page_title: Elizabeth Carter
section_title: Career
hierarchical_section_title: Elizabeth Carter / Career
caption_attribution_description: English: Title Page of All the works of Epictetus&#160;: which are now extant; consisting of his Discourses, preserved by Arrian, in four books, the Enchiridion, and fragments; by Elizabeth Carter. First edition.
context_page_description: Elizabeth Carter was an English poet, classicist, writer, translator, linguist, and polymath. As one of the Bluestocking Circle that surrounded Elizabeth Montagu, she earned respect for the first English translation of the Discourses of Epictetus, by the 2nd-century Stoic philosopher. She also published poems and translated from French and Italian. Most of her other literary output took the form of correspondence to family and friends. Carter had many eminent friends and was close to Elizabeth Montagu, Hannah More, Hester Chapone, and other Bluestocking members. Anne Hunter, a minor poet and socialite, and Mary Delany were also noted as close friends. She befriended Samuel Johnson, editing some editions of his periodical The Rambler.
context_section_description: Her earliest attempts at literary composition were in verse. Her father was friendly with Edward Cave, the publisher, in whose fourth volume of The Gentleman's Magazine, she published several pieces, under the pseudonym of “Eliza,” when she was only sixteen years old. Visiting London occasionally with her father, she was introduced by Cave to many literary persons, and among the rest to Dr Johnson, soon after his first settling there in the year 1737. In 1738, she published an anonymous collection of her poems, including those which had been previously printed in The Gentleman’s Magazine. In the same year, her father had had conversations with Carter about marriage, and again a few years later, but she never married, wishing instead to remain independent. She adopted the matronly designation "Mrs" after the manner of an earlier generation. Carter rendered into English De Crousaz's Examen de l'essai de Monsieur Pope sur l'homme (Examination of Mr Pope's "An Essay on Man", two volumes, 1739); Algarotti's Newtonianismo per le dame (Newtonianism for women).
  Elizabeth Robinson, born in 1720, was the eldest daughter of Matthew Robinson, 2nd Baron Rokeby, who had married the heiress of the Drakes of Horton, near Hythe. Elizabeth spent a great part of her childhood there, and was early attracted by sympathy of feeling and similarity of pursuits towards her young contemporary and neighbour, Elizabeth Carter. A close friendship was formed between them, which lasted to the end of their long lives. In the year 1742, Elizabeth married Edward Montagu, a grandson of the second Earl Of Sandwich; and subsequently to that event, Carter often visited Mrs Montagu, at her country seat at Sandleford and at her house in London.
  In 1741 began her acquaintance with Catherine Talbot, which became a close friendship for they appreciated each other's faculties, virtues, and piety. Through Talbot and her mother, she came into contact with Thomas Secker, with whom they resided. He was then Bishop of Oxford, and became the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1758.
  Early in the year 1749, she commenced her translation of All the Works of Epictetus, Which are Now Extant, which she submitted sheet by sheet to Secker's revisal. She finished the Discourses in December 1752, but at his suggestion added the Enchiridion and Fragments, with an introduction and notes. A subscription having been got up by him and her other wealthy and influential friends, the work was published in 1758, Carter's position in the pantheon of 18th-century women writers was ensured by her translation of Epictetus, the first English translation of the known works by the Greek Stoic philosopher, and it brought her in a clear profit of £1000. This translation passed through three editions, and maintained a high reputation in standard literature. While occupied in preparing the first edition for the press, Carter was fulfilling the onerous task of preparing her youngest brother for the University of Cambridge.
  Carter befriended Samuel Johnson, editing some editions of his periodical The Rambler in the 1750s. He wrote, "My old friend Mrs. Carter could make a pudding as well as translate Epictetus from the Greek..."
caption: Title page of the Works of Epictetus, translated by Carter. First edition, 1758
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