Familiar Letters Between a Mother and Her Daughter at School

Boston: Published and sold by James Loring. Very Good+. 1827. First American Edition. Hardcover. 114 & [2] pages; Original publisher's binding: boards, with the front board printed with a duplicate of the title page, green calf spine, "paneled" with pairs of gilt rules, title lettered in gilt directly in the second panel. Wood-engraved frontispiece plate signed by "H" [= Alonzo Hartwell]. First published at London by Taylor and Hessey in 1817 under the title: "Correspondence between a mother and her daughter at school." First American edition. OCLC Number: 191257598 (12 locations); Shoemaker 30762; Stewart, C.D. 'Taylors of Ongar' A20j. "Mrs. Taylor" (1757-1830) was the wife of Isaac Taylor of Ongar, an engraver and later a dissenting minister. Together, Ann and Isaac Taylor were the progenators of an extensive literary family, of which the best known member today is probably their daughter Jane, who wrote the words for the song "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." Jane, her older sister Ann, their mother Ann, and the Taylor family lived at Shilling Grange in Shilling Street Lavenham Suffolk in a house which still stands. Later (1796 -1810) the Taylors lived in Colchester, Essex, and then Ongar. Jane and Ann were mostly responsible for "Original Poems for Infant Minds by several young persons" (i.e. Ann and Jane Taylor and others); first issued in two volumes in 1804 and 1805. Rhymes for the Nursery followed in 1806, and Hymns for Infant Minds in 1808. Jane Taylor died of breast cancer at the age of 40, her mind still "teeming with unfulfilled projects." Jane's death generated early posthumous eulogies, including one which is very nearly a hagiography by her brother Isaac, and much of Ann's work came to be ascribed to Jane. Ann ruefully remarked of this fact that thus losing credit to her sister, she could ill afford and "which Jane certainly did not require." Ann and Jane's brothers, Isaac and Jefferys, also wrote; Isaac the younger was a theologian, but also the inventor of a patent beer tap. The elder brother Charles Taylor edited 'The Literary Panorama,' and younger brother Josiah was a publisher, chiefly of works on architecture and design. All the writing Taylors of Ongar were active in 1817 when "Correspondence between a mother and her daughter..." appeared in London, and with the repetition of names, some confusion may result. It is worth stating clearly that this work is definately written by Ann, the mother -- Mrs. (Ann Martin) Taylor (1757–1830), who wrote seven works of moral and religious advice, which were in many respects liberal for their time. The binding of this nicely preserved copy of the Boston 1827 edition matches the American Antiquarian Society "Copy A" - with green leather spine. (AAS copy "B" has a black leather spine and has its frontispiece sewn to the flyleaf). With the pencil signature of "Linda Halsted" at the head of the front cover. Some rubbing, toning and very minor stains to the covers, and significant foxing and toning to the leaves, with one pair of leaves near the center of the volume displaying a large, but not particularly intense stain (from a spill?) .