ica. The Emperor had formed a project for founding a scientific
colony in the New World. Arago was so indignant with him for abandoning
his troops that he would have nothing to say to the plan. A far more
touching story is Dr. Marcet's account of Josephine. 'Poor Josephine! Do
you remember Dr. Marcet's telling us that when he breakfasted with her
she said, pointing to her flowers, "These are my subjects. I try to make
them happy"?'

Among other expeditions they made a pilgrimage to the home of the
author of a work for which Miss Edgeworth seems to have entertained a
mysterious enthusiasm. The novel was called 'Caroline de Lichfield,' and
was so much admired at the time that Miss Seward mentions a gentleman
who wrote from abroad to propose for the hand of the authoress, and who,
more fortunate than the poor Chevalier Edelcrantz, was not refused by
the lady. Perhaps some similarity of experience may have led Maria
Edgeworth to wish for her acquaintance. Happily the time was past for
Miss Edgeworth to look back; her life was now shaped and moulded in
its own groove; the consideration, the variety, the difficulties of
unmarried life were hers, its agreeable change, its monotony of feeling
and of unselfish happiness, compared with the necessary regularity, the
more personal felicity, the less liberal interests of the married. Her
life seems to have been full to overflowing of practical occupation
and consideration for others. What changing scenes and colours, what a
number of voices, what a crowd of outstretched hands, what interesting
processions of people pass across her path! There is something of her
father's optimism and simplicity of nature in her unceasing brightness
and activity, in her resolutions to improve as time goes on. Her young
brothers and sisters grow to be men and women; with her sisters'
marriages new interests touch her warm heart. Between her and the
brothers of the younger generation who did not turn to her as a sort
of mother there may have been too great a difference of age for that
companionship to continue which often exists between a child and a
grown-up person. So at least one is led to believe was the case as
regards one of them, mentioned in a memoir which has recently appeared.
But to her sisters she could be friend, protector, chaperon, sympathising
companion, and elder sister to the end of her days. We hear of them all
at Bowood again on their way back to Ireland, and then we find them all
a