LEVY

levy, amy (1861-1889), english poetess and novelist, second daughter of lewis levy, was born at clapham on the 10th of november 1861, and was educated at newnham college, cambridge. she showed a precocious aptitude for writing verse of exceptional merit, and in 1884 she published a volume of poems, _a minor poet and other verse_, some of the pieces in which had already been printed at cambridge with the title _xantippe and other poems_. the high level of this first publication was maintained in _a london plane tree and other poems_, a collection of lyrics published in 1889, in which the prevailing pessimism of the writer's temperament was conspicuous. she had already in 1888 tried her hand at prose fiction in _the romance of a shop_, which was followed by _reuben sachs_, a powerful novel. she committed suicide on the 10th of september 1889.