Paddy Ryan profiles the English novelist best known as the author of the 1877 novel ‘Black Beauty’, one of the top ten best-selling novels for children ever written
Perhaps it was my father’s love of horses that the first book I ever read, almost seventy years ago, was ‘Black Beauty’ by Anna Sewell. That I’ve been an avid reader since, owes much to that story narrated by a horse.
But what a lovable animal — intelligent, obedient, courageous and ever-anxious to do his best. Despite such noble traits, his life was no bed of sweet-smelling hay with bowls of oats and mash. But brave Black Beauty survives the hardship and cruelty to finally reach greener pastures.
With all the technological developments, over the century and half since first published, Black Beauty has remained in the top ten of children’s books.
The first-born of devout Quaker couple, Isaac and Mary Sewell, Anna was born in Yarmouth on 30 March, 1820. A string of business failures saw the family relocate several times during her childhood. This resulted in herself and her brother spending long periods with grandparents in the Norfolk countryside.
Their grandfather passed on a deep love of nature and its wonders to the children — an influence reflected in ‘Black Beauty’.
Perhaps the greatest influence in Anna Sewell’s life was her mother, who was the author of several Victorian novels and ballads. She made no secret of the fact that she wrote to earn money with which to buy books to educate her two children who, due to financial constraints, were home-schooled for some years before Anna attended a local school.
Returning home, one day, Anna fell and severely sprained her ankle. Despite attending several doctors, some with basic, even dangerous, methods, Anna Sewell was to have difficulty walking for the rest of her life. However, the family’s deep faith saw them accept this cross and her mother later wrote: “Little did we think that her dear life was to be coloured by this event, not discoloured.”
Continue reading in this week’s Ireland’s Own
