Mary Diana Dods

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Mary Diana Dods

3 Published BooksMary Diana Dods

Mary Diana Dods (1790–1830) was a Scottish writer of books, stories and other works who adopted a male identity. Most of her works appeared under the pseudonym David Lyndsay. In private life she used the name Walter Sholto Douglas. This may have been partly inspired by her grandfather's name, Sholto Douglas, 15th Earl of Morton. She was a close friend and confidante of Mary Shelley, and lived a portion of her life as the husband of Isabella Robinson. In 1980, scholar Betty T. Bennett sensationally revealed that Dods performed both male identities for various literary and personal reasons.