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At the Circulating Library

A Database of Victorian Fiction, 1837–1901

A Database of Victorian Fiction, 1837–1901

Author: Bella Duffy

Author: Bella Duffy (1849–1926)

Alternate Name(s): Arabella Jane Duffy (legal name)

Biography: Bella Duffy was born in Ireland, but was a long-time resident of Florence, Italy. In 1880, she met Vernon Lee and the two became life long friends (Lee dedicated her book Proteus to Duffy). Duffy published her only novel Winifred Power (1883) which met with poor reviews. Thereafter she turned to nonfiction, writing a popular biography of Madame de Staël (1887), a history The Tuscan Republics (1892), and other works. She never married and died in 1926 in London.

References: British Census (1891); Mandy Gagel, ed., Selected Letters of Vernon Lee (1856–1935); Times (12 February 1926)

Fiction Titles:

  1. Winifred Power: A Novel.  3 vol.  London: Bentley, 1883.