Esther Vanhomrigh
Encyclopedia
Esther Vanhomrigh an Irish
woman of Dutch descent, was a longtime lover and correspondent of Jonathan Swift
. Swift's letters to her were published after her death. Her fictional name "Vanessa" was created by Swift by taking Van from her surname, Vanhomrigh, and adding Esse, the pet form of her first name, Esther.
She was fictionalized as "Vanessa" in Swift's poem Cadenus and Vanessa (1713). In the poem, he wrote:
Esther was the daughter of Bartholomew Vanhomrigh, a merchant of Amsterdam
and afterwards of Dublin, who was appointed commissary
of the stores by King William upon his expedition into Ireland
. Her mother, also named Esther, was the daughter of John Stone, an Irish commissioner. She lived at Celbridge
Abbey in County Kildare.
Her father died in 1703, and his widow moved her family to London in 1707. Esther became acquainted with Swift in December of that year while the family was en route for London, at Dunstable
, and it was here that their intense 17-year relationship began. 22 years younger than Swift, it was obvious from the beginning that he admired Esther for her laudably masculine qualities; he did not admire very feminine women. He later served as her tutor
. After her mother died in 1714, Esther followed Swift to Ireland, but she was desperately miserable there. Their relationship was fraught . It was broken up after 17 years by Swift's relationship with another woman, Esther Johnson
, whom he called "Stella," in 1723. Vanhomrigh never recovered from his rejection and died later that year; some accused Swift of inadvertently causing her death.
Esther never overcame his rejection, and Swift is said to have caused her death by his harshness. She died on 2 June 1723, probably from tuberculosis
contracted from nursing her sister Mary.
Her father had left her well provided for, but she was burdened by debts accumulated by her mother and spendthrift brother Bartholomew. In her will, she named Robert Marshall and George Berkeley
co-executors and joint residuary legatee
s of her estate, neither of whom she knew particularly well. Due to the debts, a protracted lawsuit ensued and a large part of the estate was lost in costs.
Swift, whose letters to her were published after her death, is not mentioned in her will, perhaps a final retaliation against a man whose neglect made her 'live a life like a languishing death'.
is named "Vanessa" in her honor.
Pre-Raphaelite artist John Everett Millais
painted a fancy portrait
of her in 1868, over 100 years after her death: Vanessa
. The painting depicts Esther holding a letter, presumably written to or from Swift.
Margaret Louisa Woods
wrote a novel inspired by her life titled Esther Vanhomrigh (1891).
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
woman of Dutch descent, was a longtime lover and correspondent of Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
. Swift's letters to her were published after her death. Her fictional name "Vanessa" was created by Swift by taking Van from her surname, Vanhomrigh, and adding Esse, the pet form of her first name, Esther.
She was fictionalized as "Vanessa" in Swift's poem Cadenus and Vanessa (1713). In the poem, he wrote:
- Each girl, when pleased with what is taught,
- Will have the teacher in her thought.
Esther was the daughter of Bartholomew Vanhomrigh, a merchant of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and afterwards of Dublin, who was appointed commissary
Commissary
A commissary is someone delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office; in a formal, legal context, one who has received power from a legitimate superior authority to pass judgment in a certain cause or to take information concerning it.-Word history:...
of the stores by King William upon his expedition into Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Her mother, also named Esther, was the daughter of John Stone, an Irish commissioner. She lived at Celbridge
Celbridge
Celbridge is a town and townland on the River Liffey in County Kildare, Ireland. It is west of Dublin. As a town within the Dublin Metropolitan Area and the Greater Dublin Area, it is located at the intersection of the R403 and R405 regional roads....
Abbey in County Kildare.
Her father died in 1703, and his widow moved her family to London in 1707. Esther became acquainted with Swift in December of that year while the family was en route for London, at Dunstable
Dunstable
Dunstable is a market town and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the eastward tail spurs of the Chiltern Hills, 30 miles north of London. These geographical features form several steep chalk escarpments most noticeable when approaching Dunstable from the north.-Etymology:In...
, and it was here that their intense 17-year relationship began. 22 years younger than Swift, it was obvious from the beginning that he admired Esther for her laudably masculine qualities; he did not admire very feminine women. He later served as her tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
. After her mother died in 1714, Esther followed Swift to Ireland, but she was desperately miserable there. Their relationship was fraught . It was broken up after 17 years by Swift's relationship with another woman, Esther Johnson
Esther Johnson
Esther Johnson was the English friend of Jonathan Swift, known as "Stella".Newfoundland-born author Trudy J. Morgan-Cole wrote a novel in 2006 detailing fictionalized portions of the Swift/Johnson friendship in The Violent Friendship of Esther Johnson...
, whom he called "Stella," in 1723. Vanhomrigh never recovered from his rejection and died later that year; some accused Swift of inadvertently causing her death.
Esther never overcame his rejection, and Swift is said to have caused her death by his harshness. She died on 2 June 1723, probably from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
contracted from nursing her sister Mary.
Her father had left her well provided for, but she was burdened by debts accumulated by her mother and spendthrift brother Bartholomew. In her will, she named Robert Marshall and George Berkeley
George Berkeley
George Berkeley , also known as Bishop Berkeley , was an Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called "immaterialism"...
co-executors and joint residuary legatee
Legatee
A legatee, in the law of wills, is any individual or organization bequeathed any portion of a testator's estate.-Usage:Depending upon local custom, legatees may be called "devisees." Traditionally, "legatees" took personal property under will and "devisees" took land under will. Brooker v....
s of her estate, neither of whom she knew particularly well. Due to the debts, a protracted lawsuit ensued and a large part of the estate was lost in costs.
Swift, whose letters to her were published after her death, is not mentioned in her will, perhaps a final retaliation against a man whose neglect made her 'live a life like a languishing death'.
Legacy
A ward in St Patrick's HospitalSt Patrick's Hospital
St. Patrick's University Hospital is Ireland's largest independent not-for-profit mental health hospital. It is located near Kilmainham and the Phoenix Park in Dublin. Its sister hospital, is located in Lucan County Dublin. St...
is named "Vanessa" in her honor.
Pre-Raphaelite artist John Everett Millais
John Everett Millais
Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Baronet, PRA was an English painter and illustrator and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.-Early life:...
painted a fancy portrait
Fancy portrait
thumb|200px|Vanessa, by [[Millais]], 1868, Sudley House, Liverpool, a fancy portrait of [[Esther Vanhomrigh]]Fancy portrait is an art historical term for an imaginary portrait of a real or literary character...
of her in 1868, over 100 years after her death: Vanessa
Vanessa (Millais painting)
Vanessa is a painting by John Everett Millais in Sudley House, Liverpool. It is a fancy portrait depicting Jonathan Swift's correspondent Esther Vanhomrigh, who was known by that pseudonym....
. The painting depicts Esther holding a letter, presumably written to or from Swift.
Margaret Louisa Woods
Margaret Louisa Woods
Margaret Louisa Woods was an English writer, known for novels and poetry. She was the daughter of the scholar George Granville Bradley and sister to fellow writer Mabel Birchenough...
wrote a novel inspired by her life titled Esther Vanhomrigh (1891).
Sources
- Evelyn Hardy, The Conjured Spirit, Swift: A Study in the Relationship of Swift, Stella, and Vanessa, 1949
- Dictionary of National Biography