Eliza Flower
Encyclopedia
Eliza Flower was a British
musician and composer
. In addition to her own work, Flower became known for her friendships including those with William Johnson Fox
, Robert Browning
, John Stuart Mill
and Harriet Taylor
.
, Essex
in 1803 to radical journalist Benjamin Flower
and philanthropist
Eliza Gould.
Her younger sister was the poet
Sarah Fuller Flower Adams
. From the age of four, Eliza Flower showed a promising aptitude for music and composition. Flower, her father and her sister were all regular contributor's to Unitarian
minister William Johnson Fox
's periodical the Monthly Repository
. Following Benjamin Flower's death, Eliza and Sarah lived with Fox as his wards until Sarah's marriage in 1834 to William Bridges Adams
, and Eliza's death in 1846. Fox was married (and separated) and his friendship with Eliza Flower, and their living arrangements, though platonic, brought rumour and social ostracism towards her. Flower and Fox were friends with unmarried couple, politician and philosopher John Stuart Mill
and women's rights advocate Harriet Taylor
.
Flower's first published musical work was Four Musical Illustrations of the Waverley Novels in 1831, setting to music several of Sir Walter Scott's romantic songs. She later wrote music for works by her sister, including her hymn "Nearer, My God, to Thee
", which formed part of a collection by Fox called Hymns and Anthems.
. Flower was shown a manuscript of Browning's Incondita, a collection of poems written at the age of 12, by his mother. Impressed, Flower showed them to W. J. Fox. Fox also liked the poems but convinced Browning that they were not good enough for publication. The poems were eventually destroyed by Browning, with much of his other work, in 1884. Browning developed a boyish love for Flower, nine years his senior, and remained fond of her until her death. She was the inspiration for his poem "Pauline".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
musician and composer
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
. In addition to her own work, Flower became known for her friendships including those with William Johnson Fox
William Johnson Fox
William Johnson Fox was an English religious and political orator.-Life:He was born near Southwold, Suffolk. He trained for the Independent ministry, at the dissenting academy known as Homerton College...
, Robert Browning
Robert Browning
Robert Browning was an English poet and playwright whose mastery of dramatic verse, especially dramatic monologues, made him one of the foremost Victorian poets.-Early years:...
, John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill was a British philosopher, economist and civil servant. An influential contributor to social theory, political theory, and political economy, his conception of liberty justified the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state control. He was a proponent of...
and Harriet Taylor
Harriet Taylor Mill
Harriet Taylor Mill was a philosopher and women's rights advocate. Her second husband was John Stuart Mill, one of the pre-eminent thinkers of the 19th century...
.
Biography
Flower was born at HarlowHarlow
Harlow is a new town and local government district in Essex, England. It is located in the west of the county and on the border with Hertfordshire, on the Stort Valley, The town is near the M11 motorway and forms part of the London commuter belt.The district has a current population of 78,889...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
in 1803 to radical journalist Benjamin Flower
Benjamin Flower
Benjamin Flower was an English radical journalist and political writer, a vocal opponent of his country's involvement in the early stages of the Napoleonic Wars.-Life:...
and philanthropist
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
Eliza Gould.
Her younger sister was the poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Sarah Fuller Flower Adams
Sarah Fuller Flower Adams
Sarah Fuller Flower Adams was an English poet.-Biography:Sarah Fuller Flower was born at High Street, Old Harlow, Essex, younger daughter of Benjamin Flower, editor and the sister of composer Eliza Flower....
. From the age of four, Eliza Flower showed a promising aptitude for music and composition. Flower, her father and her sister were all regular contributor's to Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
minister William Johnson Fox
William Johnson Fox
William Johnson Fox was an English religious and political orator.-Life:He was born near Southwold, Suffolk. He trained for the Independent ministry, at the dissenting academy known as Homerton College...
's periodical the Monthly Repository
Monthly Repository
The Monthly Repository was a British monthly Unitarian periodical which ran between 1806 and 1838.The Monthly Repository was established when Robert Aspland bought William Vidler's Universal Theological Magazine and changed the name to the Monthly Repository of Theology and General Literature...
. Following Benjamin Flower's death, Eliza and Sarah lived with Fox as his wards until Sarah's marriage in 1834 to William Bridges Adams
William Bridges Adams
William Bridges Adams was an author, inventor and locomotive engineer.-Overview:He is best known for his patented Adams Axle — a successful radial axle design in use on railways in Britain until the end of steam traction in 1968 — and the railway fishplate...
, and Eliza's death in 1846. Fox was married (and separated) and his friendship with Eliza Flower, and their living arrangements, though platonic, brought rumour and social ostracism towards her. Flower and Fox were friends with unmarried couple, politician and philosopher John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill was a British philosopher, economist and civil servant. An influential contributor to social theory, political theory, and political economy, his conception of liberty justified the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state control. He was a proponent of...
and women's rights advocate Harriet Taylor
Harriet Taylor Mill
Harriet Taylor Mill was a philosopher and women's rights advocate. Her second husband was John Stuart Mill, one of the pre-eminent thinkers of the 19th century...
.
Flower's first published musical work was Four Musical Illustrations of the Waverley Novels in 1831, setting to music several of Sir Walter Scott's romantic songs. She later wrote music for works by her sister, including her hymn "Nearer, My God, to Thee
Nearer, My God, to Thee
"Nearer, My God, to Thee" is a 19th century Christian hymn by Sarah Flower Adams, based loosely on Genesis 28:11–19, the story of Jacob's dream. Genesis 28:11–12 can be translated as follows: "So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the...
", which formed part of a collection by Fox called Hymns and Anthems.
Friendship with Robert Browning
Flower and her sister Sarah became acquainted with the young poet Robert BrowningRobert Browning
Robert Browning was an English poet and playwright whose mastery of dramatic verse, especially dramatic monologues, made him one of the foremost Victorian poets.-Early years:...
. Flower was shown a manuscript of Browning's Incondita, a collection of poems written at the age of 12, by his mother. Impressed, Flower showed them to W. J. Fox. Fox also liked the poems but convinced Browning that they were not good enough for publication. The poems were eventually destroyed by Browning, with much of his other work, in 1884. Browning developed a boyish love for Flower, nine years his senior, and remained fond of her until her death. She was the inspiration for his poem "Pauline".
Works
- 1831: Four Musical Illustrations of the Waverley Novels
- 1832: "The Gathering of the Unions"
- 1834: Songs of the Seasons
- 1841: Hymns and Anthems (including "Nearer, My God, to TheeNearer, My God, to Thee"Nearer, My God, to Thee" is a 19th century Christian hymn by Sarah Flower Adams, based loosely on Genesis 28:11–19, the story of Jacob's dream. Genesis 28:11–12 can be translated as follows: "So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the...
")