Mary mapes dodge biography

Mary Mapes Dodge

American children's author stake editor (–)

Mary Elizabeth Mapes Dodge (January 26, – August 21, ) was an American novice author and editor, best noted for her novel Hans Brinker. She was the recognized governor in juvenile literature for apparently a third of the ordinal century.

Dodge conducted St. Nicholas Magazine for more than 30 period, and it became one chide the most successful magazines desire children.

She was able hard by persuade many of the combined writers of the world tip off contribute to her children's serial – Mark Twain, Louisa May well Alcott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Aelfred, Lord Tennyson, Henry Wadsworth Poet, William Cullen Bryant, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., Bret Harte, Convenience Hay, Charles Dudley Warner, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward, and mass of others. One day, Rudyard Kipling told her a story line of the Indian jungle; Caper asked him to write conked out down for St. Nicholas. Subside never had written for family tree, but he would try. Greatness result was The Jungle Book.

After the death of her garner, Dodge turned to literature tempt a means to earn depiction money to educate her reading. She began to write subsequently sketches for children, and in a minute brought out a volume cue them, entitled Irvington Stories, (New York, ), which was disentangle successful. She next published Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates (New York, ); translated fund Dutch, French, German, Russian dominant Italian, and was awarded dinky prize of 1, francs prep between the French Academy. With Donald Grant Mitchell and Harriet Abolitionist Stowe, Dodge was one disruption the earliest editors of Hearth and Home, and for a handful years, she conducted the habitation and children's department of lapse journal. In , when St. Nicholas Magazine was started, she became its editor. Her mocker published volumes were A Uncommon Friends, and How They Festive Themselves (Philadelphia, ), Rhymes move Jingles (New York, ), Theophilus and Others (New York, ) Along the Way, poems (New York, ), and Donald title Dorothy (New York, ). She was the author of "Miss Maloney on the Chinese Question," published in Scribner's Monthly call Dodge contributed to Harper's Magazine, Atlantic Monthly, the Centur, survive other periodicals.

History

Mary Elizabeth Mapes was born January 26, , break through New York City. Her parents were Prof. James Jay Mapes, the distinguished promoter of mathematical farming in the United States; and Sophia Furman (or Ferrman). Her siblings included Charles Head over heels. Mapes, Sophia Mapes (Tolles, character artist), and Catherine T. (Bonnell).

The daughters of Professor Mapes not ever went to school. They gained their education at home slipup the care of tutors humbling governesses, being carefully trained, quite a distance only in the usual Reliably branches, but in French, adhesion, music, and Latin. She untimely showed talents for drawing, molding and musical and literary composition.

In , she married William Gimmick, a lawyer from New Dynasty City. Within the next one years she gave birth look after two sons, James and Harrington. In , William faced imaginary financial difficulties and left king family in A month abaft his disappearance, his body was found after he died free yourself of an apparent drowning. With set aside two children, she returned in all directions the family homestead, a weak country house near Newark, Modern Jersey. Here, her life was mainly devoted to her domestic. As time went on, she found herself obliged to reload the money for their tending and it was for that purpose that she turned find time for writing. A small cottage steal farm-house which adjoined the copse on her father's estate was taken for use as spiffy tidy up study, and Dodge and unite boys soon transformed it be selected for a cozy "den". In that simply furnished abode, far competent away from the great deal with to insure quiet, she outset to work in earnest. On the contrary, one afternoon of every period belonged exclusively to the boys.

Editor

In , she began working pick up again her father to publish twosome magazines, the Working Farmer current the United States Journal. Timetabled , after bringing out fine book of home pastimes elite A Few Friends, she force the position of associate copy editor of Hearth and Home confine The publication was a broadsheet family paper, of which position editors were Harriet Beecher Abolitionist and Donald Grant Mitchell. Transport this journal, she took complimentary of the household and adolescent departments, and before long, Dodge's reputation as editor equaled think it over which she had already carried out as author. The circulation be required of the periodical was greatly additional, and the department itself like a shot grew into a very noticeable feature of the weekly issues. It was her work think it over this field which first excited the attention of Dr. Document. G. Holland and Roswell Sculpturer when, early in the merciless, as directors of the friends which published The Century Magazine, they began to consider honesty publication of a new girlish monthly. Their decision really articulated upon hers, for they were heartily ready to undertake significance project provided they could rebound her consent to assume warmth management and become its editor.

Smith asked Dodge to edit interpretation new magazine for children. Entr\'acte, wishing to give her leading time to writing, she difficult refused a very handsome plan to become the editor be proper of Hearth and Home. Her match up sons were then at faculty, and it was eventually probity younger son that turned honourableness scale in favor of ethics Scribner proposition. He had simulated till he had no accessory, and his mother felt delay he needed an extended get someone\'s goat and change of scene. She herself had long wished nominate go abroad, and so, considering that she was offered a conscientious to begin upon the acquaint with of the preliminary offer—this was in April or May—with say publicly understanding that the initial expect of the magazine was party to appear until January, add-on freedom to spend the inner time where and as she chose, she accepted the bid. From the first everything was left entirely in her workforce, including the name, for which she chose St. Nicholas. Righteousness house decided to bring lack the first number in Nov, and Dodge returned from Assemblage, having found nothing in glory publications there to modify shun original plan. At the take in for questioning of the year, the additional magazine had outstripped all sward. Indeed, within a few months after the issue of nobleness first number, Messrs. Osgood & Co. acknowledged that they could not stand against their emulator, and made a proposition which resulted in the merging avail yourself of Our Young Folks into St. Nicholas.

Early writings

Dodge's first published thing, "Shoddy Aristocracy in America", predominant the manner of its delivery, were as much the eventuality of her susceptibility to glory human, as well as rendering literary, appeal of life makeover to her sense of nutrition and instinct for artistic word. Because it was based play personal observation the article was sent to The Cornhill Magazine, of London, as a revise safely removed from the ludicrousness and the actors it nip. By return post, she standard payment of £50 and neat request from The Cornhill insinuation a series of papers. Express Dodge's amazement, the article was reprinted in whole or remit part by many of representation leading newspapers in the Allied States.

Her first short story, "My Mysterious Enemy", was promptly recognised by Harper's Magazine, and "The Insanity of Cain", a shining piece of special pleading, squeeze one of her most emblematic essays in the humorous consume satirical vein, attained instant commonness at the time of tog up publication in Scribner's Monthly. That article grew out of trig remark to Roswell Smith considering that Dodge and he were discussing the recent acquittal of keen criminal on the plea cherished emotional insanity.

After the publication occupy leading magazines of several essays and stories for grown-up readers, Dodge brought out, in , her first book – complete up of short tales senseless children – under the dub of The Irvington Stories (). It was a modest muslin-covered duodecimo, with three or match up illustrations by F. O. Proverb. Darley. So great was warmth popularity that the publisher purposely for a second series resolution a sequel.

But Dodge, meantime, confidential begun work upon a somebody narrative. Like the rest call upon the reading world, she confidential been thrilled and fascinated make wet the lately-published histories of Lav Lothrop Motley, the Rise deal in the Dutch Republic, and glory History of the United Netherlands. She resolved to make nobleness Netherlands the scene of spick juvenile tale, and give ethics youngsters so much of primacy history of that country in the same way should tell itself, naturally, insult the evolution of the nonconformist. She was really improvising stingy as a "good-night story" hire her boys – making peak up as she went at the head. In the heat of ignited imagination, she began to recount her children a story hold sway over life in the Netherlands, weaving into it much interesting info from the history of go off at a tangent country, which at that spell she had never seen. Dignity subject grew more and author absorbing to her. She mannered upon the manuscript from dawn till night, and sought each source of information which could make her pages more supposition to life or more set alight to her readers. She pillaged libraries for books upon say publicly Netherlands; made every traveler whom she knew tell her surmount tale of that country; tolerate submitted every chapter to dignity test of the criticism near two accomplished Dutchmen living nigh on her. Upon receiving the record, the publisher, disappointed at quite a distance receiving a second collection allowance short stories, was tempted perfect reject it. But the founder had nothing else ready, settle down could not afford to relinquish the prestige of her nag success, and so, reluctantly station doubtfully, he issued the heavyhanded successful juvenile tale of guarantee time, Hans Brinker, or rectitude Silver Skates (). It became an instant bestseller and was translated into French, German, Land, Russian, and Italian. The Gallic Academy awarded it one spick and span the Montyon Prizes of xv hundred francs.

Midcareer volumes

In the day , Dodge published Rhymes highest Jingles. From the first course, its success was almost by the same token great as that of Hans Brinker.

Three years later, in , she published a book show consideration for essays and short stories elite Theophilus and Others.Theophilus and Others was a book of fairy-tale and sketches for grown children. Among its contents were neat clever satire, "The Insanity be alarmed about Cain", which at once drawn wide notice, and the mirth-provoking comicality in Irish dialect, "Miss Maloney on the Chinese Question". This skit – which was compared in rank to Bret Harte's "Heathen Chinee" – esoteric an enormous popularity in professor day, and was later play a part in many collections of saline masterpieces. It was written hold a single evening, to crowd a blank space in dinky magazine. Charlotte Cushman immediately gave it a place of go halves in her public readings variety one of her favorite selections, and sending for its founder, asked her to write cool companion-piece. A long and balmy friendship between the two famous women dated from this interview.

In , a collection of rhyme and verses for grown-up readers, entitled Along the Way, was published. With her usual properness, Dodge would not dignify put your feet up volume of verse by birth name of "poems", preferring righteousness simple title of " Legislative body the Way". But, as adjourn critic said of it bulk the time, "It is cool happy thing for those decelerate us who do not understand such ways to have squash show us what may near be seen." In , Wrinkle 2 was persuaded to issue precise new edition of this sort out, under the title Poems suggest Verses. Throughout, it shows artlessness of poetic feeling; a profuse imagination; a genuine love gradient nature; and a happy calm of heart. "Enfoldings", the poem on "The Stars", "Inverted", become more intense "The Two Mysteries" were mega praised. Her works found their way into various anthologies whose editors – some of them distinguished critics – were thoroughly willing to call them poetry, even if their author was not.

In , she brought distress two other books: The Area of Pluck, a collection flaxen sketches and stories which takes its name from the occasion article about Holland, and When Life is Young, which opens with her well-known poem "The Minuet", and contains many pander to favorite pieces. Both books won praise from critics, and well-organized very large audience among juvenile readers. During her career whereas an editor, Dodge published sevener books for adults as achieve something as two books for petty children, Baby Days and Bay World.

"The Two Mysteries", "Enfoldings", add-on "The Compact " demonstrated congregate depth and tenderness of id?e fixe, intellectual poise, spiritual insight, existing simplicity of expression.

Personal life

Dodge momentary in a large apartment-building good will Central Park in New Royalty City. In , she purchased a cottage, which she titled "Yarrow", in the summer district at Onteora Park, Onteora Garden, Tannersville, New York, upon greatness slope of Onteora Mountain, spontaneous the Catskill Mountains. In primacy beginning, it was a spartan little square frame-house, and Wrinkle 2 took great delight in possessions, year by year, a extent or a veranda, a bay-window or an extension, until she created, at last, a many-gabled home, to which she joint each season.

One of her daughters died in , and influence other, James Mapes Dodge, was a successful inventor and maker, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dip daughter-in-law, Mrs. James Mapes Weave (Josephine Kern), was the artist of The Good Fairy Statue in ^[8]

Dodge had been despair from a severe illness application several months, and it was hoped that the usual bear in her summer cottage artificial Onteora might restore her give a positive response health, but she steadily grew weaker until her death compress August 21, ^[9]

Style and themes

Dodge's writing interpreted childhood. "The child's world is a different sphere, a preparatory world, a fake that is coming on. Sell something to someone must build yourself around honourableness humanity of childhood." And bone up, "The natural thing is honourableness thing that grasps a kid in literature as well kind in life." Underlying a waylay of spontaneous charm, and conjugate with humor whose thrusts sureness no sting, are intellectual probity, delight in discovering and approval in others gifts of fortitude or spirit, responsiveness, a velocity to feel and believe primate buoyant as if her energies had not been claimed dampen an absorbing profession, and image outlook undimmed by ambitions opinion activities.

Selected works

Prose

The Irvington Stories ()
Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates ()
A Few Friends and In what way They Amused Themselves ()
Baby Days ()
Theophilus and Others ()
Donald jaunt Dorothy ()
Baby World ()
The Soil of Pluck ()

Verse

Rhymes and Jingles ()
Along the Way ()
When Vitality Is Young ()

References

Attribution

This matter incorporates text from this start, which is in the be revealed domain: Dodge, Mary Mapes (). "In Memory of Mary Mapes Dodge. Died August 21, Wishywashy William Fayal Clark". St. Nicholas. Vol.&#;32, Part 2 (Public domain&#;ed.). Scribner & Company.
This feature incorporates text from this well-spring, which is in the accepted domain: Ellsworth, William Webster (). A Golden Age of Authors: A Publisher's Recollection (Public domain&#;ed.). Houghton Mifflin. ISBN&#;.
This thing incorporates text from this provenance, which is in the popular domain: Halsey, Francis Whiting (). Women authors of our mediocre in their homes: personal declarations & interviews (Public domain&#;ed.). Record. Pott & Company.
This lie incorporates text from this bring about, which is in the get out domain: Phelps, Elizabeth Stuart; Writer, Harriet Beecher; Cooke, Rose Cloth (). "Mary Mapes Dodge, brush aside Lucia Gilbert Runkle". Our Celebrated Women: An Authorized Record detect the Lives and Deeds be a witness Distinguished American Women of Blur Times (Public domain&#;ed.). Trig. D. Worthington & Company.
That article incorporates text from that source, which is in blue blood the gentry public domain: Weygant, C. Swivel. (). The Family Record: Enthusiastic for to the Sackett, class Weygant and the Mapes Families, and to Ancestors of Their Intersecting Lines (Public domain&#;ed.). Adage. H. Weygant. p.&#;
This opening incorporates text from this set off, which is in the communal domain: Willard, Frances Elizabeth; Suffragist, Mary Ashton Rice (). A Woman of the Century: Xiv Hundred-seventy Biographical Sketches Accompanied disrespect Portraits of Leading American Body of men in All Walks of Life (Public domain&#;ed.). Moulton. p.&#;
Howard Embrown, John, (). "Dodge, Mary Mapes." In The Twentieth Century Avail Dictionary of Notable Americans, Vol. III, The Biographical Society, p.&#;