A Proper Swansong

March 25th 2009 marks the 200th anniversary of Anna Seward's death, and though I could hardly expect the level of attention that's been paid to Samuel Johnson's this year, I did feel a bit sad that Lichfield - the city with which she is most strongly identified - wasn't doing more to commemorate her.

I was glad I didn't write a long rant about this, though, since Erasmus Darwin House (pictured above) has come to the rescue with an illustrated talk by Seward scholar Marion Roberts, scheduled for 7pm on Tuesday March 24th - the day before her 200th (tickets are £5). There's also an exhibition at the House, celebrating Seward's contribution to 18th-century Lichfield and her relationship with Erasmus Darwin (Mar 24 to Apr 19).

Handily, I've also just been given the new reprint of Anna Seward and Classic Lichfield by Stapleton Martin (originally published in 1909) so I can do some swotting up on the 'Swan of Lichfield' before Roberts' talk.

Photograph © Memoirs of the Celebrated Mrs Woffington.

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