The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-04-07

first heats aud experiments. She had
outward calmness and dignity. She
had come TO the ambition TO be filed |
with all nobleness.
HER FRIENDS.
OF the friends who surrounded her at |
that period, it is neither easy to speak,
nor not TO speak. A life of Margaret is
impossible without them, she mixed her.
self so inextricably with her company;
and when this little book was first pro-
jecled, it was proposed 10 entltle il
" Margaret and her Friends" the sub
ject persisting TO offer itself in the plu-
raj number. But, on trial, that form
proved impossible, and it only remained
that the narrative, like a Greek tragedy,
should suppose the chorus always on the
stage. sympathizing and sympalhizcd
with by the queen Of the scene.
Yet / remember these persons as
fair, commanding troop, every one of
them adorned by some spIendor OF beau.
ty, Of grace, of talent, or Of character,
and comprising in their band persons
who have since disclosed sterling worth
aud elevated aims in the conduct of life.
She wore this circle Of friends, when
| first knew her, as necklace Of dia,
monds abou. her neck. They were so
much 10 each other that Margaret seem
ed TO represent them all, and, to know
her, was TO acquire place with them.
The condolences given her we're their
best, and she held them to them. She
was an active, inspiring companion aud
correspondent, and all the art, the
thought, and the nobleness in New Eng
land, seemed, at that moment, related to
her and she to it. She vas everywhere
welcome guest. The houses Of her
friends in town and country were open
to her, every hospitable attention eager
ly offered Her arrival was a holiday,
and so vas her abode. She stayed Ii
few days, often week, more seldom a
month, and all tasks that could be sus-
pended were put aside 10 catch the fa-
vorabe hour, in walking, riding, or
boating, to talk with this joyful guest,
who brought wit, anecdotes, ,love-stories,
tragedies, oracles with her, aud, with
her broad web OF relations TO so many
fine friends, seemed like the queen of
some parliament OF love, who carried
The kew to all condolences, aud to whom
every question had been finally referred.
Persons were her game. especially #
marked by fortune or character or sues
cess TO such was she sent. She ad-
dressed them with hardihood-a almost
naughty assurance-queen-like. ln-
deed, they fell in her way,where the ac-
cess might have seemed difficult, by
wonderful casualties; and the inveteraie
recluse, the coyest maid, the wayward-
est poet, made no resistance, hut yield-
ed at discretion, as if they had beer
waiting for her, all doors to this imre.
rious dame. She dlsarmed the suspi,
cion of recluse scholars by the absence
Of boohshness. The case with which
she entered into conversation made then
forget all they had heard Of her ; ant
she was infinitely less inter estcd in lii e
rature than in life. They saw she valu
ed earnest persons, and Dante ,Petrarch
and Goethe, because they thought a:
: she did, and gratitied her with high por
' traits, wlch she was everywhere seeking
: She drew her companions 10 surprising
: confessions. She was the wedding. guest
d to whom the long-pent story must b
E told aud they were not loss struck, oil
S reflection, at the suddenness of tn
e friendship which had established, in on
day, new and permanent covenants
= She extored the secret of life, whic
, cannot be told without setting hear
!, and mind in glow; aud thus had th
n best oiihose she saw. Whatever romance
Il whatever virtue, whatever impressive eS
d perience-lhis came To her and sh
e lived in a superior circle for they sup
:. pressed ali their commonplace in he
e presence.
l. She was perfectly true TO this conf
ence. She never conlounded relation
d but kept hundred fine threads in h,
s hand, without crossing or enlangin
=, any. An entire intimacy, which seen
= ed TO make both sharers Of the who
d horizon Of each others and Of all iruil
/ did not vet make her false 10 any otht
= friend gave no title TO the history tha
, an equal trust cf another friend had ~
Il in her keeping. In this reiicence WI
:. no prudery and no effort. For so ric
p her mind, that she never was temple
q to lreachery, by the desire Of enler.ai,
4 ing. The day was never long enoug
d TO exhaust her opulen, memory aud
a who knew her intimately for ten yea
4 from July, 1886, ill August, iS4'
when she sailed for Europe-never sa