Elizabeth Carter

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Elizabeth Carter, (December 16, 1717 – February 19, 1806), was a poet, classicist and translator, and member of the Bluestocking Circle. Born at Deal, Kent, daughter of a clergyman. Encouraged by her father to study, she applied herself with such perseverance that she became perhaps the most learned Englishwoman of her time, being mistress of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic, besides several modern European languages. She became an expert linguist, rendered into English De Crousaz's Examen de l'essai de Monsieur Pope sur l'homme (two volumes, 1739); Algarotti's Newtonianismo per le donne; the works of Epictetus 1758; and wrote a small volume of poems. She was also well read in science. She was a friend of Dr. Johnson and many other eminent men, as well as being a close confidant of Elizabeth Montagu, Hannah More, Hester Chapone, and several other members of the Bluestocking circle.

This article incorporates public domain text from: Cousin, John William (1910). A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London, J.M. Dent & sons; New York, E.P. Dutton.

This article incorporates text from an edition of the New International Encyclopedia that is in the public domain.