Introduction. 5 



changing effects of light and shade on her favourite 

 Roman Campagna, or gazed, enchanted, on the gorgeous 

 sunsets on the bay of Naples, as she witnessed them from 

 her much-loved Sorrento, where she passed the last 

 summers of her life. All things fair were a joy to her 

 the flowers we brought her from our rambles, the sea- 

 weeds, the wild birds she saw, all interested and pleased 

 her. Everything in nature spoke to her of that great 

 God who created all things, the grand and sublimely 

 beautiful as well as the exquisite loveliness of minute 

 objects. Above all, in the laws which science unveils 

 step by step, she found ever renewed motives for the love 

 and adoration of their Author and Sustainer. This fer- 

 vour of religious feeling accompanied her through life, 

 and very early she shook off all that was dark and narrow 

 in the creed of her first instructors for a purer and 

 a happier faith. 



It would be almost incredible were I to describe how 

 much my mother contrived to do in the course of the day. 

 When my sister and I were small children, although 

 busily engaged in writing for the press, she used to teach 

 us for thre"e hours every morning, besides managing 

 her house carefully, reading the newspapers (for she 

 always was a keen, and, I must add, a liberal politician), 

 and the most important new books on all subjects, grave 

 and gay. In addition to all this, she freely visited and re- 

 ceived her friends. She was, indeed, very fond of society, 

 and did not look for transcendent talent in those with whom 

 she associated, although no one appreciated it more when 

 she found it. Gay and cheerful company was a pleasant 

 relaxation after a hard day's work. My mother never 

 introduced scientific or learned subjects into general 

 conversation. When they were brought forward by 



