Spence was born in
Dunkeld in 1768 and after being orphaned she went to live with an aunt and uncle in London, but they also died and she had to quickly turn her hobby of writing into a means of income. Her uncle was
James Fordyce, who was the author of
Sermons to Young Women, and her work was said to reflect this moral approach. She initially wrote sentimental fiction but then turned her attention to travel writing. Her approach was to travel during summer composing letters and anecdotes about her travels which she then later edited into a book. She is sometimes noted because she sent notes to other women writers of the time. Spence died in
Chelsea in 1832 of a stroke. ==Works==