The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America

The Tenth Muse, Lately Spring Up in America, By a Gentlewoman in those parts
AuthorAnne Bradstreet
LanguageEnglish language
GenrePoetry
Publication date
1650
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint

The Tenth Muse, lately Sprung up in America[1] is a 1650 book of poetry by Anne Bradstreet. It was Bradstreet's only work published in her lifetime. Published purportedly without Bradstreet's knowledge, Bradstreet wrote to her publisher acknowledging that she knew of the publication. She was forced to pretend she was unaware of the publication until afterwards, or she would have risked harsh criticism.[citation needed] Bradstreet wrote the poem "The Author to Her Book" in 1666 when a second edition was contemplated. The book was published, without Bradstreet's knowledge, by the Rev. John Woodbridge. Woodbridge took the manuscript to England where it was published.

The "Four Monarchies" is regarded by some critics as epic.[2]

  1. ^ The entire original title is: The Tenth Muse, lately Sprung up in America, or Several Poems Compiled with Great Variety of Wit and Learning, Full of Delight, Wherein especially is Contained a Complete Discourse and Description of the Four Elements, Constitutions, Ages of Man, Seasons of the Year, together with an exact Epitome of the Four Monarchies, viz., The Assyrian, Persian, Grecian, Roman, Also a Dialogue between Old England and New, concerning the late troubles. With divers other pleasant and serious Poems, By a Gentlewoman in those parts.
  2. ^ Pender, Patricia (2012). Early Modern Women's Writing and the Rhetoric of Modesty. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 166. ISBN 9781137008015.