Sketch by Josiah Miller

THIS authoress was the daughter of the Rev. William Steele, a Baptist minister at Broughton, in Hampshire. The Steeles were for several generations possessed of good talents and means, which they devoted unreservedly to the cause of Christ. Anne was a member of the Christian Church under her father's care, and a person eminent for her piety and useful Christian activity. She was the authoress of 'Poems on Subjects chiefly Devotional,' in three volumes (1780), with the signature 'Theodosia,' and of a version of the Psalms. Her hymns are free from defects, except one, the use of class religious terms, which have a charm to those familiar with them, and who belong to the favoured class, but have an unpleasant technical character to the ordinary reader who judges by the best standards. For example, the words 'dear' and 'dearest' are used till they seem weak, and weary the reader. But Miss Steele's hymns have a wide and deserved reputation for their Scriptural teaching, their pious spirit, and as the happy expression of a suffering but patient Christian life.

Miss Steele was a great sufferer. A few hours before the time of her wedding, the object of her affections was drowned while bathing. Owing to an accident in childhood, she was always an invalid, and often confined to her chamber; and she never recovered the shock of her father's death, on September 10, 1769. But she bore all with resignation, and before her peaceful departure, uttered the triumphant words, 'I know that my Redeemer liveth.' She died in 1778, at the age of 61.

Mr. Daniel Sedgwick has published (1863) her collected poetical works, entitled, 'Hymns, Psalms, and Poems, by Anne Steele, with Memoir, by John Sheppard;' it includes 144 hymns on various subjects, 34 of the principal of David's Psalms in verse, and about 50 poems on moral subjects. One piece, on the death of the Rev. James Hervey, 'O Hervey! honoured name, forgive the tear,' is said to be the original of the epitaph, 'Forgive, blest shade,' &c. The profits of Miss Steele's works were devoted by her to charitable objects. Her poems were reprinted in America in 1808, in two volumes.