Sarah Trimmer (1741–1810)

English authoress, born at Ipswich, on the 6th of January 1741. Her father was Joshua Kirby, a man of intelligence and piety, who in 1755 removed to London, where he became a tutor of the Prince of Wales (George III.). Here his daughter met Dr. Johnson, with whom she speedily became a favorite. In 1759 her father was appointed clerk of the works at Kew Palace, and here she became acquainted with Mr. Trimmer (1738–92), whom she married in 1762. It was not until 1780 that she came before the world as an authoress, by the publication of her Easy Introduction to the Knowledge of Nature, the first of nearly thirty volumes for the young, which, though now forgotten, with the exception of The History of the Robins, were excellently adapted for their purpose. She died on the 15th of December 1810. Her Life and Writings were published in 1814.