34 THE WORLD'S WORKERS. 



superior knowledge. Her temper was humble and 

 gentle, and these qualities made her loved by all who 

 came under her influence. 



Very naturally, knowing the lady intimately, as he 

 did, and having had opportunity to note her talents 

 and beautiful character, Dr. Somerville, Mary's old 

 friend, was exceedingly gratified when it was decided 

 that his son should marry his favourite niece. His 

 wife too, Mary's aunt, the aunt who had sympa- 

 thised with her in her admiration for Shakespeare, was 

 very anxious that a union should be effected between 

 the two. 



But the other members of the Somerville 

 family were not equally satisfied. As one conse- 

 quence of her zealous devotion to study, the bride had 

 gained for herself a reputation for eccentricity, and 

 her tastes were criticised by her neighbours with ex- 

 treme severity. Most probably it was taken for 

 granted that because the young lady was clever and 

 fond of books, therefore she could not be domesticated, 

 and would make a bad wife. So strong and bitter 

 was the dislike which her ability had aroused, that 

 one of Mr. Somerville's sisters, who was unmarried, 

 and younger than her intended sister-in-law, wrote a 

 most impertinent letter to her new relative, in which 

 she said, " I hope you will now give up your foolish 

 manner of life and studies, and make a respectable 

 and useful wife to my brother." 



An epistle of this kind was not calculated to 



