New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-12

finances became disorcred again. and she appealed
| to her trustee 10 help her pay her debts. Two
hundred pounds would make her easy for tho time,
and she entreatcd that they might be sent to her
forthwith She promised to resume her labors. even
il sbe mad 10 to neglect her father in the matter
| of reading 10 him cit has been all my fault
now and if that fault be visited upon my fathers
white head and he be sent to jail for my omissions,
Ishould certainly not long remain TO grieye over my
sin for such il is" The money was sent,
| NJ course and equally of course, was
| spent upon Dr. Milford. "On myself l spend
none. That's all can do. I have not bought
bonnet, a cloak, hardly a pair of gloves. for four
wears but / dare not touch my fathers comforts,
and therefore have gone on as usual with all that
concerns him. in hopes that my little property may
last while he needs it, This was in January 1912.
A month later she wrote to her trustee again for
sufficient money set herself clear with the world,
and a few pounds besides To start with. Her
father was moro exactng than ever, his eyeslght
having failed him so much that he could no longer
read the leading articles IN the newspapers
| " Accordingly, / have not only every day gone
| through the daily paper. debates and all, when
forms a sort of necessity 10 one who has 40 long
taken an interest IN everything that passes, but
after that have read to him from dark till bedtime
and then have often generally sat at his bedside
answering letters as he slept expecting the terrible
attacks of cramp, three or four of night. during
which he gets ont OF bed TO walk the
room. unable TO get in again without my
assistance have been left time for composition
neither time nor heart-so that we have spent
money without earning any, Money was sent her
again and again she essayed to write, but could not
except to her.correspOndents, whom she never Tor
got however severe her Affections " may truly
saw" she confessed TO Miss Barrett, that ever since
] was a young girl have never, although Tor many
years living apparently in alucncc, been without
pecunary carea care that pressed upon my thoughts
the last thing night, and woke me in the morning
with dreary, heavy of pain and pressure OF
something which weighed me To the earth-whlch
/ would fain cast Off but could not. Oh, my dear
friend, be sure that poverty is indeed most real
and clingng evil"
Six days later the life long causc Of this most real
and clingng evil" was considcrate enough to die;
:. very foolish, fond old man, f0ur score and up
ward ,.!!fS" 90
" am so sure OF his happiness, Miss Milford wrote
70 Miss Barrett. and added with feminine want Of
logic, 80 would You be if you could see him." " If
ever spirit were in heaven" she resumed, four days
later, ''htrc through the mercy of God, and the
atoncment of the Savior, is he-whose faith and
trust were in that mercy and that atoncment-
whose last moments were peaee-whose every
thought was of kindness TO man and trust III
heavenly mercy through the mediation OF the Re
deemerD Not being able 10 fatter ourselves even
into the fancied possession of sufficient Christian
charity to Judge DIR. Milford Justly, we shall say
no about him. either as regards his conduct IN
this world of which we know something. or as re-
CARDS his prospects in the next world, of which we
can know nothing. Nor shall we attempt to moral
i've upon the life of Miss Milford, which, on the
whole is of the saddest the world has ever been
made acquainted with. Vdie George Milford, most
sefinduleent OF fathers; Are Mary Russell Milford,
most self-sacrifcng of daughters
The activity of Miss Mitford's life may be said to
have ceased at her fathers death; for, though she
fingered twelve or thirteen years afterward. she
wrote nothing tf may trust her biographerl, ex-
cept the little novel of Atherton," which cost her
an infinite deal of labor She resided at Three mile
Cross until the latter part of 1850, when she removed
to Swallowield Her last days comparatively
easy, thanks to the subscription which her friends
had raised for her years before, and To their
thoughtful and continual kindness. She amused
herself of old. by writing letters to her CORE
spOndents, and was tlet bope amused by their
letters, and by the stream of visitors which poured
in upon her rural retreat, among whom were most
literary and cultivated Americans ut that time IN
England. She died the 10th of January. 1857 just
after completing her sIxty-egh year. and so peace
fully that her friend. Lady Russell, who had been
with her the whole day. and holding her hand,
hardly knew which moment was her last. " And as
she lay in her coffin, the features of the face, unds
turbed by any trace of the cares the vcisstudes the
exertions, the illness she had undeTgone--st bear
ing their resemblance to the miniature that was
painted of her in childhood-were Oyerspread by IN
expression of intense repose, and peace and charity,
such as no living face had ever known
For the /" Life from which we have CLEANED these
facts-teray CLEANED them, since they are scattered
at random through tive have not left ourselves
room TO speak as we could WISH either in the way of
praise or blame. IL is i'll put together, being meager
in many particuars-often most meager where 1t
should have been most full-while in the matter of
photography it leaves much TO be desired; yet, in
spite of these defects, II is thoroughly interesting
Its charm and ts value lie IN tho letters OF Miss
Milford. which extend over the greater part of her
long life, and embrace . variety of topics, OF which
Literature in ITS broadcast is the most prOmi
nent They always readable and intelligent,
generally inst and tolerant, frequently acute and.
no matter under what circumstances they were
written. hearty cheerful, brave. They show the
natural excellence of Miss Abtfords mind the
soundness of her culture, and-we must not forget
this-tbe limitation of her powers For just what
they arc-the frank outspoken opinions of we'll
educated English woman, conversant with other
hteratures and perfectly practiced i'll her own-they
rank among the best of She time. the best of them
being worthy of place beside the letters of Cowper
and SOutbey.
BOOKS OF THE WEEK
PrrS,rpIFs SYSTEM op PHILOSOPHY. by Aus
tin Berbowcr. limo. pp. 240 Carlton y Lanahan.
PERSONA. BEAUTY: How 10 Cultivate and Preserve
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