ear. Her person was singularly beautiful; she had "a high,
open forehead, a soft, black eye, perfect symmetry of features, a fair
complexion, and luxuriant dark hair. The prevailing expression of her
face was melancholy. Although, because of her beauty as well as of her
mental endowments, she was the object of much admiration and attention,
yet she shunned observation, and often sought relief from the pain it
seemed to inflict upon her, by retiring from the company."

That she should have written so voluminously as has been ascertained,
(says the editor of her Poems), is almost incredible. Her poetical
writings which have been collected, amount in all to two hundred and
seventy-eight pieces of various length; when it is considered that among
these are at least five regular poems of several cantos each, some
estimate may be formed of her poetical labours. Besides there were
twenty-four school exercises, three unfinished romances, a complete
tragedy, written at thirteen years of age, and about forty letters,
in a few months, to her mother alone. To this statement should also be
appended the fact, that a great portion of her writings she destroyed.
Her mother observes, "I think I am justified in saying that she
destroyed at least one-third of all she wrote."

Of the literary character of her writings, (says the editor), it
does not, perhaps, become me largely to speak; yet I must hazard the
remark, that her defects will be perceived to be those of youth and
inexperience, while in invention, and in that mysterious power of
exciting deep interest, of enchaining the attention and keeping it alive
to the end of the story; in that adaptation of the measure to the
sentiment, and in the sudden change of measure to suit a sudden change
of sentiment; a wild and romantic description; and in the congruity of
the accompaniment to her characters, all conceived with great purity and
delicacy--she will be allowed to have discovered uncommon maturity of
mind, and her friends to have been warranted in forming very high
expectations of her future distinction.

* * * * *

Curious Dial.

[Illustration: Curious Dial.]

This Dial, which was really no common or vulgar invention, formerly
stood in Privy Garden, Whitehall, at a short distance from Gibbons's
noble brass statue of James II., which, as a waggish friend of ours
said of the horse at Charing Cross, remains in _statu-quo_ to this day.
The Dial