Notes of an Overland Journey Through France and Egypt to Bombay | Page 3

the full maturity of their intellectual
growth, but have been lost to the world in a premature grave: to the
names of Felicia Hemans and Laetitia E. Landon, besides others, is
now added that of Emma Roberts, who, although in respect of poetical
genius she cannot be placed upon a level with the two writers just
named, yet in the vigour of her faculties, and in the variety of her
talents, is worthy of being associated with them as another evidence
against the asserted mental inequality of the sexes.

Miss Roberts belonged to a Welsh family of great respectability. Her
grandfather, who was a gentleman of good property, and served the
office of High Sheriff for Denbighshire, North Wales, possessed the
fine estate of Kenmell Park in that county, which was disposed of after
his death to Colonel Hughes, the present Lord Dinorben, whose seat it
continues to be. He had three sons, all of whom entered a military life,
which seems to have had peculiar attractions to this gallant family. The
eldest, the late General Thomas Roberts, raised a regiment, which
became the 111th, and it is said he frequently officiated as Gold Stick
in Waiting to George the Third. A son of General Roberts was
aide-de-camp to Sir Arthur Wellesley in Portugal, was taken prisoner
by the French, and detained during the war: he afterwards rose to the
rank of lieutenant-colonel. The second son, Colonel David Roberts, of
the 51st regiment, distinguished himself in the Peninsular war, having,
on the 7th January, 1809, during Sir John Moore's retreat, near the
heights of Lugo, headed a party which repulsed the French Light
Brigade, on which occasion his cloak was riddled with bullets, two of
which passed through his right-hand, which was amputated. He was
then a major, but afterwards commanded the regiment, in Lord
Dalhousie's brigade, and subsequently in Flanders, and was so seriously
and repeatedly wounded, that his pensions for wounds amounted to
£500 a year. Colonel Roberts was an author, and wrote, amongst other
things, the comic military sketch called Johnny Newcome. The
youngest son, William (the father of Miss Roberts), in the course of his
travels on the continent, in early life, formed some intimacies at the
Court of St. Petersburgh (to which he was introduced by the British
Ambassador), and eventually entered the Russian service; he was made
aide-de-camp to General Lloyd, his countryman, and served with great
distinction in several campaigns against the Turks. He afterwards
entered the British army, but had not attained a higher rank than that of
captain (with the paymastership of his regiment), when he died, leaving
a widow, a son (who died a lieutenant in the army), and two daughters.
Emma, the youngest daughter of Captain Roberts, was born about the
year 1794. After the death of her father, she resided with her mother, a
lady of some literary pretensions, at Bath. Though possessed of a very
attractive person, though of a lively disposition, and peculiarly fitted to
shine in the gayest circles of social life, her thirst for letters was

unquenchable, and the extent of her reading proves that her early years
must have been years of application.
Her first literary work was in the grave department of
history,--_Memoirs of the Rival Houses of York and Lancaster, or the
White and Red Roses,_ which was published in two volumes, 1827. In
the preparation of this work, Miss Roberts prosecuted her researches
into the historical records at the Museum with so much diligence and
perseverance, as to attract the notice of the officers of that institution,
who rendered her much assistance. This work did not take hold of
public attention; the narrative is perspicuously and pleasingly written,
but it throws no additional light upon the events of the time. It is not
unusual for young writers, in their first essay, to mistake the bent of
their powers.
On the death of her mother and the marriage of her sister to an officer
of the Bengal army (Captain R.A. M'Naghten), Miss Roberts
accompanied Mrs. M'Naghten and her husband to India, in February
1828, taking her passage in the _Sir David Scott_, to Bengal. From
Calcutta she proceeded with them to the Upper Provinces, where she
spent the years 1829 and 1830, between the stations of Agra, Cawnpore,
and Etawah. Her active and inquisitive mind was constantly employed
in noting the new and extraordinary scenes around her, the physical
aspect of the country, the peculiar traits of its population, and the
manners of both natives and Anglo-Indians: the strong and faithful
impressions they made never faded from a memory remarkably
retentive. It is to these favourable opportunities of diversified
observation, in her journeys by land and water, along the majestic
Ganges, or by the dawk conveyance in a palanquin, and in her
residence