)'', portrait miniature, 1809 In 1797, Betham wrote
Elegies, and Other Small Poems, which included Italian poems translated into English and
Arthur & Albina, a Druid ballad. She received a tribute for this from
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who wrote
To Matilda from a Stranger in 1802, comparing her to
Sappho and encouraging her to continue writing poetry.} Others who encouraged her were Lady Charlotte Bedingfield and her family. Betham painted pleasant, delicate portraits, which she exhibited at the
Royal Academy of Arts from 1804 to 1816 as a way to be financially independent from her parents who had many children to raise. Among the dozens of exhibited portraits were those of the
Harriot Beauclerk, Duchess of St Albans, the poet
George Dyer,
Countess of Dysart, and Betham's father and other family members. In 1804, she published
A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country, the culmination of six years of research. It included short biographies of
Mary Magdalene,
Cleopatra, East Indian Bowanny,
Madame Roland, and other notable historical women from around the world. Four years later she published her second book of poetry. Betham was also a close friend of
Robert Southey and his wife, of
Anna Laetitia Barbauld and her husband, and of
Charles and his sister
Mary. Other acquaintances in that period were Opie, Frances Holcroft,
Hannah More,
Germaine de Staël, and
Samuel Taylor Coleridge. She made portraits of the Coleridges and the Southeys and wrote a verse for the marriage of Emma Isola, an adopted daughter of Lamb, to
Edward Moxon. Other works Betham published in magazines anonymously, while also giving public Shakespeare readings in London. Her best-received poem was
Lay of Marie (1816), based upon the story of
Marie de France, the medieval poet, written in couplets, included a scholarly appendix, as recommended by Southey, who said she was "likely to be the best poetess of her age." However, Betham gave up her literary career and returned to the country after a series of aggravations, a breakdown of health, misfortunes, and family circumstances. For instance, advertisements to promote her book spelled her heroine's name Mario and misspelled her name, many printed books had become mildewed, and she was in financial distress as the result of the advertising and publication costs. She became destitute and tried to gain employment painting portraits, which was difficult because her clothing had become shabby. By 17 June 1819, Betham had been put in a mental asylum by her family after she had suffered a mental breakdown, but she was acting and conversing normally again in 1820. Betham stated that she had suffered a "nervous fever" after the hard work and emotional stress of getting
Lay of Marie published, and that she felt she was unjustly put into an institution without examination or treatment. Betham moved to London on her release and kept her address a secret. George Dyer successfully applied for assistance for her from the
Royal Literary Fund, which had been established to aid authors in 1790 by David Williams. Betham championed women's rights, called for greater participation of women in parliamentary affairs, and wrote
Challenge to Women, Being an Intended Address from Ladies of Different Parts of the Kingdom, Collectively to Caroline, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland to address charges levelled against
Queen Carolina during her acrimonious marriage to
King George IV, calling for women to support her against state persecution and sign a petition on her behalf. Betham was put into an asylum again in 1822 by her family. In the 1830s she lived with her parents in
Islington. About 1836, Betham expressed sorrow at the death of several of her siblings in
Sonnets and Verses, To Relations and their Connexions. A tale of two poisoned men was published in
Dramatic Sketch in 1836. The manuscript for
Hermoden, a play that she wrote in the late 1830s was lost and remains unpublished. She was reported to be studying at the
British Museum in the 1830s. In her later years Betham returned to London. and maintained her friendships, love of literature, wit, and her entertaining conversation and presence. However, it was hard for her to make a living. She was unable to obtain promised assistance in getting her manuscript for
Crow-quill Flights printed. Betham had been rebuked when she asked friends for copies of poems that she had given them. Some of her manuscripts were accidentally burned at Stonham. Betham died 30 September 1852 at 52 Burton Street in London, and was buried on the western side of
Highgate Cemetery with her eldest sister, Theresa, who had died a year earlier. Some of her letters, along with a biographical sketch, appear in
Six Life Stories of Famous Women (1880) by her niece, the novelist
Matilda Betham-Edwards, but Betham-Edwards also burnt many of Betham's letters. Edwards published a biography of her in
Friendly Faces of Three Nationalities. ==Works==