Stories Before 1850. 0129: Anon., History of Mary Ann
| Author: |
Anon. |
| Title: |
History of Mary Ann |
| Cat. Number: |
0129 |
| Date: |
No date (but c.1845?) |
| 1st Edition: |
|
| Pub. Place: |
Unknown |
| Publisher: |
Bishop and Co. |
| Price: |
Unknown |
| Pages: |
1 vol., 7pp. |
| Size: |
13 x 9.5 cm |
| Illustrations: |
Title-page vignette plus six further wood-cuts |
| Note: |
|
Images of all pages of this book
Introductory essay
The story here is so concise that it seems almost a precis in itself. Mary Ann was born in London of poor parents. Her father having died, she and her mother and brother were plunged into poverty. Mary's brother was sent to sea, and Mary herself went into service. Through good behaviour she became a favourite of her mistress and was taken on a trip to the south of France. There she by chance met her brother wandering on the shore, for he had been ship-wrecked. Her mistress dying, Mary was left £100 per year, with which she and her brother and mother lived happily back in London. The moral is that patience in misfortune will overcome all obstacles.
Simply judging from appearances a date of c.1845 seems about right for the book. The wood-cuts seem a little earlier in style, but were quite possibly reused from a previous publication. They are certainly only very distantly related to the text.
