Personal Recollections near the close of 1840, when fifty years of age.
She continued her active Christian beneficence, and the brilliant and
unceasing labors of her pen, in editing the Protestant Magazine, and
other writing for the press, until the very close of life. "Immediately
after breakfast," says a brief sketch of her remaining years, "she went
to her desk, locking the door to exclude interruptions; and when her pen
was laid aside, her garden afforded ever new delight; and with her,
gardening was no light occupation. She smiled at lady gardeners who only
enjoyed the labors of others. From the moment the gravel-walks and beds
were formed, all was the work of her own hands; and the most laborious
operations were to her refreshment and enjoyment. Each plant, each bed
was familiar to her. She knew their history, their vicissitudes, and the
growth and expansion of each became a source of lively and never-failing
interest. The emotions produced in her mind by the brilliant tints of
flowers, can only be compared to those of music to others, and this love
of color was regulated by the most delicate sense of harmony in their
disposition and arrangement. The writer wears at this moment a small
diamond ring, which she kept in her desk, and would place on her finger
only when engaged in writing; the occasional flashing of the brilliants
as the light fell upon them, producing most pleasurable sensations in
her mind, and greatly assisting the flow of her thoughts and
imagination. Her countenance, at such moments, would light up with
animation, and if an inquiring glance were turned to her, she would
smile, and add, 'Oh, it was only the diamonds.'
"Often would she lay down her pen in the midst of some work requiring
the whole energy of her mind, and much concentration of thought, and go
to her garden for half an hour; and while apparently wholly absorbed in
pruning or transplanting, she was really engaged in her work; and the
apparent loss of time was amply repaid by the rapidity with which she
wrote out the ideas conceived and matured during this healthful
recreation. A word, however, spoken to her at such times, would have
caused a most painful interruption in the current of her thoughts--she
compared the effect to a stone thrown into a quiet running brook--and
would utterly disable her from writing during the rest of the day, a
circumstance not easy to impress on the minds of servants. Even those
who would most carefully refrain from addressing her when they knew she
was actually writing, could hardly understand that like care was needful
when she was thus employed over her flowers.
"All communication was held with her by means of the finger alphabet,
but so quick was her appreciation of what was thus said, and so easy was
it for those about her to acquire great rapidity in this art, that her
total deafness was hardly felt to be an inconvenience; sermons,
speeches, conversations even of the most voluble speakers, were conveyed
to her with the greatest ease, and with hardly the omission of the
smallest word."
In 1841 she married Mr. L.H.J. Tonna, who held an office in London under
the British government, and who prepared the sketch from which the above
passage is quoted. Having in 1836 removed from Edmonton, (page 242,) she
resided at Blackheath till 1845, when she removed to London. About the
end of 1844, she found that a small swelling near her left shoulder was
indeed a cancer, which would doubtless terminate life; but she continued
her literary labors till a vary short time before her death, which was
one of peace and humble trust in her Redeemer, and occurred at Ramsgate
on the sea-side. The following epitaph, dictated by herself, is
inscribed on her tombstone:
HERE
LIE THE MORTAL REMAINS
OF
CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH,
THE
BELOVED WIFE
OF
LEWIS HYPOLYTUS JOSEPH TONNA,
WHO
DIED ON THE 12TH OF JULY,
MDCCCXLVI,
LOOKING UNTO JESUS.
End of Project Gutenberg's Personal Recollections, by Charlotte Elizabeth