Edith Nesbit (1858-1924),
like the characters in The Railway Children, was born into a middle-class family whose fortunes declined. Unlike the children in the novel,however, she did not see her problems suddenly sweptaway. For her, financial and other insecurities continued,even to the time of her death. Her childhood was hard: her father died when she wasfour years old, and her mother moved the family around Europe looking for a warm, dry climate suitable for Edith’ssister Mary, who had consumption, a disease which wasthen incurable. It was not until 1871 that the family settled,after Mary’s death, in Kent, in south-east England.
Here,one of the main attractions was the railway, which ranpast a field at the back of their house. In this house, Edithbegan writing poetry, some of which was published, andbegan dreaming of becoming a great poet. Later, Edith moved to London. Here, in 1880, she metand married Hubert Bland
الروابط المفضلة