BLUESTOCKING CIRCLE.

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A Series of Letters between Mrs. Elizabeth Carter and Miss Catherine Talbot, First octavo edition (second overall) of these letters between three principal figures of the Bluestocking circle, an informal women-led literary discussion group whose members also included Sarah Fielding, Fanny Burney, Edmund Burke, and Samuel Johnson. It was first published in a two-volume quarto edition the previous year; both editions are scarce in commerce.Elizabeth Carter (1717-1806) was the first person to translate the complete works of Epictetus into English. Published in 1758, the translation brought her fame and financial freedom from her father, allowing her to spend more time in London socializing among bluestocking circles. Carter's letters "are for modern readers among her most satisfying productions, at once informal and literary. Witty gossip jostles with sublime philosophy, Christian piety is tempered by ironic insights, and weighty learning is accompanied by a delightful flirtatiousness which comes as a surprise to those only familiar with her Epictetus... Feminist critics have appreciated her strong-mindedness and independent spirit, and, reassessing the cultural significance of the bluestockings, have stressed how, although not fully professional herself, she helped make writing a respectable occupation for women" (ODNB).Catherine Talbot (1721-1770) was a prolific writer who seldom published her own works; instead, she edited her associates' publications, including Samuel Richar

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