daily teachings, gradually received the grand truths of Redemption, and whose tranquil and happy death was the bright seal of his faith; in her flourishing Sunday School at Sandhurst; in the fund raised at her instance for the famishing Irish in St. Giles's; in the Episcopal Free Chapel built in the same wretched district, and of which she may with truth be said to have been the foundress! These all are enterprises holy, disinterested, laborious, neither conceived nor executed in a day; each and all aiming at the good of others, and springing from "a hope that maketh not ashamed!"

Of her own consistency—under the heavy pressure of penury, and the ceaseless struggle for the daily wants of life-two touching traits are recorded.

None can adequately estimate the sacrifice. involved, save those who know from experience the painful existence and the precarious gains which authorship brings to those who unhappily adopt it!

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When wholly dependent on her pen for the supply of her daily wants, two separate proposals were made to her, each of which might have shaken the consistency of a person of ordinary character. She had begun to write with the single view of bringing before the minds of her readers vitally religious truths; and this continued to be her main object, even after it had become necessary that she should turn her talents to a pecuniary account. tempting offer, however, was now submitted to her; to the effect, that she should become an anonymous contributor to a highly popular magazine; supplying tales or other light articles; the purport of which was to be as moral as she pleased, but there was to be no direct mention of religion. The terms offered were extremely liberal, and strict secresy being observed, the writer, it was urged, would escape the charge of inconsistency.

The proposal was, moreover, made when her regular source of income was suddenly closed, and when the idea of becoming burdensome to

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her generous brother was scarcely supportable. It was a temptation ! Charlotte Elizabeth, however, resisted it. She regarded herself as engaged to work in the Lord's vineyard, and although the conflict was severe, she declined, as she herself has recorded, to hire herself out to another master.

The other proposal involved a refusal even more painful.

She was asked, by an old and very kind friend, to recast for him a novel which he had written several years before, and which had been unsuccessful. Her share in the work was never to be known; as the book had been originally published in her friend's name, so it was to be now; and carte blanche as to terms was laid before her. On the former occasion, she had paused and deliberated: on this, she did neither. She at once, though, as she relates, with many bitter tears, wrote a faithful letter to the friend in question, setting forth, most unequivocally, the ground of her refusal, the responsibility attached to the possession of

talents, of whatever kind; and the evils attendant upon the reading of works such as that she was now requested to write; adding, moreover, a plain statement of those great Christian doctrines with which, as she had reason to believe, her friend was still unacquainted. Of that friend, who, as it was supposed, had intended to make her the heiress of a considerable portion of his wealth, she NEVER HEARD FURTHER TIDINGS. Her sole reward was the testimony of her conscience.

Peace to her memory!

Many are the valuable lessons which the record of her fearless and faithful course suggests. Among them, and not the least important, is that of the power wielded by a single true-hearted individual, whose energies are steadily directed to carry out some benevolent purpose, or to develope some holy principle.

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CHAP. VIII.

The Woman of Genius.

MADAME DE STAËL.

"He who has not been in contest with his fellowcreatures knows but half of the human heart."-DR. ADAM FERGUSSON TO SIR JOHN MCPHERSON.

MADAME DE STAËL was the only daughter of the French financier Necker, and Mademoiselle Churchod, celebrated as being the object of the first and only love of the historian Gibbon. Her birth took place in Paris, April 22nd, 1766. A taste for society and display evinced itself even in childhood. From her earliest years she took pleasure in the communication of ideas with intelligent men, and in sharing the sparkling wit which glittered around her. In girlhood the sensations of success in society, of praise and reputation, were familiar; what wonder, then, that they became almost neces