Why did Honora Sneyd’s marriage to Richard Lovell Edgeworth cause Anna Seward pain?

Anna Seward’s deep distress over Honora Sneyd’s marriage to Richard Lovell Edgeworth in 1773 stemmed from the profound emotional bond the two women shared. Having been taken in by the Seward family at age five, Honora became a central figure in Anna’s life, particularly after the death of Anna’s sister, Sarah, in 1764.1

The marriage forced an impasse in their relationship, as Honora moved to Ireland with Edgeworth. For Seward, this separation caused "insurmountable pain," which she documented extensively in her letters and poetry. Scholars have long debated the nature of this attachment; while some view Honora as a literary muse or trope, many experts in queer studies interpret Seward’s passionate writings about her as evidence of a homoromantic relationship. Consequently, the marriage represented not just a physical distance, but the loss of an intimate, exclusive, and deeply significant companion.12