New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-05
MRS. GROTE.
CHARLES TENSYsoS turner.


No sooner was Mrs Grotc married than she set to
work induStriously to improve her mlnd. SIC teiiS
us herself i'm the Life" of her husband Mrs. !"
(rotc was hahtually studious. after her fashion,
under tie direction OF her husband VINO laid great
stress upon her cuitvatng the ratloncinatlN" vein
of instructiOu-abOVc all. logic. metaphysics, ana
notitics. and she accordingly strO,e 10 master
these subjects. out OF dcieTence To ms WISH an" III
order To- qualify herself 20 be associated VIII MS
intellectual tastes and labOrs as time wore on.
There is an old story of Lord MOnbodd0 NpresS-
inc deep rcgIet To Mis-. GarTlck tlat hanndh Moir
had refused to marry NM IoI SNo'i Ina nav G ~
n better fortune and no doubt proved an. excellent
preceptor 1T Is certain that 10 was al ms VIE
suggestion that. later on, lac uhderIooN ih' W. W.
tory of Greece" She one daY sald 10 nm lou
ar, always studying the ancient authors whenever
YOU have n moments leisure. Now here would De
a line subject for you to neat suppose you 'rF
She was a very practical woman, knowing how
ever ythng should he done from the dafhihg oI .
sock 10 the building of "a house; ana Lazy East
I,kc tells how when anyone wished to borrow a
book from her she wouid reply " J ii tfoubI0 you
fo sovereign" and the sovereign was kept TIL the
book was returned. Then she was mastcitni
woman who knew her own mind. ana what she
liked, and how to get it,: without beng by any
means IA perfect woman. she was no douot
EObly planuef
To warm 10 c1Dlori aHd command
though the capacity for warning and commanding
would be more ap aren't on tht shriaso IMAM inl VI
COMFORTING. Still she = trac friend ana maze
fr1c friends was there a flavor Oi patronlNug IN
her treatment OF some pcOpe,-lt mIgai Wen De
forgiven Tor the sake ~ the EpOd anu Hoh'ot pun
nos9 which Law beneath it. She was jenny Lind $
earliest friend ana she never tired Of being Of ser
vice to those who Interested her. On the other
hand she was not part ou9dy tolerant ot uhin-
tfresting people, and they had some excuse Tor
looking upon her IN urg1ccful and Hasru Ilhc
woman sydney Smith seems 90 have been fond ~
a Joke at her expense. ON one occasion when MRS.
GTotr appeared at IN evening party IN tuIbah ne
whspcrc, 30 q friend. rs hc pointed on ~" hrau,
dress. "rhcrt you see the origin OF the word
grotcsqUc.'' ,, .,.i
Mrs (rotes letters were very shrcwd and sensl-
HE INT certainly not brilliant. and her only IN
,ortaut book The Life OF George irotc. is 'aS mas
been sai.N singular and eccentric rather than Wen
written Mrs GTotes reputation really rests or her
conversation, and that III the very nature OF Things
is the least enduring foundation ior any reputation
She vas a bright, clever woman OF tie WoIid,
with few prejudiceS. somewhat audd IouS' OK
trcmely we'll read and gifted with perfect % M,
0ry. She was excellent IA the give and take OF
conversations and If she said iew memorable things
she SAID much that throw strong or humorous
color on the matter which at the moment was
discussed. But conversation VIII not bear repr@t-
iug and surh conversation as ArS. bioi'a vas
csgeciaily dependent on the tone, the gesiur ana
the readiness Of retort. AS ycais passed on her
qualities became more widely recognized. aui ID
was a. pry .ge TO be- numb red among her Irchds.