Anna Barbauld's books for children were a revolution in their time: for the first time the needs of children were properly considered with a clean, clear layout on the page and good sized type. Her Lessons for children, first published in 1778, also established the dialogue-style of writing which would remain popular for half a century. Barbauld's simple texts, grounded in the home life of the child, were graded in a series of sequels which extended her texts for older children.

This copy is inscribed 'A M Simpson from dear Papa September 1846'. Alfred Muller Simpson was born in 1843, and the Simpson family arrived in South Australia in 1849.