Mary Diana Dods

Walter Sholto Douglas (1790–1830), born under the name Mary Diana Dods, was a Scottish writer of books, stories and other works. Despite being assigned a female identity, Douglas lived as a man in his private, public, and work life. Most of his works appeared under the pseudonym David Lyndsay. His name may have been partly inspired by his grandfather's name, Sholto Douglas, 15th Earl of Morton. He was a close friend and confidant of Mary Shelley, and the husband of Isabella Robinson. In 1980, scholar Betty T. Bennett began research that would result in sensationally outing Douglas, connecting his deadname with his writing pseudonym, making the false assertion of Walter being a mentally ill abusive cis woman seizing opportunities otherwise unavailable to him by presenting as a man.

Early life

Apparently illegitimate children of George Douglas, the 16th Earl of Morton, Douglas and his older sister Georgiana were raised at two residences – Dalmahoy House, the seat of his father's Scottish estate, and another in London.

Education

The success of works published under his pseudonym of David Lyndsay suggests that Douglas had received a substantial education. Education for women was better in Scotland than in England in the 19th century, but still paltry. At most, women learned basic etiquette and household upkeep from hired governesses. Douglas' education is attributed to the Scottish parish-school system. Unlike Edinburgh University, parish schools educated both sexes. Another theory is that his father was wealthy enough to provide additional domestic tutors. Another supporting detail in Bennett's research is a letter from Lyndsay to his publisher claiming an education under the "best Masters".