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Jane Marcet nee Haldimand (1769-1858) was a writer of introductory science books. In 1799 she married Alexander Marcet, a Swiss exile and physician, she settled in London where, through her husband, she had contact with many leading scientists. After helping to proof-read one of her husband's books, she decided to write her own, and produced expository books on chemistry, botany, religion and economics under the general title Conversations. The first of these was eventually published as Conversations on Natural Philosophy in 1819. Her Conversations on Chemistry was published anonymously in 1805, and became her most popular and famous work. She summarised and popularised the work of Humphrey Davy, whose lectures she attended. It was one of the first elementary science textbooks, going through sixteen editions in England and was an early inspiration to a young Michael Faraday. She also popularised the classical economics of Adam Smith and, particularly, David Ricardo. Her other works include: Conversations on Political Economy (1816), Conversations on Vegetable Physiology (1829), Essays (1831), Conversations on Government (1836), Conversations on the History of England (1842) and Conversations on Language (1844).

Bright, humorous and engaging, Marcet's best-selling 1805 book was designed to introduce women to scientific ideas.

Jane Marcet is not writing for the working classes, but for women and men of the educated classes of the nineteenth century. She draws her principles and materials from the writings of the great masters who have written about political economy, particularly Adam Smith, Th omas Robert Malthus, Jean-Baptise Say, Jean Charles LÚonard de Sismondi, and David Ricardo. Marcet consolidates the ideas of bankers as well as professional political economists. She makes their ideas accessible, not only to the young people she identifi es as her audience in the book's preface, but also to the middle classes--political actors and business people. She challenges the English classical school to take seriously the ideas of continental economists by inserting those ideas into a popular book. Marcet maintains distance from some of the central tenets of classical economics, but engages in conversation with its masters. Sometimes she accepts criticism of their ideas, but at other times she keeps her own counsel. The ideas of the masters will be immediately identifi able to those for whom political economy is not new, although a few of their more abstruse questions and controversies have been omitted. When the soundness of a doctrine appears well established, Marcet presents it conscientiously. Evelyn L. Forget's well written introduction describes the life and background of the author as well as the book's history, bringing this timeless classic into the twenty- first century. Jane Marcet (1769-1858) was born in London and educated at home in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy. She married Alexander Marcet and came in contact with numerous professional scientists. She went on to write books in an astonishing range of areas including chemistry, botany, economics, and religion. Evelyn L. Forget is professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba. Some of her books include Social Economics of Jean-Baptiste Say and Reflections on the Classical Canon in Economics. She is also the editor of the Journal of the History of Economic Thought.

Jane Marcet nee Haldimand (1769-1858) was a writer of introductory science books. In 1799 she married Alexander Marcet, a Swiss exile and physician, she settled in London where, through her husband, she had contact with many leading scientists. After helping to proof-read one of her husband's books, she decided to write her own, and produced expository books on chemistry, botany, religion and economics under the general title Conversations. The first of these was eventually published as Conversations on Natural Philosophy in 1819. Her Conversations on Chemistry was published anonymously in 1805, and became her most popular and famous work. Summarising and popularising the work of Humphrey Davy, whose lectures she attended, it was one of the first elementary science textbooks, going through sixteen editions in England and was an early inspiration to a young Michael Faraday. She also popularised the classical economics of Adam Smith and, particularly, David Ricardo. Her other works include: Conversations on Political Economy (1816), Conversations on Vegetable Physiology (1829), Essays (1831), Conversations on Government (1836), Conversations on the History of England (1842) and Conversations on Language (1844).

Jane Marcet is not writing for the working classes, but for women and men of the educated classes of the nineteenth century. She draws her principles and materials from the writings of the great masters who have written about political economy, particularly Adam Smith, Th omas Robert Malthus, Jean-Baptise Say, Jean Charles LÚonard de Sismondi, and David Ricardo. Marcet consolidates the ideas of bankers as well as professional political economists. She makes their ideas accessible, not only to the young people she identifi es as her audience in the book's preface, but also to the middle classes--political actors and business people. She challenges the English classical school to take seriously the ideas of continental economists by inserting those ideas into a popular book. Marcet maintains distance from some of the central tenets of classical economics, but engages in conversation with its masters. Sometimes she accepts criticism of their ideas, but at other times she keeps her own counsel. The ideas of the masters will be immediately identifi able to those for whom political economy is not new, although a few of their more abstruse questions and controversies have been omitted. When the soundness of a doctrine appears well established, Marcet presents it conscientiously. Evelyn L. Forget's well written introduction describes the life and background of the author as well as the book's history, bringing this timeless classic into the twenty- first century. Jane Marcet (1769-1858) was born in London and educated at home in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy. She married Alexander Marcet and came in contact with numerous professional scientists. She went on to write books in an astonishing range of areas including chemistry, botany, economics, and religion. Evelyn L. Forget is professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba. Some of her books include Social Economics of Jean-Baptiste Say and Reflections on the Classical Canon in Economics. She is also the editor of the Journal of the History of Economic Thought.