Christina G. Rossetti
Poetess of the Spiritual Life
1830 – 1894 A.D.

This woman, noted for her sweet spiritual poetry, was the daughter of Gabriele Rosetti, an Italian patriot, who took refuge in England from the troubles of his native land. He was made professor of Italian at King’s College. He wrote a commentary on Dante to show that the Inferno was chiefly political and anti-papal and that Beatrice was a symbolic personage.

Christina was born in London. When quite young her father fell ill and she bravely helped support the family by teaching. She was deeply religious and gave much time to church work when the circumstances of the family were easier.

Some of productions are, Goblin Market, Prince’s Progress, Speaking Likeness, Annus Domini, A Prayer for Each Day of the Year Founded on a Text of Holy Scripture, Seek and Find, Called to be Saints, and Time Flies.

A disappointment in love cast a shadow of melancholy over much of her writing. She was for many years an invalid and died of cancer.

In artistic construction and purity of diction she surpasses Mrs. Browning, with whom she has sometimes been compare.

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Reference: Woman: Her Position, Influence and Achievement Throughout the Civilized World. Designed and Arranged by William C. King. Published in 1900 by The King-Richardson Co. Copyright 1903 The King-Richardson Co.