religious tribulations incited her to write a short story, after
the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, to contrast two kinds of
religion, of one of which she had seen more than was good. The story
was to appear as a tract, but it outgrew the dimensions of a tract,
and was published as a book under the title of "A New England Tale."
It is not a masterpiece of literature but, like all of Miss Sedgwick's
works, it contains some fine delineations of character and vivid
descriptions of local scenery. It can be read to-day with interest and
pleasure. As a dramatic presentation of the self-righteous and the
meek, in a New England country town a century ago, it is very
effective. "Mrs. Wilson" is perhaps a more stony heart than was common
among the 'chosen vessels of the Lord,' but so the Pharisee in the
parable may have been a trifle exaggerated. The advantage of this kind
of writing is that you do not miss the point of the story.

Miss Dewey says The New England Tale gave Miss Sedgwick an "immediate
position in the world of American literature." Her brother Theodore
wrote, "It exceeds all my expectations, fond and flattering as they
were"; her brother Harry, "I think, dear Kate, that your destiny is
fixed. As you are such a Bibleist, I only say don't put your light
under a bushel." That the book did not fall still-born is evident when
he says further, "The orthodox do all they can to put it down." On the
other hand, her publisher wanted to print a cheap edition of 3,000
copies for missionary purposes. I should like to see that done to-day
by some zealous liberal-minded publisher.

The New England Tale appeared in 1822, when Cooper had only published
"Precaution" and "The Spy." In 1824, Miss Sedgwick published
"Redwood," of which a second edition was called for the same year,
and which was republished in England and translated into French. It
reached distinction in the character of Deborah Lenox, of which Miss
Edgworth said, "It is to America what Scott's characters are to
Scotland, valuable as original pictures." Redwood was reviewed by
Bryant in the North American, in an article which, he says, was up to
that time his "most ambitious attempt in prose." "Hope Leslie"
appeared in 1827. It was so much better than its predecessors, said
the _Westminster Review_, that one would not suppose it by the same
hand. Sismondi, the Swiss historian, wrote the author a letter of
thanks and commendation, which was followed by a lif