author
Harriet Myrtle
d. 1876
A Scottish writer who published as Harriet Myrtle, she created lively, moral tales for children in the Victorian era. Her stories often mix adventure, family feeling, and gentle lessons meant to entertain young readers while guiding them.
3 Audiobooks
The Goat and Her Kid
by Harriet Myrtle
Adventure of a Kite
by Harriet Myrtle
The Pleasures of the Country: Simple Stories for Young People
by Harriet Myrtle
About the author
Born Lydia Mackenzie Falconer Miller in Scotland, she wrote under the name Harriet Myrtle and became known for children's books in the mid-19th century. She was the wife of the Scottish writer and geologist Hugh Miller, and her work appeared during a period when family reading and improving literature for the young were especially popular.
Her books were mainly written for children and tended to combine storytelling with clear moral and religious themes. Titles associated with her include The Ocean Child and seasonal story collections for young readers, and contemporary reference works describe her as a prolific writer in this vein.
Although she is not as widely remembered today as some Victorian authors, her work offers a window into the tone and values of children's literature in that period: affectionate, instructive, and often adventurous in a quiet, domestic way. She died on March 11, 1876.