, 1874-02-01
LITERATURE.

PERSONAL REcoLLEcT1oSs OF MARY soMER-
VILE. By Her Daughter, MARGARET so2Eas1ILs-
Boston Roberts Brothers.
This book has Ill the charm Of IN autobi-
oernphy. for her daughter has drawn so deeply
from the diary and correspondence Of her
mother that Mrs. somerville is made to tell her
own life. It is hard to associate such perfect
simplicity Of character with woman OF such
rrand achievements and wonderful learning.
Her early life was passed at B-unt'sland,
then q quiet seaport town. on the coast Of
Fife, just opposite Edinburgh. Her mother ~as
oblired to live here in great seclusion, from mo-
tires OF economy, during the absence OF her nus
hand. Sir William Fairfax, who WAS at that time
in the navy, and who afterwards became Admiral
Fairfax. OF the life at BruntlsIand extracts
from tho journal OF Mrs. somers1llo give Us a
most charming account,-not only OF her youth.
but of tho quaint old town and its ideas and GUS
toms. She says:
Tho nauaers End custonns Of the people who inhah-
tied this pretty spot Ut tia: time ~eEe exceedingly
ri upon the death Of any Of the townspeople, man
went about ringing bell 1t the doors ot the friends
and uf tho person Just dead, and After
calling ont .oyez!" three times, be announced Tie
Icath which hid occurred. This was still called by
thc name Of the Psssnc- Bell which, in Catholic times,
invited the prayers Of the living for tho spirit just
IRyO
nv yuun0 daya When very poor couple were going
70 be arried tho best man, and even the bridegroom
himself went from house to house, ASKING 1or small
SUMS to enable them to have weddins-supler, and
my the tovn-hddler fora dance. ANY one was ad-
Icensed begssra called gsherunzie-mcn,"
.tilt Common. lucy wore blus coat, with 1 badge
and wandered about the country, kncx MI that
going on saa we're wscr. s~aIs the eaao
wifo liked to have crack gossip with the bnc-coat
and return for his news. gave lin dinner OF cohee
might be- Eilo 0c.s:tree Is perfect spse'men N @ o.
rar ol yet higher antiquity II man were CRIPPLE
and poor, his relations put him in AandbarrovT and
wheeled him to their nett nciChbors door, and left
rc,sencal hammock and then wheeled him TO the next
door anil in ths way, going from house to house, lie
Nv mother taught me to read the Bble and to say
my rrayern. morning and evening; otherwise she a.
lowed to grew Up Wd II a nss "nen r
fed the poultry, and looked after The dairy: for We
to lam ths catccbisn Il tho Kirk Of scotland and
to attend the public examinations III tho Klrk.
This was peveEe trial to me; ior' oss!uss neang
t;u,I1 ann shy had bad memory, and did not un-
,erssnl one word CT the cateehisu. These inea:iugs
which began with prayer, wcro attended by All the
rh;ldrcn Of the town and neiHhborhooa, with tAelr
mothers aud great many old women who c4ino to bo
edited, They wero acute race, and could quote
cha,ser and vtrso Of Scripture ss accurately ~ the
minister himself remember he said to one OF them:
I,crce what UgEted the world before the sun was
maGeT" After thinking minute, eho SAD: ueea,
sir. the question il mair curious than edtstng."
apout ttis time her father returned from one
of his voyages, and uas shocked ut the state OF
ignorance III which he found her, aud sho was
sent of to boarding-school ut Musaelburgh,
whero she passed one vretched. homesack, tear
full year "Upon my arrival" she says, "al-
though perfectly straight aud Weu-made, was
iuclosvd in still stays with steel busk in front,
while, above my frock, bands drew my shoulders
back till the shou1der-blades met. Then
stoel rod. with semi-circle which went under
the chin, was clasped to the steel busk in my
stays" In this dreadful rig her education be-
gan, Probably it was only the intense desire
for knowledge, then dormant, which kept her
from hating everything connected with books +;
indeed, for time something qucnched oil desire
to study, and, at the end Of the year, she ~as
taken home almost rs ignorant as when she
won't. According to her own story, ''the school
at Mussc1ourgh WAS very expensive, and was ro-
proached with having cost 30 much money IN vain
h1y mother said slo would have been content
cd if hal only learned to Urlso well and Keep
accounts, which WAS all woman was expected
to know" So much for the carly childhood of
Mrs SomerEi]le. =,
When she Tas 13, her mother took small
apartment in Edinburgh, and there sno again At
tended school for short time. This tune she
mastered writing and learned the common rules
of arithmetic and she a1so commenced learning
to -play the piano, afterwards becoming skilod
musician. She says:
On returning to Brundsland, spent four or nve
hours daily at piano; and for the sake Of having
sI,ch books a. We had, to read Caesars "Commena-
riesn went that snioHer on visit to my nun: at
Jedburg,, and fr the nrat time In ny he, met IN
my uncle, Dr. son,eryille friend who approved Of
my thirst for kuow1cjge. During long walks with nun
| in the early mornings he WIS 60 KIND that 1aa
tho courage 70 te nm 1at y .a 9ao n ,f ysea my
brother and othcr boys, superior to mo IN acnt anu
with every assistance spent years IN lesrnine lie
many women-somc Of them Of the highest rank in
Enganl-had been very elegant scholars, and tnat he
would read Virgil with me If would como 20 na stnay
for hour or two every morning oc1oks ofaaA13s'
| which Gladly did.
| From this time on she never failed to avail
herself OF a,y opportunity to study or gain IS.
| sistancc from those who wsrs better aoocotoo
than herself
When young lady in Edinburgh, she led
quite gay life in the best society there though
never becoming 30 absorbed in it Is to give up
her studios, music or painting. In 1904, when
abe was 2l years old, she married distant cous-
in, Mr. Samuel Greig, who died thIee years
after. ais wife returned to Bruitisland with he1
two little boys. where sho remained until her
second marriage, fve years later, to Dr.
Somerville, her cousin. Her first mar
riago was not particularly happy ono:
~ Mr. Grelg shared the prevailing .projudlces OF
the times in regard to the advanced education OF
| women. But her second marriage seems to have
| been the perfect one. She and DR.. Somervlle
were devotedly attached to each other, having
| similar tastca, and he was ever ready to assist
her in every why. Each fresh achievement OF
hers seemed to give him moro pleasure than
it did her, aud no sign Of jealousy on bis part
| at her great fame and many triumphs ever ap-
pcared to mar the harmony OF their lives: For
| the Rev. Dr. Somerville, her uncle and father.
in-law, she always felt the deepest affection and
gratitude, for to him she owed tho 1rat words Of
| announcement she ever received.
| Dr. Somervillo died in France, June 2G. 1e6o.
| Mrs Somerrille bccoming second time
| widow, and living abroad With her daughter
until her death, which occurred Nov. 20, 1872, ut
| Naples. y,
| One Of the most interesting features OF the
book il the sprightly recollec.ions she has left
Of the people she met at different timcs and,
as they are OF people known to the world, it is
doub1y interesting to read her opinion OF them.
! OF Cuyier, vhom ahe met one evening IN far1s,
GLe says:
| Cuyier had . remarkable eountenance,-not hand
come, but a4.reeabe,-anl his manner was pleasing
aud modest, aud ha conversation very iustrnctin
Madame do stael, having died lately, was muca hi'
t1sscd She WpE much proised for her goou-Q