d to earth by
the death of his noble wife--

Always caring for others and never for herself.

This occurred nine months after the departure of Harry. It was a fearful
blow. For more than thirty-four years they had lived most happily
together. The following tribute, full of deep feeling and esteem attests
this--

My wife being a woman of an excellent understanding much improved
by reading, of great fortitude and strength of mind, and of a
temper in the highest degree affectionate and generous.... Also
excelling in everything relating to household affairs, she
entirely relieved me of all concern of that kind, which allowed me
to give all my time to the prosecution of my studies.

She was not only a true helpmate--courageous and devoted--but certainly
most desirous that the husband in whom she absolutely believed should
have nothing to interrupt or arrest the pursuits dear to him and in
which she herself must have taken great but quiet pride, for she was
extremely intelligent and original. Madam Belloc has mentioned

It is a tradition in the family that Mrs. Priestley once sent her
famous husband to market with a large basket and that he so
acquitted himself that she never sent him again!

The new house, partly planned by her, at the moment well advanced and to
her fancy, was not to be her home for which she had fondly dreamed.

Priestley was deeply depressed but his habitual submission carried him
through, although all this is pathetically concealed in his letters.

There were rumours flitting about that Priestley purposed returning to
England. That his friends might be apprised of his real intentions the
following letter was permitted to find its way into the newspapers:

Northumberland Oct. 4,
1796

My dear Sir,

Every account I have from England makes me think myself happy in
this peaceful retirement, where I enjoy almost everything I can
wish in this life, and where I hope to close it, though I find it
is reported, both here and in England that I am about to return.
The two heavy afflictions I have met with here, in the death of a
son, and of my wife, rather serve to attract me to the place.
Though dead and buried, I would not willingly leave them, and hope
to rest with them, when the sovereign disposer of all things shall