She was born in London in 1781, and was the daughter of Joseph and Anna Savory. To an active and vigorous understanding she united a strength of will which would brook little control, together with much energy and fearlessness; and the propensity to follow the vain inclinations of the unregenerate heart displayed itself in an indulgence in much that was inimical to the restraints of Christian principle. Her disposition was generous; all her emotions were ardent, and were seldom subjected to the discipline of a corrected judgment. There were, however, various occasions, even in her very early years, when, through the visitations of heavenly love, her mind was forcibly aroused to a conviction of the need of redeeming grace. She was particularly impressed by the preaching and influence of William Savery, whose home in London was at her father's house. In some memoranda of this period, she remarks, "Frequently in the meetings appointed by him, I was greatly wrought upon by his living ministry;" and notwithstanding that she subsequently wandered far from the way of peace, there is good ground to believe that the remembrance of those truths which had penetrated her heart through the instrumentality of this gospel messenger, was never altogether effaced. Being naturally endowed with a lively imagination and a taste for literature, she sought to suppress the upbraidings of conscience in intellectual pursuits, and employed much time in the composition of verses that were merely a transcript of visionary and romantic ideas, afterwards published under the title of "Poetical Tales." This volume obtained but a limited circulation; for, soon after it had issued from the press, the conviction that it had been an unhallowed and unprofitable exercise of her understanding was so impressed upon her spirit, that, although the sacrifice was considerable, she caused all the unsold copies to be destroyed. It is interesting to observe how, in later years, this talent for metrical rhythm, which had been so misapplied, became consecrated, as were all her faculties, to the promotion of piety and virtue.