Page:Women worth emulating (1877) Internet Archive.djvu/131

Rh sisters, and greatly delighted in by them; but the higher gift of poetic feeling and perception of the beautiful in nature, in human life, and in art, was also theirs. Anne was the first that ventured into print; some stanzas in "The Minor^s Pocket Book " induced her to attempt something of the kind. A prize of six copies of the work was offered for some rhymed solutions of enigma or charade. She wrote what was required, under the name of "Juvenilia," and had the joy—a secret pleasure then—to find she was successful. To this little work she continued to contribute for some years, afterwards became its editor, and only gave it up on her marriage.

Children's books were then very rare, and very poorly executed. Dr. Watts seemed to have no successor in teaching great truths in simple language to the young. Messrs. Darton and Harvey were then the publishers of children's books, and the writings of "Juvenilia," and afterwards of the same contributor under the name of "Clara," attracted their attention. Some plates for their juvenile works were executed by the sisters Anne and Jane, and an oSer was made them, in 1800, to exercise their talents in writing for the young.

Never were youthful aspirants more fitted for the sweet and important work of giving instruction to the opening mind. They had feeling, fancy, tenderness, piety; and thus the joint work began, which, as "Original Poems for Infant Minds," was to enjoy such a well-deserved popularity, and to remain