New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-20
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
MEMOIR OF MARY =

The OF Mary CdTpenlcI IL OhOi4S"OU w
wide circle Of friends in England and in this coun-
trv with no less admiration for her personal char
meter than sympathy with her labors in the
cause of education and philanthropy. which
have given her so high place the roll OF conse-
Grated women like Elizabeth Fry and Florence
Nightingale. She was the daughter OF the new
Liant Carpenter, an eminent dissenting minister III
the West of England. and the sister OF DE- " iil'ain
Il. Carpenter. the distinguished phNs'oiogiS''
whose researches and discoveries hold con-
sn;cuons rank on the records of modern science.
Mary Carpenter was born at Exeter, April DE-
1907 the eldest child of a family OF SIX ana III
herlted the deeply religious nature when chai"c-
terized her ancestry on both Sides When sue was
ten years old the family removed to Brlstol' wheIc
tbe daily routine of life was far more exciting
than the quiet circle of duties ana interests no"
left behind. Her fathers activity led HIM into
vide-reachipg plans in which the daughter early
learned to svmpathize. His house was the centre
of a cultivated and scientific society," which eXerted
n mosr kindly and congenial influence on the open
ing mind of the young girl. She was soon quaHneo
TO take part in the private school CONQUERED oy e
father and became associated with him In the IN
struct,on of some of the classes under his charge
Her studies were carried much beyond the range at
that time usually open to giris, and lncluoe'
Latin. Greek. and mathematics, Win the eie-
meuts of physical science and natural his
tory Homer and Sophocles early inspired her
enthusiasm together with Shakespeare and Scout
md her acouaintauce with the mysteries OF the ar
punp and the geological cabinet variety TO her
teaching long after the opportunity for acquiring
new knowledge had passed away. In later life, IN
deed her interest in intellectual pursuits was ap-
sorbed i'm the abors of philanthropy, yet her capa-
city for the comprehension of principles Win
her exactness of detail in their development,
Indicated n high order of abilities. They found
their object it is true, under the blended ipluehce
of duty and affection, among the poor and outcast
of society but they first received their training on
the ground of literature and philosophy. deeply
interesting letter from the Rev. James Martineau
furnishes some striking recoections OF the school
davs when he and Mary Carpenter were fellow-pu-
pills under her fathers charge -
Il was not. | think till the second Of my Bristol
years that Mary Carpenter joined the older pupils
I'm certain special lessons. Successive courses or IN
strction were given geology. on natural philso-
nhv and chemistry with illustrative specimens,
diagrams and exper mentS; but intereStlng as they
were to u.s. recall nothing memorable with regard
TO her personal share III the WORK. Her Latin read
ing which seem to q socate most with the Agrlcola
of Tacitus was marked by the same CONSCIENTIOUS
care which she evinced III everything; securing ac-
curacy but escaping stiffness, unless, al the ap-
neal of some pathetic passage which SOltened more
Than the outer voice, 1t assumed Tor the moment a
higher character and admitted CLEAN OF poetic
oit liyelv immersion. because through some diff
ference of temperament was not III general much
moved by the things which most satisfied her taste
i'm literature poetry, and art SO that where real
chord of sympathy struck the tones have natur-
ally vibrated long.
Every Monday morning we had Greek Tesla
mont reading with DR.. Carpenter, intended not less
as n religions lesson than as an exercise in the
language and criticism OF Scripture; mat hour was
always one of deep interest, ana Ieft, am per
shaded lasting traces on the character OF many a
bow previously averse to serious thought. The, in
fuences of Sunday were still fresh. Upon tue dear
master they were visible in ceItan tonlng down
of his usual restless energy, and serenity and ten
Jerness of spirit which removed all fears ana All
reserves and often made the lesson an exchange OF
Condolences among MS all. To his daughter he was
prophet as well as parent, and her whole mood ana
femeanor reflected his. While translating her
verses with precision and prepared with answers to
questions of history and archaeology she uncon-
scionsy betrayed by voice. by eye, by the very
mode of holding her book, tnat she treaed the text
as sacred, and in following Its story telt touch
from winch divine virtue went out. The gospels
were certainly read with critical care and faithful
comparison; and If the hopelessness OF the harno-
nists problem was unfclt, and the PLAIN anachron-
isms of thought were unobserved, and It's hills and
valleys were leveed to one highway OF sanctity, IT
WIS because an absorbing veneraton for'the person
of Christ as supernatural filled the teacher whole
mind and excluded the finer perceptions OF the his
tor;cal sense and even obscuTed the gradations of
sniritual character suspect that this early set OF
her religious affections. carried out as ii was through
her whole inner and outer lie, rendered the newer
liohts of biblical criticism always unwelcome TO
Mary Carpenter, aud made her glad to seek her re-
forming Inspirations in purely practical Girectlons.
Similar in its nature aud influence was the sunday
lesson in which also, she was our companion. We
had not indeed, always the same subjects; at one
t;me paley's Natural Theology" at another his
"Evidences of Christianity formed our textbook.
But my most considerable memory is OF certain
Notes and Observations on the Gospels, winch
DR. Carpenter wrote for u.s. aud sent TO press as they
were produced. They remained fragment; but.
as far as they went, they supplied all that was
necessary render the studyof the Eyangecal ilis-
tory Ineligible and interesting. In this class too,
II was a matter of course that Mary's
answers were exact and complete, and rem
dered so less by superior intelligence than by
deeper interest being subsidiary TO pic
ture on which her inner eye was Teverenty
fixed The remainder Of the day was so distributed
s IN leave no room for lstless idleness and yet TO
infuse into it bright though serious repose; and
her profound entrance into its spirit manifest IN
certain air of Guickened yet calmer life, has left
with me an ndelible image still prominent among
the contents of those delightful days. Even her
figure in listening TO her fathers services at Lew
ms Mead Westinghouse. rises distinctly before me
as I write For. instead of having my place with
the other pupils in the long line OF the family pew,
usually sat with an aunt III seat at righf-angles
10 the other and with near front view OF IT, ana
ms now range III thought overlts series OF Fa'sncd
FORMS not one of them is clearer than that intent
vounc daughter lost to herself and all around ana
surrendered to the sweet pleties that lowed upon
that winning voice. And at The end OF the DAY,
when evening prayers and supper were over ana tie
lunoIs had gone to bed and the rest OF us fingered
for a precious half-hour of serious talk, she was
privileged to sit with her arm IN her father ssome-
times as silent listener at others helping us to
draw from him his thoughts on some problems that
perplexed u.s. or, III lighter moods, tempting INN to
fel the stories OF his college days. From these Sun
day evenings seemed to go to rest with better
ordered minds and warmer hearts.
Beneath all her outward gravity however, the
little damsel had strong sense of the humorous
which she never lost. and among her intimates was
often expressed in sallies of fun but the anxieie
of advancing years brought to a close the sportlve
ness of her childhood. In the Spring Of 1929 DR.
CARPENTER reinquished his school in order to devote
himself entirely to the ministry. and his daughters
decided TO open school for girls under the super
intendence of their mother. With the usua