BLESSINGTON, Marguerite (COUNTESS or): b. Knockbrit, near Clonmel, Ireland, 1 Sept 1789; d. Paris, 4 June 1849. She was the daughter of Edmund Power, and at the age of 15 was married (unhappily) to a Captain Farmer, who died in 1817. A few months after his death she married Charles John Gardiner, afterward first Earl of Blessington. In 1822 they went abroad together, and con tinued to reside on the Continent till the Earl's death in Paris, in 1829, when Lady Blessington returned to London and took up her abode in Gore House, Kensington, which had been be queathed to her by her husband. Here for many years she held those celebrated reunions and soirees, at which the most distinguished literary characters in London were wont to assemble. The fascination of her manners and conversation, with her genial warm-hearted ness of character, rendered these gatherings most attractive; but certain equivocal circum stances in relation to her connection with Count d'Orsay kept her in a manner ostracized by female society of the straiten sort. The Count had married a daughter of Lord Bless ington by his first wife, and been separated from her shortly afterward, but after the death of his father-in-law, resided with the Countess during the remainder of her life.
Lady Blessington had made her debut as an authoress in 1822 by the publication of two volumes of 'Sketches.' In 1832 she con tributed to the New Monthly Magazine 'Con versations with Lord Byron,' considered by many as the best of her productions. She also wrote numerous novels, including, among others, 'The Belle of a Season); 'The Two Friends' ; and 'The Victims of Society.) None of these have much literary merit, but describe scenes in fashionable life with considerable power, and they enjoyed at the time a large share of popularity. She acted as editress for several years of 'Heath's Book of Beauty) and the 'Keepsake,' and also of another annual, the 'Gems of Beauty.) In 1849 she proceeded to Paris, whither Count d'Orsay had previously gone in the hope of obtaining an appointment under Louis Na poleon, with whom they had been intimate dur ing his exile in England. Consult Madden, 'Life of the Countess of Blessington' (1855).