New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-11-07

TBB CHRISTIAN EXAMINER E0R EOVkNBfR James MA
The biographical aud critical sketch OF Miss
frances Power Cobbe which stands 81 the head Of this
amber VIII interest many readers who desire 20 know
81 distinguished English woman whose name has
hecOme familiar to them through her excellent writings.
Ehe history here given OF her Intellectual experience a.;
fcrds key 70 her literary productions and presents
striking instance Of sefnprovemen growing out OF the
eecere pursuit of truth IN spite OF formidable obstacles
from social posn0a and early culture. Misc CObbe
fitseended from ancient English family. and received
education which fashion prescribes for OF her
station life But she had scarcely arrived At OF
maturity when she swOke % the conviction OF her pro
found ignorance o. anything that could really Dc called
LBowledre snd folutey set herself 70 work TO make up
deficiency. she had been taught by her parents
moderate form o. evangelical Christianity Of the Church
ef England stamp, aud such thing dissent had
,ctD known ID her family The spirit OF free inquiry.
Aowever produced its usual fruits and ale became the
grey OF Doubt ana uncertainty AZ this stage OF her
mental progress she became scuantewith the wrtnss
NJ Theodore Parker. who, from that tine became her
Bsest cherished guide ia religions matters. though she
always person OF decided strength OF character
to yield implicitly the influence OF another mind Her
TIVE relation to Theodore Parker. whom siter in
tiase correspondence Of several years sh. met the
aist time, OF b: dcathbed, is vel described
Iss Cobbe - sometimes spoken n n she merely
= follower OF Theodore PaIkerS SOFT 81 spiritual valet
that heroin the sts % thought Bu' had this been
her relation 10 hlE, enc W0uld noi nave fnfTstu MN
would have been, as sAe has been bns ia tS gti
Of his interpreters For a. Hege has vel told "a i t
Sot the heTOs but the vts fault mat the fOAci does
tsO heroe 10 the latter II takes hero 90 conpre
bend hero. Miss Cobbe Is not = Tnero follower Of
Parker, bat contemporary growth aud for tiis worry
reason she has eomprehended bin 80 Wsll-Or rather
sppreheDded him. FOR who. as yet has cO1gehedsa ths
Areadth aud altitude % that great-heSrt6d Miss
toDbe became Tbelst before knowing any thing Of
PSrkers yioWsin faCf before they had beer definitely
shaped IN his own ind FcuT yeart % alternate skeptc
1n and violent returns ~ Christianity had left her tcF
by exhausted by the struggle, when, day IN Spring.
abe dre9u1ng her farO1te Shelley, cslne
into her 90 say ~ herself that though Fine ew nothing
s God or heaven. airy law beyond that o. heFoWn s
s6e would be true 90 thst-she would deserve hcI
esteem; and this resolution brought almost lDmcd@t!Y
by ite power a. II were, e5l Kind - faitl 10 Cod
sense that somehow sneh effort must he pleasing
20 her Creator who had gwen mat inner law. From that
L0nr she Thest though o. the fiWs, she felt her
ssf alone IN Ell the world bIt tetO De the SOLO
lVseesSOT Of glorious tbOdsnt aud Ehe went about
0ng the OCists % tho eighteenth sfDtusy-Iinoa)
Collins, SDbon, Hume NOtire writers With whom Dr.
Alner ~ ne recent Du against AL herstcs delights 20
aass the 1ete ~ todsy but OF cOuihe dscOY that
Dslsn and Tbesln tho very different tbugb; dir
1sftnt at loyelng down and dwelling up But ~ the
Lac OF baneo WhitsI she found spirit kindred With
hof OWE ana, best Of AL reediuR IN tho AthenWum"
Aeuquton ParkeT's "Diecourss" she sent for 10 AMI
reAo " with what Joy need not De told IL long
tsi tbet heT mothers death opened up 10 her la all lie
eeptn the question OF the future life and ehe 70
Ehfkef hkkng biin Why no beloved ia Immortality. His
oefSOh or tho Immortal iAfe which has been food TO
HAAT bVDEY '9ol WI w reply; written doubt