Elizabeth Somerville

Elizabeth Somerville (née Helme; 1774–1840) was a Scottish novelist who wrote primarily for children. She was also a school mistress. Despite these employments, the family frequently struggled financially.

alt=Somerville found in the 1841 British census, along with a Mary Somerville, Jane Somerville, and Elizabeth Somerville. Somerville found in the 1841 British census, along with a Mary Somerville, Jane Somerville, and Elizabeth Somerville.In her later life, Somerville moved to Lancashire and lived in District Nine of that county.

There is evidence that she and her family continued to suffer from economic precarity. According to an 1841 census, she made her living by "independent means," which could refer to free-lance writing.

Works The following is a list of published works authored by Somerville, though there still remain some issues with attribution. Flora: or the deserted child. By Elizabeth Somerville. (London: Longman and Rees, 1800) Lessons, or, Short stories in two and three syllables, containing ... By Elizabeth Somerville. (London: Benjamin Crosby and Co. / B. Tabart, 1800) The birth-day, or, Moral dialogues and stories for the instruction and amusement of juvenile readers (1802) Mabel Woodbine and her sister Lydia: a tale interspersed with moral and original stories. By Elizabeth Somerville. (London: B. Crosby and Co., 1802) Preludes to Knowledge, Or, Amusing and Instructive Conversations on History, Astronomy, Geography, Optics, and the Division of Time in Different Countries. Interspersed with Stories, Moral and Entertaining (1803) Sacred Lectures from the holy scriptures, on the old and New Testament; interspersed with moral and religious reflections. Expressly written for the purpose of implanting in the minds of youth early impressions of the duty they owe to their creator; and shewing the dreadful consequences of sin and disobedience. By Elizabeth Somerville, author of several juvenile publications. In two volumes. (London: T. Hurst, 1803) Aurora and Maria; or the Advantages of Adversity. A Moral Tale. (London: Philip Norbury, 1809) The history of little Phoebe and the reclaimed child (1809)

Reception The British Critic describes Somerville's Preludes to knowledge… as “a very [pleasing] and proper book for children about ten or twelve years of age, in which [amusement] is judiciously blended with [instruction]."

The Biographical Dictionary of Authors in Great Britain (1816) refers to Somerville as an "author of several ingenious books for children."

In the Anti-Jacobin Review, Somerville's book Aurora and Maria; or the Advantages of Adversity. A Moral Tale, is described as "a very neat, interesting, instructive, and moral tale, replete with natural and affecting incidents, impressive examples, and salutary lessons very well adapted to...improve the minds of the youth."