New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-14
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
EAMONS WOVEN.

nh;lan,hron,c cnthu.iasm than the life of Elizabeth
Fry presents. We apt to conceive OF the
feminine philanthropist as Mrs. Jellaby who
negects her immediate duties in order to minister
10 some distant object of sympathy. But Mrs. Fry
was no such sclf-decciVed creature. Her character
was beautifully rounded and complete. and If she
had not won fame through her public bcneiactions
she would have been no less esteemed and romcm-
bcrtd by all who knew her because of her domestic
virtues. her sweet womanly charms, and the Wis
dom, purity and love which marked her conduct
rs wife, mother and friend She came OF that
sound old Quaker stock which has bred 80
many eminent and women. She was
the great granddaughter of Robert Barclay the
author of the famous APOLOGY for the People
called Quakcrs" Born at Norwich, IN circle
noted for its intellectual vIgor, she had the
inestimable advantage of early communion win
elevated minds. But she herself possessed sollu
understanding and an Independence well htted 10
sustain her in the high resolves she subsequently
adopted She had the healthy natural inclinationS
of bright young girl for pleasure and her parents
who were not of the straiteSt sect wisely per-
mtted her to see something of the world and IT'S
amusementS She went about and enjoyed herself
for n time but through all she seems 10 have felt
that some serious occupations were reserved Tor
her, and when presently religious convictions came
home To her, she cheer fully resigned her innocent
recreations, and accepted the life Of self
sacrifice and earnest work to which she was
destined.
Yet even at this stage of her career the oppor-
tunity was seemingly given her to secure uninter-
rupted ease and comfort and to abandon, with
good excuse the higher impulses that pressed upon
her She married a wealthy man. A family prang
mn at her knee In caring for her husband and chill
dren. in ordering her household affairs IN playing
Lady Bountful to her many dependents, an ordln-
sry woman might we'll have thought her duties
fulfilled Not so Elizabeth Fry. The time came
when her homo functions could no longer satisfy
the warnings of a heart filled with the tenderest
pity for all who suffered, and her work was not far
to seek. The prisons of England nav. of all En-
rope, were at that time In "A deplorabe condition..
Newgate was a sink Of denominations. The law was
brutally stupldly merciless. Capital punishment
was aduiged for some forty -fve offences. The
gallows of course did check crime. but it gave
the keynote to the penal administration, which was
horribly inhuman.'n Newgate dirt, disease starva-
ton depravity drunkenness and general squalor
and righteousness prevailed. The prisoners lived
much as the denizens Of the lowest tenement
houses live to-day. They were expected to iced
themselves. and if they could not they were in no
little danger of starving. In the female wards a
perfect pandemonium reigned The most aban-
doned creatures and the least depraved, were flung
together there. The worst of them were worse than
the men The best of them were in way 10 sink
rapidly to the bottom. All who surveyed the stu
alton regarded it as hopeless; all but Mrs. Fry.
She saw here the opening she had been awaiting,
and though naturally sensitive averse from public
ttv disoosed to shrink as all pure, refined women
must from contact with degradation in
members of their own sisterhood. she did not hesI-
tate To do her duty. Into this seethlng mass of
pbsceuity bl9sphemv and moral and material
filth she bravely entered. Bible in hand, and love
md pity in her eyes and upon her lips She was a
very sweet-faced woman. and when that serene.
modest face appeared in the prison, set of and
emphasized by the quaint simplicity OF the Quaker
garb the attention even OF tho worst characters
there was attracted. She spoke TO them, and thoy
listened. From the beginning they seem to have
felt no doubt az to her sincerity, her truo symra-
thy and her earncstness. In a short time she had
established a wonderful Influence over these poor
creatures They obeyed her instructions meekly
They brought her their packs of paving cards TO
burn They stopped swearing aud drinking and
fighting They became clearly in their persons
They eagerly accepted the employment she pro
vided foI them.
Then when she had shown that these despiscd
prisoners could no humauzed, she turned to the an
thorites and instructed them In the performance oi
their duties 10 their credit be it sand that in most
cases they thankfully received her practical sug-
gestionS And so through the courageous persist
ence, philanthropy and elevatng Influence OF one
woman. a movement was set On foot which from
that day to this has never ceased, which. eXpani-
Ing ~ IL proceeded, has issued In q science OF
penoogy which has evolved In every civilized
country special societies devoted to the amcora
ton of penal conditions. winch has fairly eN-
trpated the old cynical brutality, and has
got In its place refined humanity which
IN ~, latest expression aims not alone at tho uii-
ization of the prison life for reformltory purposes.
but seek, also 10 restore the nlrGed offender TO
honorable place In the ranks Of society. Before
her II is true, was Howard. But while all honor
must be paid that noble aud ecf-sacriicinR worker
in the cause of humanity tho trnth IS that he was
90 far IN advance of his generation that when Mrs
Fry cane on the stage his labors had already al
most ceased 10 bear fruit, and the work had to DO
done over again.
How our heroine extended her nnStrations. not
only over her own country. but into tho dismal
prisons of the Continent; how she was belncndcd
and encouraged by royalty; how she was enabled
to smooth the paths of the poor wretches whose
doom it was TO suffer transportation to the antIp-
odes; how when past middle age misfortunes de-
prved her of her material possessions, and death
struck down her beloved chdron after
the other. bot neither poverty nor bereave-
nent could force her from her work of
mercy how at length after presenting the most
pathetic and moving spectacle to her triends-that.
namely, of an afflicted and sorely tined
Christian--b.nding hnmbly beneath the rod
she at length passed her rest full of years cares
and Inconsistency be learned from Mrs Pltmans
monograph
The story might have been better told but 1t
could not have been rendered uninteresing by
less experienced biogrspher. 1t Is not life Of ex
element of adventure OF powerful situations. But
il is n life which shows what good woman ac-
complIsh with sngleness of purpose persever-