18 Facts About Ouida

Maria Louise Rame, going by the name Marie Louise de la Ramee and known by the pseudonym Ouida, was an English novelist.

Ouida wrote more than 40 novels, as well as short stories, children's books and essays.

Ouida's mother, Susan Sutton, was a wine merchant's daughter; her father was from France.

Ouida derived her pen name from her own childish pronunciation of her given name "Louise".

Ouida ran up huge hotel and florists' bills of up to 200 pounds per week and commanded soirees that included soldiers, politicians, literary lights, and artists.

For many years Ouida lived in London, but in about 1871 she moved to Italy.

Ouida lived in Bagni di Lucca for a period, where there is a commemorative plaque on an outside wall.

Ouida was inspired by Byron in particular, and was interested in other artists of all kinds.

Ouida was an animal lover and rescuer, and at times owned as many as thirty dogs.

Ouida continued to live in Italy until her death on 25 January 1908, at 70 Via Zanardelli, Viareggio, of pneumonia.

Ouida is buried in the English Cemetery in Bagni di Lucca, Italy.

Ouida was an advocate of animal rights and a staunch anti-vivisectionist.

Ouida authored The New Priesthood: A Protest Against Vivisection, in 1897.

Ouida authored articles denouncing animal experimentation in The Gentleman's Magazine and The Fortnightly Review.

Ouida won the court challenge and persuaded his publisher Ricordi to bid for the story.

Ouida's friends have erected this fountain in the place of her birth.

Fellow author "Rita" Humphreys wrote a eulogy to Ouida and sent it to the press soon after her death.

Ouida made up for it later by purchasing every book written by Ouida and keeping them in her library for the rest of her life.