university, it is not a difficult, nor need it be an elaborate, task, to do justice to the memory of Mrs. Barbauld. Prolific as this age has been in individuals who have conferred advantage and excited admiration, we know of none who, in her line, deserves to rank higher than the lady we have just named. Endowed with a mind masculine in its powers of application, unbounded in its grasp, and no less fitted to be the communicant than the recipient of knowlege, she devoted, through an unusually long life, every faculty of her soul to the noblest, the most hallowed purposes. Whether we look at her as a poetess, inculcating moral lessons in harmonious strains, as an essayist, seldom beneath, and not unfrequently equal to our most classical writers, as a theologian, the powerful and consistent supporter of its tolerant and reasonable side, or as a politician denouncing despotism, and advocating a wise and philosophic freedom,we confess we know not in which character to admire her most. Viewing her in her less public relations, as a teacher, we see her systematic and successful, — as a wife, affectionate and faithful, as a friend and correspondent, warm, instructive, and amusing. A pattern for her coevals, and a benefactress of the rising generation, in her own beautiful words: • Obscure, in sober dignity retired, She more deserved than sought to be admired; Characters, vol. i. p. 50. -The memoir is written in an easy, elegant, and unassuming manner, and will add something to Miss Aikin's well-earned fame. We learn that Mrs. Barbauld was born at the village of Kibworth Harcourt, in Leicestershire, on June 20th, 1743, and it is well known was the eldest child and only daughter of Dr. Aikin. Contrary to received opinion in these matters, her infancy gave promise of genius, her education was entirely domestic, she was early introduced to good company, and her mind was cultivated and her principles formed, partly by the instructions of judicious parents, and partly by the society of the celebrated Dr. Doddridge. Fearless of the prejudice which in the middle of the last century existed (and, in some measure, still exists) against imparting to females any portion of classical erudition, Miss A., with the assistance of her father, enabled herself to read the Latin authors, nor ceased from her scholastic studies till she had gained some knowlege of the Greek. The want of suitable companions in the village of Kibworth compelled her to a life of seclusion; but before this sedentary existence could have injured her spirits, her father became classical tutor in a dissenting academy at Warrington, in Lancashire. This event occurred in 1758, when Miss Aikin was in her fifteenth year; and the fifteen succeeding years passed by her at Warrington (it is supposed by her biographer) comprehended the happiest, as well as the most brilliant portion of her existence. At Warrington Miss A. formed friendships with Drs. Priestley and Enfield, and their families, - friendships not less useful than lasting. In 1771 her brother, after several years of absence, returned to Warrington, and by his persuasion and assistance her poems were selected, revised, and arranged for publication. The work was eminently successful, and was followed, in the same year, by a small volume, intitled "Miscellaneous Pieces, in Prose, by J. and A. L. Aikin." In May, 1774, Miss Aikin honored with her hand the Reverend Rochemont Barbauld. Previous to their union, and while the prospects of the young couple were still full of uncertainty, a proposal was made to Miss A. to establish, under the auspices of some distinguished persons, what might almost have been called a College for young ladies. Miss A.'s remarks are too much distinguished by sterling sense and nice discrimination, to allow of our passing them without quotation. She begins by deprecating the idea of teaching ladies in a regular and systematic manner the various branches of science, and says that such a kind of literary academy would be better calculated to form characters like the "Precieuses" of the "Femmes sçavantes" of Moliere, than good wives or agreeable companions. She then carries on the subject with the following candid and perspicuous remarks: Young gentlemen, who are to display their knowledge to the world, should have every motive of emulation, should be formed into regular classes, should read and dispute together, should have all the honours and, if one may so say, the pomp of learning set before them, to call up their ardour: — it is their business, and they should apply to it as such. But young ladies, who ought only to have such a general tincture of knowledge as to make them agreeable companions to a man of sense, and to enable them to find rational entertainment for a solitary hour, should gain these accomplishments in a more quiet and unobserved subject to a regulation like that of the ancient Spartans, the thefts of knowledge in our sex are only connived at manner: while carefully concealed, and if displayed, punished with disgrace. The best way for women to acquire knowledge is from conversation with a father, a brother, or friend, in the way of family intercourse and easy conversation, and by such a course of reading as they may recommend. If you add to these an attendance upon those masters which are usually provided in schools, and perhaps such a set of lectures as Mr. Ferguson's, which it is not uncommon for ladies to attend, I think a woman will be in a way to acquire all the learning that can be of use to those who are not to teach or engage in any learned profession. Perhaps you may think, that having myself stepped out of the bounds of female reserve in becoming an author, it is with an ill grace I offer these sentiments: but though this circumstance may destroy the grace, it does not the justice of the remark ;; and I am full well convinced that to have a too great fondness for books is little favourable to the happiness of a woman, especially one not in affluent circumstances. My situation has been peculiar, and would be no rule for others.' Miss A. then contends for the necessity of languages, grammar, &c. being learnt from about nine to fourteen, and illustrates her position with some plausible reasoning: I should have little hopes of cultivating a love of knowledge in a young lady of fifteen, who came to me ignorant and untaught; and if she has laid a foundation, she will be able to pursue her studies without a master, or with such a one only as Rousseau gives his Sophie. It is too late then to begin to learn. The empire of the passions is coming on; a new world opens to the youthful eye; those attachments begin to be formed which influence the happiness of future life; the care of a mother, and that alone, can give suitable attention to this important period. At this period they have many things to learn which books and systems never taught. The grace and ease of polished society, with the established modes of behaviour to every different class of people; the detail of domestic economy, to which they must be gradually introduced; the duties, the proprieties of behaviour which they must practise in their own family, in the families where they visit, to their friends, to their acquaintance: -lastly, their behaviour to the other half of their species, with whom before they were hardly acquainted, and who then begin to court their notice; the choice of proper acquaintance of that sex, the art to converse with them with a happy mixture of easy politeness and graceful reserve, and to wear off by degrees something of the girlish bashfulness without injuring virgin delicacy. These are the accomplishments which a young woman has to learn from fourteen or fifteen till she is married, or fit to be so; and surely these are not to be learned in a school. They must be learned partly at home, and partly by visits in genteel families: they cannot be taught where a number are together; they cannot be taught without the most intimate knowledge of a young lady's temper, X 3 temper, connections, and views in life; nor without an authority and influence established upon all the former part of her life.' Towards the conclusion, while declining to entertain the proposal of her friends, she affords us a curious, and, evidently, an unaffected estimate of some traits in her own cha racter: My next reason is, that I am not at all qualified for the task. I have seen a good deal of the manner of educating boys, and know pretty well what is expected in the care of them; but in a girls' boarding-school I should be quite a novice: I never was at one myself, have not even the advantage of younger sisters, which might have given me some notion of the management of girls; indeed, for the early part of my life I conversed little with my own sex. In the village where I was, there were none to converse with; and this, I am very sensible, has given me an awkwardness in many common things, which would make me most peculiarly unfit for the education of my own sex. But suppose I were tolerably qualified to instruct those of my own rank; consider, that these must be of a class far superior to those I have lived amongst and conversed with, Young ladies of that rank ought to have their education superintended by a woman perfectly well bred, from whose manner they may catch that ease and gracefulness which can only be learned from the best company; and she should be able to direct them, and judge of their progress in every genteel accomplishment. I could not judge of their music, their dancing; and if I pretended to correct their air, they might be tempted to smile at my own; for I know myself remarkably deficient in gracefulness of person, in my air and manner, and in the easy graces of conversation. Indeed, whatever the kind partiality of my friends may think of me, there are few things I know well enough to teach them with any satisfaction, and many I never could learn myself. These deficiencies would soon be remarked when I was introduced to people of fashion; and were it possible that, notwithstanding, I should meet with encouragement, I could never prosecute with any pleasure an undertaking to which I should know myself so unequal: I am sensible the common boarding-schools are upon a very bad plan, and believe I could project a better, but I could not execute it.' Soon after this occurrence, Mr. Barbauld accepted the charge of a dissenting congregation at Palgrave, near Diss, and immediately before his marriage announced his intention of opening a boarding-school at the neighbouring village of Palgrave, in Suffolk. The literary fame of Mrs. Barbauld, and her active support of Mr. B., speedily ensured the success of this establishment; and some interesting details are given, in the Memoir, of her manner of superintending the studies of the pupils. In 1775, Mrs. Barbauld committed to the press a small small volume, intitled "Devotional Pieces, compiled from the Psalms of David, with Thoughts on the Devotional Taste, and on Sects and Establishments." The union of Mr. and Mrs. Barbauld proving unfruitful, they adopted a son out of the family of Dr. Aikin, and for this child were composed those "Early Lessons" which have justly gained for Mrs. B. the reverence and love of both parents and children. They now began to enjoy the fruits of their honorable labor; and Miss Aikin informs us that the solicitations of parents, anxious to obtain for their sons what they considered as the best tuition, Now induced her to receive, as her own peculiar pupils, several little boys, to whom she condescended to teach the first rudiments of literature. Thomas Denman, Esq., now a distinguished member of the legal profession and of the House of Commons, was committed to her care before he had accomplished his fourth year. Sir William Gell, the zealous explorer of the plain of Troy, was another of her almost infant scholars'; and it was for the benefit of this younger class that her " Hymns in Prose for Children" were written, in which it was her peculiar object (to use her own words in the preface)" to impress devotional feelings as early as possible on the infant mind,"-" to impress them, by connecting religion with a variety of sensible objects, with all that he sees, all he hears, all that affects his young mind with wonder or delight; and thus, by deep, strong, and permanent associations, to lay the best foundation for practical devotion in future life." None of her works is a fairer monument than this, of the elevation of her soul and the brightness of her genius. While discarding the aid of verse, she everywhere bursts forth into poetry; while stooping to the comprehension of infancy, she has produced a precious manual of devotion, founded on the contemplation of nature, fitted to delight the taste and warm the piety of the most accomplished minds and finest spirits. Meantime Palgrave school was progressively increasing in numbers and reputation, and several sons of noble families were sent to share in its advantages; of whom may be named, the late amiable and lamented Basil Lord Daer (a favourite pupil), and three of his brothers, including the last Earl of Selkirk; two sons of Lord Templetown, Lord More, Lord Aghrim, and the Honourable Augustus Phipps: these, who were parlour-boarders, enjoyed most of the benefit of the conversation and occasional instructions of Mrs. Barbauld; and all, it is believed, quitted the school with sentiments towards her of high respect and attachment.' Mr. and Mrs. B., finding their health and spirits much impaired by the fatiguing business of tuition, determined upon quitting X 4 |