, 1860-08-25
Mrs, Ketub1e In the Atlantic Monthly
for September
rhis d;stinnnished lady in most interes!lng

This distinguished lady in most interesting
ruccr on Shakespeare, thus concludes her re-
marks:
The m. ninp Of this play {The Tempest)is is
cnr1actad viii, nv eur,iest recolIec'ions. In
lonk;ap down tie "dark backward and abysm |
Of time" to the period when was but six years
old nv memory cos jures up T1son o. state
" drawing room On the ground floor 81 mouse
doubtless long siuce swept ir9n the lace s o, .ns
aud s,rsets that has submerged every trace OF
suburban. beauty, pict0resqueness or rural
PIRACY in the neizhborhood OF Loneon, eon'
yertiue it bV all hideous process OF asslm'at'on
into nii,re London, till London seems a amos1
more than England cnn carry. !.
But ia those years. "long enough ago." to
which refer-somewhere between Lea and
Elackhcatb, stuod in the midst OF We!l.kePt
erounds a goodly mansion, which held thus
pIeasaut room. It was always light aud
Cheerful and warm, for The, three ~io-
duws down to the broad gravel-wa]k before
it iaeed sou,h; and thongh ihe lawn was dark
euet lust in front Of them b two magn'hce1t
yew trees, the atmosphere Of the room itself IN
its silent, sunny loftiuess, was at once gay anu
solemn 10 my smasl imagination and SENSES,
much rs the interior OF Saint reters o. home
llas been since to them: Wonderful. large
tall iars 0! cid China stood in each window,
ard my nose was just on level with the woe
ncckg. whence Issued the me!aowest shel ol
fragrant pot pourti 1uto this room, With its
great crimson curtains and deep crimson cay
Set. in wt. .ch my feet seemed TO be buried, Us
IN woodland uuss, used to be brought Tor
recompsnse Of having been very good" a1d
| thcrc used 10 find lively looking lady. who
wus to M the fitting divinity Of this shrine OF
pleasant awlulcess. she bore s.eet ita'ian
diu.inulivs for her Christian name; added 10 % one
| o! the n5btes. old dncai names OF enlce, WHICH
| va, tint Of her family.
Fave s,pce kuown that she wa5 attached TO
ills p~rson OF, mud warmly persopaily attached
ia lie unfortunate Caroline Of Brunswick,
Princess Of Wa;es--then only unfortunate;
| SO thA. / eau now guess ut ttle u:ll oi uaucu
sad aud passionate 1alk with indignant hFs
and trartul eyes, Of which the meau'ng was
then Of course incomprehensib!e to me, out
which Gun nuw partly interpret " tue sun,
svausnt history Of thal lll-used and ,ll"conaoceo
lady.
name wps like ooe OF Giorsione's picsures-.o
that soft and mellow colorlessness that 1ecal1E
) the poel's line:
. "E snar1iseel 1Ml volta In quel ca:ate
Che Luu }taiLczzl, ma clntorc"
or the EocEshman's version Of tue sam
thought:
"ucr face-o., cal Il fair. not pale"
It seemed 10 me, as remember It,, cream
d ! brown rocks, where the sun is shining. bu
II though the fair vsage Was li<e one oi the gfea
V.netiau masters portraits, her voice W.
purely Eoglish iow, distinct, tull, ard soft, an
10 ibis enc la1tipg voice she ustd TO tell me II
story OF The one large picture WHICH aoorhe
- the room.
Over and over again, at my irnportunate ! p
seeching, she told it, sometimes staudlpg be'ol
it, while held her hand and listened "'th "
turned face. and eyes rounding win pig tea
70 OF wonder and pity, to tale "hlen sneok =
su,sll seut win sadness aud strangeness =
IL. turuassiug tie interest of mg beloved TRACED
= The Babes in the Wood" d,"-though at this P
riod Of mr. existence it has Unopened TO me
IT. interrupt With frantic cries Of distress, q,
utterly refuse to hear, the end ct that lanen'
bic ballad. ...x,
70. sea. on which night seemed last settling 40. .
= heIm!egs. mastIesg, sniIltss bat x lay welsell
CT o;tllIy. sud in il sat man in ahe full ha"er
rtvorcus mathood. Ills attitude tEas ohe
ari- miserable detection. and oh, ho" ela iopg
~, remove the hand with which his eyes were q
lies s1ed to fce what manner Of look IN III
rim onsWered TO tho bitter SORROW which tue spec
- issx Ina exrl cssed! His other hal rested
The tair curs Of girl-babr OF thFee years {
who clung to his knee, md With wiae, "ono
ing b!ne eyes aad laaE9aoE nPs, 'oesen "1ndths ~
suid the sxeet voice ut my sidc, WAS the g
1. EEL: Ulxe IF Milan, Prospero-and tnat WAS n's
tic child, Miranda. s
IN: There wus something about The face and !,
uye Of tue Irospero tlAt suggested 70 me u
,res Of my father; and tins, petnape, ~
,ieI. di,trcss at1ected my childish imagination
John ,h. imn,ession made by the picture, >he st.
e@ aud ths plx 20 where heard The ore q and
the o,ler, is among the naest vls1d 1lla'
Az, | memory retains. And never, csen no",
1urn the mugic page that holds that matse!
, -, hi.,ory. without again see1ug the losely
lie uicture full OF sad dismay, and ny o%n
~ ycaf.old self lislening to that earliest ou