Queen of the Wits: A Life of Laetitia Pilkington

Norma Clarke has written an account of the life of Laetitia Pilkington, an early eighteenth century Irish prostitute and versifier. Her title is misleading, Laetitia was only a wit in the sense of 'quick-wittedness' and never a Queen. The best source of information about Laetitia is her own delighful Memoir. But without Swift, idiosyncratically descibed there, no one would have heard of her.There is a central reason for Norma Clarke being blind about the true character of Laetitia, and one difficult for a reviewer: Norma sees her subject through a feminist veil which blinds her to reality. Both men and women paid a heavy price for patronage: they needed to prostitute themselves in some sense of the word. The evidence is that Laetitia was sexually abused by her father from an early age and traded by him in Dublin. The Swift/Delany nexus which gave patronage to female poets was unpleasant to modern sensibilities: it contained sado-masochism, infanticide and wife-swapping.There are, I suggest two tests for the insight of any biographer of Laetitia: can they name the fathers of her children and what part did Laetitia play in the murder of her father? Any reader can join in by reading Laetitia' Memoirs. Difficult though it is for her, she manages to tell her readers the truth, if they are willing to apply modest powers of detection. You cannot help, surely, in liking Laetitia no matter how incredible her actions. I do not need feminine romanticising: I'm a man and think her terrific as she really was.

A cracking good story, thoroughly researched and very well written. All women's movements take note

A good and enjoyable account of Laetitia Pilkington's life, based heavily on the masterful edition of the autobiography by A C Elias Jr but drawing also on the two other main sources of Samuel Richardson and Colley Cibber. Blends scholarship and readability. I liked the way that Norma Clarke casts gentle doubt on some of Laetitia's assertions, suggesting that sometimes the lady protests too much. Outside the strict scope of the tale, but I would have liked to hear more of her interesting son Jack and his family. Also, perhaps a fraction more on her former husband Matthew's life after her death and that of her boring son William.

I was drawn to this book having stumbled across one of Laetitia's poems. Her life was equally fascinating. This is a well-written book that brings to life the bustling eighteenth century. I can recommend this book to anyone who loves the Georgian period.

Scholarly, witty, sympathetic and rigorously evidence-based. Biography of the first order and story-telling shot through with panache and style. Can't recommend it highly enough.