Cover of Eighteen Hundred and Eleven

Eighteen Hundred and Eleven

by Anna Laetitia Barbauld

First published
1812
Reading level
Fairly demanding
Price
Free

About the book

"Eighteen Hundred and Eleven" by Mrs. Barbauld is a poem published in 1812. Written while Britain fought Napoleon and faced possible defeat, this Juvenalian satire shocked readers by predicting Britain's decline and America's rise to greatness. Barbauld directly linked this fall to the devastating costs of the Napoleonic Wars. The poem's pessimistic vision sparked outrage across the political spectrum, silencing one of Britain's most prominent literary voices and ending her publishing career forever.

  • Great Britain

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #14100. Eighteen Hundred and Eleven on Wikipedia.

More free books by Anna Laetitia Barbauld

About Anna Laetitia Barbauld