Hannah Cowley - A Bold Stroke for a Husband: "I have been five minutes too late all my life-time!"

The life of Hannah Cowley, a significant figure in 18th-century literature, unfolds from her modest beginnings in Tiverton, Devon, to her emergence as a playwright in London. Her literary career ignited in 1775, leading to the successful production of her first comedy, The Runaway, in 1776. Despite facing challenges, including a public feud with rival Hannah More, Cowley produced several notable plays, with The Belle's Stratagem being her most acclaimed. In 1801, she published her epic poem, The Siege of Acre, before retreating to Tiverton, where she spent her final years revising her works.