some information about the Nicolsons and their milieu, although most of what is known of Violet, as she came to be known, had to be gleaned through her poetry. It is tempting to read much of her own life into her poems, but one must be careful in doing this, yet her dedication to her husband in this verse:
I, who of lighter love wrote many a verse,
Made public never words inspired by thee,
Lest strangers' lips should carelessly rehearse
Things that were sacred and too dear to me.
Thy soul was noble; through these fifteen years
Mine eyes familiar, found no fleck nor flaw,
Stern to thyself, thy comrades' faults and fears
Proved generosity thine only law.
Small joy was I to thee; before we met
Sorrow had left thee all too sad to save.
Useless my love----as vain as this regret
That pours my hopeless life across thy grave.
shortly before her suicide makes it hard for people to avoid this.