Ask the ChatbotGames & QuizzesHistory & SocietyScience & TechBiographiesAnimals & NatureGeography & TravelArts & CultureProConMoneyVideos
Elizabeth Inchbald
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Read Next
Close up of books. Stack of books, pile of books, literature, reading. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written”
Britannica's Book Bingo. Take our reading challenge! Books range form greatest, banned, and counterculture.
Britannica’s Book Bingo
Ancient book lit by candle
9 Obscure Literary Terms
Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales.
10 Captivating Contemporary Novels Set in the British Isles
Chapter 4 pg 42 - Chapter header of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Published in 1884 by The American Publishing Company
Periods of American Literature
Discover
Hindu Holi Festival celebrations with colored water, powder and colorful flower petals thrown over celebrants at a Hindu temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India on March 24, 2021.
Holi: Festival of Colors
Calendar marking march 15th
22 Questions About Time and Timekeeping Answered
Statue of Liberty in front of the skyline of Manhattan, New York City, New York.
Who Was the Woman Behind the Statue of Liberty?
A Factory Interior, watercolor, pen and gray ink, graphite, and white goache on wove paper by unknown artist, c. 1871-91; in the Yale Center for British Art. Industrial Revolution England
Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution
Ruminant. Deer. Red deer. Cervus elaphus. Buck. Stag. Antlers.
9 of the World’s Deadliest Mammals
NBA Lakers Celtics Finals Kevin Garnett shooting.
10 Great Sports Rivalries
Calendar showing the month of February
Why Are There Only 28 Days in February?

Elizabeth Inchbald

English author and actress
Also known as: Elizabeth Simpson
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History
Quick Facts
Née:
Simpson
Born:
Oct. 16, 1753, Suffolk, Eng.
Died:
Aug. 1, 1821, London (aged 67)
See all related content

Elizabeth Inchbald (born Oct. 16, 1753, Suffolk, Eng.—died Aug. 1, 1821, London) was an English novelist, playwright, and actress whose successful prose romances, A Simple Story (1791) and Nature and Art (1796), are early examples of the novel of passion.

At 18 Simpson ran away to London to seek her fortune on the stage, married Joseph Inchbald, an actor, and played the provincial theatres with him. She continued to act after his death in 1779 and also began to adapt plays and write original farces and comedies, e.g., I’ll Tell You What (1785). She was not a great actress but was greatly admired for her beauty and personality.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Britannica Chatbot logo

Britannica Chatbot

Chatbot answers are created from Britannica articles using AI. This is a beta feature. AI answers may contain errors. Please verify important information using Britannica articles. About Britannica AI.