Old Books / New Editions. Part I.

- by Maureen E. Mulvihill, Guest Writer

Welcome to this first installment in my three-part essay series on new editions of 17th-century women writers. We begin with Stuart courtier and poet-painter, Lady Anne Killigrew (London, 1660-1685). Lady Anne's writings have received three (yes, three) editions in recent years, most recently Margaret J. M. Ezell's Killigrew (Toronto, 2013; cover displayed here). We shall identify the distinguishing features of Lady's Anne elegant poetry-book (1686), and its continuing value among collectors and book historians. We also shall assess the editorial practice and methodologies of the new Ezell Killigrew, and probe some unsettled issues of Lady Anne's biography and authorship. Finally, we shall muse on the likelihood of an authoritative Killigrew in future years. < Click here, for essay >