“If you in the morning
Throw minutes away,
You can’t pick them up
In the course of a day.
You may hurry and scurry,
And flurry and worry,
You’ve lost them forever,
Forever and aye.”
- Anna Sewell
She wrote just one book, and that became a best seller. A book that every child and adult has read and loved. She wrote the book when she was 57 years old, in declining health and mostly confined to her bed. Her mother transcribed the slips of paper in which she had written down her story and sometimes she dictated it. The manuscript was sent to Jarrolds, a publisher. And the rest, as they say, is history. The book is Black Beauty and the author is Anna Sewell.
Love for horses
She said she wrote the book for people who worked with horses. She was appalled at the treatment meted out to animals, especially horses and wanted to highlight this and tell people that animals needed to be treated with kindness and understanding.
Anna Sewell was born in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. Her mother Mary Wright Sewell was a successful children’s author. Anna Sewell had a brother named Philip. When she was 12 years old, her family moved to a place called Stoke Newington. She began her schooling there. However, one day while she was walking home from school, she slipped and injured both her ankles. Her father found employment in Brighton, in the hope that the climate would improve Anna’s health. But it never did. For the rest of her life, Anna was unable to stand without a crutch or walk. When she wanted to move around, she used a horse-drawn carriage. Thus began her concern for horses.
Anna was home schooled by her mother. She understood the joy of reading, and developed a love for nature, animals and history.
Anna began work on Black Beauty in 1871. By this time, she had moved to Old Catton, a village near Norwich. Her health was weak and writing was a challenge. The manuscript was finished in 1877. Anna died five months after her book was published. She was fortunate to see the initial success.
Inspiring and more
Anna based the character of Black Beauty on her brother’s horse Bessie. Merrylegs was based on her own pony.
In Victorian London, the horse was an important form of transport. Horses were treated badly and many groups were emerging to fight this cruelty. Black Beauty highlighted this cruelty by speaking about the joys and sufferings of a horse. It was a catalyst for change in people’s attitude towards animals.
Anna spent her summer with her grandparents at Dudwick Farm. Birtwick Park in the novel, is based on Dudwick House.
Black Beauty was not intended as a children’s book. However, it’s appeal was universal.
The book has been adapted for radio and also released as an audio book.
