Very high in the circles of taste and elegance, stood the female who is
next commemorated. Herself possessed of no inconsiderable portion of
talents of various kinds, she had the happy knack of bringing together,
on a very pleasant footing, the most distinguished literary characters.
At the house of Mrs. J. H. there were found once in every week, elegant
individuals of both sexes, whose acquaintance was generally cultivated
for their abilities, their knowledge, or their taste.
Horace Walpole, Chief Baron Macdonald, and his very accomplished wife,
Lady Louisa, Mrs. Montague, Mrs. Carter, Lady Henries, Joanna Baillie,
Sir Charles Blagden, Mr. Matthias, Dr. P. Russel, the Lady’s husband,
the eminent J. H⸺ her brother, the no less eminent E. H. with a long
catalogue of other names of greater or less celebrity.
They were for the most part conversation parties, though music was
occasionally introduced. The Lady Hostess possessed an excellent taste
for poetry, and at a certain period after the death of her husband,
published a very elegant octavo volume of her compositions. Of these,
many had been set to music, and became exceedingly popular; one in
particular, the “Song of the Dying Indian Chief,” was universally and
deservedly esteemed.
The society above alluded to, as has been slightly observed before, was
by certain sapient folks, treated with ridicule, and denominated a Blue
Stocking Club. It had nevertheless a very beneficial tendency. It was an
excellent school for good manners. It gave a pleasing and a useful bias
to the minds of young people, and of females in particular; encouraging
them, by seeing the deference paid to accomplished minds, to cultivate
their own. The conversation, though easy and unaffected, was always
of an instructive kind; and it was impossible to leave the meeting,
without gaining either knowledge, or at least a direction where farther
information on matters of science, might be obtained. The merits of new
books were discussed, the pursuits and designs of authors, literary
undertakings proposed; nor on the other hand, did there appear any thing
in the conduct or constitution of these meetings, to require or deserve
ridicule—very far the contrary.
The Lady President was lovely in her person, of the most captivating
manners, and on all occasions exhibited a salutary exemplar for the study
and imitation of the young people about her.
It is neither to be wondered, considering the spirit of the man, nor much
to be lamented, that she was not left in a state of affluence by her
husband; since the nation, by purchasing the truly curious and valuable
museum, collected by Mr. H. and arranged scientifically by him, with the
assistance of his brother-in-law, Mr. H. at the same time secured her
honourable independence, and provided for the public, an admirable school
of natural history and comparative anatomy.
We are fast approaching at length to the limits we had prescribed to
ourselves, for the discussion of these sketches of female biography. Not
that our catalogue is by any means exhausted—very far otherwise. In the
course of a protracted literary life, it appears from our notes, that
there were not many females who, by general consent, claimed and were
allowed ascendancy and distinction, on account of their talents, to whose
society, our Sexagenarian had not access. Indeed, the manuscript from
which these Memorials are derived, contain a number of anecdotes, the
communication of which would probably afford as much amusement as any
which may have preceded. But there is still such abundance of materials
before us, that compression seems beginning to be necessary. We shall
therefore close this head with a brief description of a Lady, who may
rank with the proudest and the highest, in the scale of intellectual
endowments; who has also afforded no unavailing assistance in works
requiring great and various erudition, sound judgment, and much critical
acuteness.
Though educated in the principles of Dissenters, she was in the early
part of her life engaged to be married to a clergyman, who was preceptor
to one of the branches of the Royal Family. He unfortunately died,
and she afterwards united herself to a Dignitary of the Church, whose
learning, abilities, and virtues, have since deservedly obtained for him
a seat upon the Episcopal Bench.
She was ever and invariably distinguished for the assiduous cultivation
of her mind, her extensive and various knowledge, and indeed for her
general love of literature; but she was more particularly remarkable for
her fondness of theological studies, in which she became an extraordinary
proficient. Indeed it has often been asserted, (nor has the assertion
ever been from authority contradicted) that a popular work on Prophecy
was very materially indebted, not merely to this Lady’s suggestions and
assistance, but that no inconsiderable portion of it was actually written
by her pen.
That she has composed many other things, there can be no doubt; and that
they are alike distinguished by extensive information, judgment, and
acuteness, must be equally certain. But this is not her only praise.
In the higher and more important offices of private life, she has done
honour to an elevated station, and effectually and usefully fulfilled
every duty in the circle of female obligation.
Principibus placuisse viris non ultima laus est.