The Portland daily press., 1877-03-24
Recent Publications.

most entertaining and really remarkable auto
biography OF Miss Martineau, which she, al
ways methodical and unwilling to let fall upon
others work which herself might do. had care
fully prepared, leaving literally almost nothing
but the hour OF her death to be filled in. That
she so early, when q mere child, indeed, pro-
posed to write her own life, was in some re
spects as unfortunate for her as In some very
fortunate for the world, since it must have
tended to that morbid state of self inspection
and criticism which, for instance, led her TO
rank her infirmities of faith above the facts and
consciousness of more healthy organizations.
Her childhood was singulary nervous and
uncomfortable period, upon which she looked
back as upon bad morning dream. Her fist
real delight seems to have been the birth of a
little sister; and that largely in the hope of an
afforded chance "to watch" as she then ex-
pressed it, "the growth of mind from the very
beginning, herself little moreithau baby at
the time. Full OF fears of everything and
everybody, she would fly paAting lest wild
beast should pursue her, and dreaded at the top
of the stairs that she might never get to the
foot; in fact went through all the tormepts that
could well wait ou a childhood depressed by
nature and by unfavoring circumstances. OF
youth she declares she had none. Her young
womanhood, already passing under the shadow
of her infirm.ty of deafness, of necessity
somewhat cut off from those Influences of
genial intercourse of which she needed to garner
every ray. Three senses were in fact more or
less closed avenues-the hearing, the smell and
the taste; and, by some nervousness apparently,
the sight also liable to be curiously affected
so that at one time she found herself unable to
see the ocean that lay close beneath-at another
the comet that famed overhead. Much pity
must be felt for all these trials, which she bore
with full understanding how great they were.
Failing to find that affectionate sympathy for
which she longed she set herself with a sort of
hard heroism to her fate, working her way by
strength of will, from childhood of misty
superstitions out through moral code into
brief sunshine of faith, where her restless
mind refused to stay long in peace.
With the period of her youth the saddest
phase of her life passes; as her literary career
then opens wide before her, with ever-increas-
ing press OF labors in whose ful6llment she
found the great happiness of her existence.
Her first enterprise of Importance was the sim
plifying the principles of political economy in
series of stories for the use of the people; and
perhaps by these she has been most generally
known at home and abroad. She tells, with a
natural pride. OF the pleasure the young Vic
toria had in reading these tales, and which
among them was her favorite. These tracts
were translated into other languages, and their
success was no less a surprise to herself than
10 thara 1rau NJ, Fouk r.
the aid of her pen in different kindred depart
ments.
Her working powers developed in marvel
lous degree, and-in tconnection with literary
and political pursuits-friendships and &C
quaintances were formed with nearly all prouai
nent characters of the time in England. Here
the autobiography affordsI perhaps its greatest
pleasure to the reader, whether it details Miss
Martineau's successes and enthusiasm in her
work; or calls up some of Sydney Smiths droll-
cries; or Rogers sharp thrusts; the sensitive
ness of Lord Brougham; the attractions of one
poet; the sad failures of another; the under
hand dealing of this politician; the good faith
of that statesman; or the charge of vanity
which she brings at full length against men in
general. Especially lively is the view given of
the coronation, with the side glimpse at her In
dignation, never to be gotten over, that she was
deprived of the front seat intended for her.
Macaulay, the Hallams-Lord Lyell and Lady
Lyell Ito whose womanhood she pays an exquI-
site trbute)-Miss Akin, Mrs. Barbauld, Lord
Jeffrey, Whewell, of whom Sydney Smith said
Science is his strong point; omniscience is his
foible;" Mines, Bulwer, Leigh Hunt, Mrs.
Somprvilln (arlu1a ha
seen with the scrutiny Of fearless and keen, If
not always reliable, vision. This gallery of
sketches, filled in after the American tour, with
many strong-lined portrait of the notables OF
our own land, is of great interest; the reader
not too much in sympathy perhaps with the
author often to forego the privilege of retaining
the convictions previously formed.
The visit of Miss MaItineau to the United
States happened at the time of the early anti
slavery agitation. She gave herself up, head
and heart, to the abolition cause, running per-
sonal risks. aud making enemies and friends;
passing unhesitating judgments upon msn and
measures with the same self-assurance as ct
home. Later We find this entry in her diary,
everybody coming round to me on American
affairs" This pivoting herself as the centre of
movement seems to have been, like whswelPs
'omniscence," foible.
The chapter entitled 'Life Sorrow will
hardly secure to Miss Martineau from tho. cog
infant of the facts in their full bearing, the
sympathy it would bespeak. Her religious
faith suffered, as did her body, from an ILL
nursed childhood. She could deplore its effects
in the one case, but not recognize them in tha
other. She constantly receded deeper into her
self for help, persistent to find in her own in
tellect her guiding force. Unless proved by
her reason-whose province she should have
known was to approVe-she would not re-
ceve Revelation. She studied and translated
Comte and classed the Christian religlen as one
of the mythologies. Her chief charge against
it apparently being that its God was made in
the likeness of man, was as curious an inver-
sion of ideas as if she had protested against q
planet in the heaven being created by its re-
Election in the stream of water. Indeed her
mental vision showed at times the peculiarity
which she noted in her physical, when sha
avowed herself unable to see the ocean at her
feet. She neither had nor wished for a faith
in future life. In short she held what has
been called ''the shortest creed"-nothing but
what can be understood. In this connection
came about the Life Sorrow in the estrange.
ment from her brother, the Rev. James Mar
tineau, upon the publishing of these views in
the Atkinson Letters
An American clergyman, on being asked
recently. show do you suppose shall feel
when de9' replied ~ suppose you will feel
surprise that you have not died." This sur
prise Miss Florence Nightingale evidentl FORE
saw for her friend Miss Martineau, after whose
death she wrote show great will be her sur
prise! a glorious surprse!" Perhaps with hard
ly change. beyond transposition of the terms
''man' and woman, a more complete judg-
ment could hardly be passed upon Miss Mar
tineau than that which she passed upon Bull
wer-"he seems to me to be woman Of genius
enclosed by misadventure in a mans form. Ie
the life of bis affections had been natural and
fortunate one; and if which would have been the
consequence he had not plunged over head
and ears in the metaphysics of morals, L believe
he wouldkhave made himself a name which
might have lasted as long as our literature"
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