been. She had all the qualifications for journalism, promptness, decision, and a capacity for grasping and condensing facts. She thought clearly, she wrote clearly, she spoke clearly. In 1851, being asked to write stories for Household Words, she refused to do so, from sheer inability to write fiction well; she proposed instead to try her hand at describing some of the Birmingham manufactures. Here again her peculiar happiness in the choice of titles was seen. The paper on electro-plating was called "Magic Troughs at Birmingham"-the papier-mâché works "Flower Shows at a Birmingham Hothouse "-the flour-mills "The Miller and his Men "-Coventry ribbons "Rainbow-making"-the slate works at Valentia, "Hope with a Slate Anchor." These articles were all reprinted. Her contributions to the Westminster Review brought on an intimacy with George Eliot, who, in one of her letters, says: "Miss Martineau is the only Englishwoman that possesses thoroughly the art of writing." In October of the same year (1852) George Eliot paid a visit to the Knoll, and says: Miss Martineau was at the gate with a beaming face to welcome me. She is charming in her own house, quite handsome from her animation and intelligence. She came behind me, put her hands round me, and kissed me on the forehead, telling me she was so glad she had got me here."

แ

Another of her visitors was James Payn, the novelist, then a very young man, who came to see her with an introduction from Miss Mitford. In his Literary Recollections he describes her as a "lady of middle age, with a smile on her kindly face, and her trumpet at her ear." The acquaintance ripened into intimacy, and when he settled at Ambleside, a year afterwards, he went in and out of the Knoll as he pleased. Though she says in her Autobiography that, with the exception of Mrs. Marsh's Two Old Men's Tales, she never once succeeded in getting a manuscript published for anybody, Mr. Payn believes that he owes his appearance in the Westminster Review (an article on Ballads for the People)

VERDICT OF POSTERITY.

95

to her influence. "I wish," she writes to him, "I could have done a twentieth part of the good I wish you." He tells a story of how she used her ear-trumpet as a weapon of defence against a bull in a field.

One satirical philosopher said she had no need for eartrumpets, she talked so much herself. "Does she mean to say that she ever wore one ear-trumpet out in all her life in listening to what anybody had to say?"

In 1854 she had repeated attacks of illness, but during a stay at Upper Norwood she wrote frequent articles for the Westminster Review, and gave herself little rest. She had constant sinking fits, and thought she might die in the night, so she sent for her executor, made her will, and prepared to die. "I find death in prospect," she said, "the simplest thing in the world." To her it was nothing but extinction. Then she wrote her autobiography, and waited for death ; but it did not come for twenty years. Her busy life still went on. She wrote leaders for the Daily News, and a Guide to the English Lakes, she worked cushions in Berlin wool, and entertained numerous visitors. She died in the summer sunset of her Ambleside home on the 27th of June, 1876.

Her biographer, Mrs. Chapman, has done her best to make her ridiculous; she compares her to Joan of Arc, to Debcrah, who sat under a palm-tree for forty years judging Israel; and informs us that her initials, H. M., stood with the Abolitionist party for Her Majesty! Harriet Martineau was, in fact, a woman with a strong mind, a vigorous brain, great personal influence, and much nobility of character. The great popularity she enjoyed during her life will not follow her. Her Political Economy Tales are quite forgotten, her History of the Peace is seldom read; no one looks at the H. M. Letters. When we think of her it is well to forget the disciple of Mr. Atkinson; she is best remembered as the useful practical writer, full of shrewd common sense, and as the author of Deerbrook, The Crofton Boys, and Settlers at Home.

V.

LETITIA ELIZABETH LANDON

(MRS. MACLEAN).

1802-1838.

Birth at Hans Place-The laurel-tree-Trevor Park-Affection for her nurse-At Old Brompton-The poetess of love-Death of her father -Miss Spence's literary réunions—The Improvisatrice—Cruel attacks -The Troubadour - The Golden Violet-Romance and RealityFrancesca Carran-Rupture of her engagement with Mr. ForsterMarriage with Mr. Maclean-Tragic death at Cape Coast Castle.

HERE was once a magic in the three initials "L. E.

TH

L." which we of the present day can hardly understand. The melancholy, melodious poetry which belonged to those initials set young people weeping, and made the old feel young again. Since that time poetesses have become as plenty as blackberries, but none have ever sung with that peculiar sweetness and plaintive grace which belongs to L. E. L. alone. She was welcomed at first with a burst of praise; by contemporary critics she was even compared to Shakespeare, and her poems had a circulation only equalled by that of Lalla Rookh. When the news of her tragic end arrived, there was a nine days' wonder, then came speculations as to who would now fill the pages of the Literary Gazette and the New Monthly, who would edit Fisher's Drawing-room Scrap-book and supply a new volume to Longman's list. In a few years the authoress,