Taylor, Jane

Taylor, Jane daughter of the Rev. Isaac Taylor of Ongcar, and as a writer for youth the worthy rival of Mrs. Barbauld, was born Sept. 23,1783, in London, where her father then resided in the practice of his profession as an artist. Even from her third and fourth year, in connection with her sister Anne, who was two years older, she is said to have composed little tales and songs, which they would sing together; and Jane especially seemed to live in a fairy-land of her own imagination. Her father removed to Colchester in 1796. There Jane, in her fifteenth year, gave decided indications of personal piety. She was also one of a select society of young friends for the reading of original essays and the promotion of intellectual improvement. A visit to London in 1802 first brought her before the public. Her first contribution, The Beggar's Boy, appeared in the Minoo's Pocket-book for 1804. It was followed not long after by the two volumes of Original Poems for Infant Minds, Rhymes for the Nursery, etc., the joint production of Jane and her sisters, which quickly gained the favor of the public, were reprinted ill America, and translated into German. Few books have been found more agreeable to children, or more useful in the business of early education. In 1809 she contributed to The Associate Minstrels, and soon after engaged with her sisters in the more difficult task of composing Hymns for Children. This volume must be pronounced equal, if not superior, both in merit and popularity, to Dr. Watts's Divine Songs. Its success called forth a second volume adapted for Sunday- schools, the contents of which have been incorporated with almost every subsequent collection for that purpose, and are now continually sung by millions of infant voices in different parts of the world. In 1814 she published Display, and in 1816 her Essays in Rhyme on Morals and Manners, which gained her a large increase of well-merited reputation. Her Contributions of Q. Q. to the Youth's Magazine were among her last and best literary efforts. They have since been republished in two vols. 12mo. She died at Ongar, April 13, 1824, confiding, calm, and happy in the Lord. See Memoirs and Remains, by her brother.