Henry and Emma

[2] The success of the poem is reflected in the decision to use an engraving illustrating a scene from "Henry and Emma" as the frontispiece for a 1779 edition of Prior's collected poetry.

This was just one of numerous similar prints and paintings produced at this time: The continued popularity of 'Henry and Emma' into the early nineteenth century is reflected in the poem's prominence in editions of Matthew Prior's works.

In other words, Anne tries to contain her feelings and not display the abject love for Wentworth that Emma exhibited for Henry.

[14] As Paula Backscheider notes, the fact that "Jane Austen could use an unglossed reference to [Matthew Prior's] "Henry and Emma" (1709) in Persuasion (1818) to delineate Anne Elliot’s feelings about Louisa Musgrove and Wentworth" reflects the continuing popularity of "Henry and Emma" in the early nineteenth century.

[15] Female poets and authors of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries were particularly drawn to Prior's poetry, including Elizabeth Tollet, Anne Finch, Mary Masters, Jane Brereton and Hannah More.