The Dairyman's Daughter

The Dairyman's Daughter is an early 19th-century Christian religious booklet of 52 pages, which had a remarkably wide distribution and influence. It was a narrative of the religious experience of Elizabeth Wallbridge, who was the person after whom the book was named. Elizabeth Wallbridge Elizabeth Wallbridge, daughter of Joseph Wallbridge, was born, lived and died in the Parish of Arreton, Isle of Wight, England. Her parents were worthy, but lowly and poor, and their children put out to domestic service at an early age. The author of the narrative was Rev. Legh Richmond, a religious writer of the period, who was curate of the nearby Church of England parish of Brading. According to the account in the book, Miss Wallbridge's life until the age of 26 was of a most worldly character. Although never immoral, she was wilful, proud, selfish and irreligious. However, her life was transformed by a sermon and she became very devout. With exceptional strength of mind, a retentive memory, the mastery of a few religious classics and enforced leisure because of illness, she devoted time and strength to the study of the Bible, in which she became remarkably knowledgeable. Miss Wallbridge died after a lingering sickness of a year and a half, on 30 May 1801, at the age of 31. During her illness Richmond often visited her and talked with her, and these discussions inspired him to write the book. Religious meaning of the book Her spiritual experience, excepting its intensity, was very normal and free of excess. She said,