Ward, Mrs. (1851–1920)

English writer. Name variations: Mary Augusta Arnold (1851–1871); Mary Augusta Ward (1871–1920); Mrs. Humphry Ward (in all publications). Born Mary Augusta Arnold in Hobart Town, Tasmania, June 11, 1851; died in London, England, Mar 24, 1920; dau. of Thomas Arnold (son of Dr. Thomas Arnold, headmaster at Rugby) and Julia (Sorrell or Sorell) Arnold (1826–1888); sister of Julia Arnold Huxley (1862–1908); m. T(homas) Humphry Ward (fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford), in 1872; children: Dorothy Ward (b. 1874), Arnold Ward (b. 1876, briefly a member of Parliament), and Janet Ward (b. 1879).

Prolific novelist, critic, journalist, and memoirist who was the author of Robert Elsmere (1888), one of the most famous religious novels of 19th century; in her heyday(1890–1910), was one of the most influential novelists in the English speaking world; published 25 novels and 15 other books of social and literary criticism, played a prominent role in the settlement house move ment, was an active society hostess, and a leader in the campaign against women's suffrage; was declared by Tolstoy the greatest English novelist of her day and ranked by William Dean Howells as almost the equal of George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans); by end 20th century, was almost forgotten; writings include (trans.) Journal Intime of Henri Frederic Amiel (1885), Helbeck of Bannisdale (1898), The Testing of Diana Mallory (1908), Daphne (1909), Delia Blanchflower (1914), England's Effort (1916) and A Writer's Recollections (1918, 2 vols.). A revival of scholarly interest (1970s–80s) has restored to historians and literary critics an awareness of Mrs. Humphry Ward and an appreciation for her novels, but it has not restored her to the pre-eminence she enjoyed in her lifetime.

See also Anne M. Bindslev, Mrs. Humphry Ward: A Study in Late Victorian Feminine Consciousness (Almqvist & Wiksell, 1985); Enid Huws Jones, Mrs. Humphry Ward (Heinemann, 1973); Esther M. G. Smith, Mrs. Humphry Ward (Twayne, 1980); John Sutherland, Mrs. Humphry Ward: Eminent Victorian and Preeminent Edwardian (Clarendon, 1990); and Women in World History.