Among her many friends, Henrietta Howard counted the Irish satirist Jonathan Swift, and her close neighbour in Twickenham, the poet Alexander Pope in her circle. She joined them in celebrating the publication of Swift's Gulliver's Travels in 1726 by calling herself a 'Yahoo', after the race of beastly creatures Gulliver encounters at the end of his global travels.

This talk will chart her relations with Swift and Pope and explore their connections with the expanding empire. Dr Judith Hawley is Professor of Eighteenth-Century Literature in the Department of English, Royal Holloway, University of London and frequently appears on BBC radio and TV. She is a Trustee of the Pope's Grotto Preservation Trust. Her research interest range from gin to Grub street and she has a particular interest in the history of the amateur performance.

Please note that booking for this event will close 24 hours in advance.

Time: 6pm-7pm.