Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Rundall, Mary Ann
RUNDALL, MARY ANN (d. 1839), educational writer, kept a school for young ladies at Bath known as the Percy House Seminary. Her sister, a teacher of dancing, married Robert William Elliston [q. v.] the actor. Miss Rundall's chief work was ‘Symbolic Illustrations of the History of England,’ a quarto volume with engravings of the symbols, published in 1815. It was dedicated to the Princess Elizabeth, and designed to instruct young persons in history by means of an absurd system of mnemonics, which was based on that of Gregor von Feinaigle [q. v.] The ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ praised the work, while the ‘Quarterly Review’ sneered at it. A second edition, abridged, and dedicated to her nephews and nieces, appeared in 1822. ‘Mrs. Rundall, late of Bath,’ died in Lower Bedford Place, London, on 2 Oct. 1839 (Gent. Mag. 1839, ii. 545). Other works by Miss Rundall are: 1. ‘An Easy Grammar of Sacred History,’ 1810. 2. ‘Sequel to the Grammar of Sacred History,’ 1824.
[Allibone's Dict. ii. 1890; Biogr. Dict. of Living Authors, 1816.]