The Poetry of Mary Robinson: Form and Fame

Bell’s Laureates II 105

but in all of Europe (Mitchell 129–32). Robinson, moreover, was still

attached to Tarleton, who shared the Duke of Portland’s increasing

uneasiness over the course of the Revolution. The political alliance

between Fox and Portland began to crumble as Portland supported

such Pittite measures as the Alien Bill and the suspension of habeas

corpus. Tarleton stood by Portland, not by Fox. I do not wish to

presume that Robinson necessarily shared the political views of her

long- time partner, but, to readers of the newspaper, the trio of Laura

Maria poems from the fall and winter of 1792–3 would have served as

documentary support for Pitt’s prosecution of the war.^19

The evidence shows Robinson participating in a conservative net-

work. In terms of literary productivity and attendant literary fame,

1793 was a year of accomplishments and acclaim, culminating in

the specious praise from the Tr u e B r iton. In January, the European

Magazine led that month’s issue with an engraved portrait and “An

Account of Mrs. Robinson” that praised, in addition to her writing,

her beauty, her knowledge of French and German, and other grace-

ful accomplishments. While the article does recount her theatrical

career, it makes no mention of the Perdita scandal. It also reasserts

her authority as Laura Maria, Oberon, and Laura and attributes the

Julia avatar to Robinson. On 17 January, the Ministerial Star hailed

Robinson again as “the British Sappho,” promising a second volume

of poems and a forthcoming opera. On 26 March, the Ministerial

Sun complained that Robinson’s opera was being derailed by anti-

government politics because “the Songs and the Sentiments contained

a degree of loyal enthusiasm not quite congenial to the feelings of

ALL PARTIES.” In other words, the paper implies that Robinson’s loy-

alist sentiments are unpopular with those in the theatre who hold

reformist views, indirectly pointing toward Sheridan and his network.

Robinson, indeed, had intended for Sheridan to stage at Drury Lane

(7: 302). But Robinson’s networking was always more social and liter-

ary than strictly political. On 8 June, the Tr u e B r iton complimented

Robinson on her socializing: “We have nothing like literary conver-

sationi’s in this Country—Mrs. ROBINSON’S parties only excepted.”

Taylor knew from experience the pleasure of Robinson’s company, as

his memoir shows. Again, in all of this, none of the opposition papers

puffs Robinson except the Morning Post, once Daniel Stuart takes

charge of it. Despite the vitriol the newspapers spewed at one another,

the social networks implicit here did not divide and polarize accord-

ing to political positions.

During 1793, Robinson was engaged in more ambitious literary

projects. Her opera, Kate of Aberdeen, continued to be promoted well

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