Introduction. 3 



qualities, and valued her as she deserved ; while through 

 life she retained the most grateful affection for him, and 

 confided to him many doubts and difficulties on subjects 

 of the highest importance. Nothing can be more 

 erroneous than the .statement, repeated in several 

 obituary notices of my mother, that Mr. Greig (her first 

 husband) aided her in her mathematical and other pur- 

 suits. Nearly the contrary was the case. Mr. Greig 

 took no interest in science or literature, and possessed 

 in full the prejudice against learned women which was 

 common at that time. Only on her marriage with 

 my father, my mother at last met with one who 

 entirely sympathised with her, and warmly entered into 

 all her ideas, encouraging her zeal for study to the 

 utmost, and affording her every facility for it in his 

 power. His love and admiration for her were unbounded; 

 he frankly and willingly acknowledged her superiority to 

 himself, and many of our friends can bear witness to the 

 honest pride and gratification which he always testified 

 in the fame and honours she attained. 



No one can escape sorrow, and my mother, in the 

 course of he"r long life, had her fall share, but she bore 

 it with that deep feeling of trust in the great goodness 

 of God which formed so marked a feature in her cha- 

 racter. She had a buoyant and hopeful spirit, and though 

 her affections were very strong, and she felt keenly, 

 it was ever her nature to turn from the shadows to all 

 that is bright and beautiful in mortal life. She had much 

 to make life pleasant in the great honours universally 

 bestowed upon her ; but she found far more in the de- 

 voted affection of friends, to say nothing of those whose 

 happy lot it has been to live in close and loving inter- 

 course with so noble and gentle a spirit. 



I 



