Anna Laetitia Barbould

Anna Laetitia Barbauld 1743 – 1825

Anna Laetitia Barbauld, was a remarkable woman who wrote, poetry, essays and text books for children as well as writing pamphlets on serious social and political issues of the day. She was highly critical of the war between England and France. She predicted that England would not maintain its position of dominance in the world, a very unpopular view which resulted in her rejection by the establishment and abandonment by many literary friends who were initially great admirers of her writing.

This extract from Juvenalia seems very apt to the present day and the madness that is Brexit. Here she warns against the unheeded dangers of Britain ignoring the consequences that would follow its continued animosity with France.

“And think’st thou, Britain, still to sit at ease,
An island Queen amidst thy subject seas,
While the vext billows, in their distant roar,
But soothe thy slumbers, and but kiss thy shore?
To sport in wars, while danger keeps aloof,
Thy grassy turf unbruised by hostile hoof?
So sing thy flatterers; but, Britain, know,
Thou who hast shared the guilt must share the woe.
Nor distant is the hour; low murmurs spread,
And whispered fears, creating what they dread;
Ruin, as with an earthquake shock, is here”