author
Countess of Marguerite Blessington
1789–1849
An Irish writer, journalist, and celebrated salon host, she moved through the literary world of the early 19th century with unusual energy and style. She is best remembered for her lively record of conversations with Lord Byron and for the fashionable novels and essays that made her a well-known figure in London society.
4 Audiobooks
The Idler in France
by Countess of Marguerite Blessington
The belle of a season
by Countess of Marguerite Blessington
Desultory thoughts and reflections
by Countess of Marguerite Blessington
Rambles in Waltham Forest : a stranger's contribution to the triennial sale for the benefit of the Wanstead Lying-in Charity
by Countess of Marguerite Blessington
About the author
Born Marguerite Power in County Tipperary, Ireland, on September 1, 1789, she went on to become Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington. Reliable reference sources describe her as an Irish novelist, journalist, and literary hostess, and note that she died in Paris on June 4, 1849.
Her reputation rests especially on Conversations of Lord Byron, drawn from her acquaintance with Byron in Genoa, as well as on her popular society novels and journal writing. She was also known for the brilliant salon she held in London, where writers, artists, and public figures gathered.
What makes her memorable now is the mix of glamour and literary ambition in her life. She was not only part of the social scene of her age, but also an active writer who turned that world into books, sketches, and conversations that still help readers picture Romantic and early Victorian literary society.