As she grew older, her health recovered and she pursued her own education, reading widely and enthusiastically.
She soon devoted herself to nursing her mother and family and a young maid servant Elizabeth Haws.
When Elizabeth died, Mary wrote her first poem, The Effusions of the Heart which her father offered to publish.
However, Mary modestly refused and only allowed publication when she herself again fell ill and believed herself near to death.
"[1] — besides translations from Arnaud Berquin (The Looking-glass for the Mind, Or, Intellectual Mirror: Being an Elegant Collection of the Most Delightful Little Stories and Interesting Tales)[2] and others, and some minor pieces.