Jean Marishall facts for kids

Jean Marishall (also known as Jane Marshall) was a Scottish writer who lived and worked around the years 1765 to 1788. She was a talented novelist, meaning she wrote stories, and a dramatist, which means she wrote plays.

Jean Marishall worked for a famous publisher named John Newbery. He was known for publishing books especially for young people, which shows that Marishall's writing was considered suitable and interesting for a younger audience even back then! When she wrote her novels, she was inspired by the style of another well-known writer, Samuel Richardson.

Jean Marishall's Books and Plays

Jean Marishall wrote several interesting works during her career. Here are some of her most notable creations:

Novels and Stories

• The History of Miss Clarinda Cathcart and Miss Fanny Kenton: This was one of her first novels, published in October 1765. It was a special type of story called an epistolary novel, which means the entire story is told through letters written by the characters. It was quite popular, with new editions coming out in 1760 and 1767.
• The History of Alicia Montagu: Published in 1767, this story was also written by Jean Marishall, as it said "by the Author of Clarinda Cathcart." It was a longer work, published in two parts.

Plays and Other Works

• Sir Harry Gaylove, or Comedy in Embryo: This was a play Marishall wrote, published in 1772 in Edinburgh. It was a comedy, meant to make people laugh. Other writers helped with the play, including Thomas Blacklock who wrote the opening speech (called a prologue) and Hugh Downman who wrote the closing speech (called an epilogue). Marishall herself wrote a special introduction (a preface) for the play.
• A Series of Letters for the Improvement of Youth: In 1788, Marishall published this collection of letters. It was designed to help young people learn and grow, showing her continued interest in writing for a younger audience.