Page:A cyclopaedia of female biography.djvu/260

 in the month of September, 1780, in the eighty-fourth year of her age.

Madame du Deffand's epistolary writings were characterized by an exquisite style; not obtained, however, it is said, without a degree of labour and study somewhat surprising to the readers of those spontaneous effusions. Her poetry never rose above mediocrity.

DEKKEN, AGATHE, authoress, born in the village of Arastelveen, near Amsterdam, on the 10th. of December, 1741. When three years old she lost her parents, and being very poor, was placed in the Amsterdam orphan asylum. Her natural abilities and industry soon distinguished her from her companions, and her early and successful efforts in poetry, procured the protection and assistance of the "Diligentiae Omnia" society. When she left the asylum, she accepted a place as companion to Miss Maria Borsh, a young lady who was herself a poetess. She lived with Miss Borsh till 1773. After the death of her friend and benefactress. Miss Dekken published a collection of poems, the result of their joint labours. She then went to Jive with another friend, Elizabeth Beeker, the widow of a clergyman. Their united labours produced the first Dutch domestic novel, and they became thus the founders of a new school of novel writers. Shortly afterwards they published the "Wanderlengen door Bougogne," (1779.) In 1787 she removed to Paris, and had subsequently, during the reign of terror, some very narrow escapes from the guillotine. In 1790 she returned to Holland, when the dishonesty of a friend deprived her of her little property. She had now again to resort to her pen as a means of subsistence. She translated therefore several English novels, and published a collection of poems, which contains some patriotic and religious pieces, which are to this day esteemed master-pieces of Dutch poetry. She died on the 15th. of November, 1807.

DELANY, MARY, the daughter of Bernard Granville, Esq., afterwards Lord Lansdowne, a nobleman celebrated for his abilities and virtues. His character as a poet, and his friendship with Pope, Swift, and other eminent writers of the time, as well as his general patronage of men of genius and literature, have been so often recorded that they must be familiar to our readers. His daughter Mary received a very careful education, and at the age of seventeen was induced to marry, against her own inclination, Alexander Pendarves, a gentleman of large property at Roscrow, in Cornwall. From a great disparity of years, and other causes, she was very unhappy during this connexion. However, she wisely employed the retirement to which she was confined in cultivating her mind and her musical talents. She was distinguished for her powers of conversation, for her epistolary writing, and her taste.

In 1724 Mrs. Pendarves became a widow, when she left Cornwall for London. For several years after this she corresponded with Dean Swift. In 1743 she married Dr. Patrick Delany, whom she had long known, and their union was a very happy one. He died in 1768, and after that she was induced by the Duchess-dowager of Portland, who had been an early and constant friend of hers.