a minuteness which the luxurious novel-reader considers extremely painful. Now, it is very well for those who write fictitious stories for magazines and often make them not only fictitious, but absolutely and unnaturally false-should endeavour to make the greatest possible impression on such persons, within the smallest given number of pages; but when we have actual life to deal with, and that truly, the highest artistic polish must be wholly subservient to the facts. And what might seem common-place enough in the biography of an ordinary person, is not to be omitted, if it had more than a common-place effect on the child of genius, whose life is made known to the world. Besides, if the ordinary occurrences of any life whatever are to be described, and the effect of them traced in the future history, let us have such occurrences in the lives and memoirs of the gifted. The notices of Beattie's" Life and Letters of Campbell," that have appeared in some newspapers and periodicals are especially open to these remarks. There are no extraordinary adventures in the life of Felicia Hemans. She underwent many of the mingling pains and pleasures, that are pe culiar to the early days of the gifted, who rarely look back to childhood as their happiest time; or, to say the least, whose impressible natures are stamped with early sorrows, and strange longings, and confused strugglings of mind, which the comparative thoughtlessness and buoyof childhood cannot, in them, altogether efface or conceal :— ancy "She was wont to say, that though the years of childhood are, for the most part, years of happiness, hers were too visionary, too much haunted by impressions and fantasies, to form an exception to the rule. Had she lived, she would fully have described the sensations of that vague hope mounting almost to ecstasy, and of that fear, more vague, so closely linked with superstition, which often trouble even the infancy of those endowed with a quick poetic temperament: she would have displayed the unexplained want in their hearts, which is born with such; the sense which suggests a hidden meaning, and a mystery to be fathomed in things which to others appear common and tangible; for she was meditating a work partly imaginative, partly real, to be called "Recollections of a Poet's Childhood," at the time when her labours were bidden to cease for ever.”* An early delight in natural scenery, and an early appreciation of books, which are rarely valued until the years of maturity have come, were peculiar marks of her childhood, as they have been more or less, in all who have achieved great literary fame. We have spoken of the favourite place where she used to read Shakespeare of the extensive library whose treasures were within her reach: nor must we omit the "old nursery that looked down upon the sea"the scene where she rehearsed any favourite play-where her childish voice, for example, used to modulate itself alternately to the lofty march, and to the melting pathos of the Tragedy of Douglas. We come now to speak of her domestic relations. Neither in her Memoirs, as written by her sister, nor in Chorley's Chorley's Life of Mrs. Hemans, p. 11. P Memorials, (both of which as biographies, are exceedingly ill put together,) do we learn any thing of her father-he is scarcely mentioned, except in a note, where her sister observes that he died at Quebec, whither he had gone in the prosecution of some mercantile enterprize, after the marriage of the Poetess. Her affection through life, seems to have centred in her amiable, pious, and strong-minded mother. The family circle of which she formed so important a member, was early broken in upon the circumstances of life, and the most unavoidable of all circumstances-death, early separated Felicia from several of her nearest relations. Affection such as hers, however, could only be developed by such separation; and whether death or distance came between her and those she loved, she was alike faithful to the memory of early days. But the mother, to whom she owed so much, and to whom all her early attempts at composition were confided, was spared long, to be as the anchor of her affection and hope, during the partings, more or less embittered, which she had to encounter. Her two elder brothers had entered the army when she was yet a mere child; and until we were aware of this fact, and that they both served in the Peninsular war, we used to marvel at her selecting so many chivalrous themes, and at her predilection for the "Cid Ruy Diaz," and his country. Her eldest sister Eliza died of a decline, at the age of eighteen, and her memory is preserved in one of Felicia's earliest attempts—“ An of age:Address to the Deity"-written when she was eleven years "Yes! thou wilt breathe a spirit o'er my lyre, She was thus the eldest left to the care of her mother; and well did that mother perform her parental duty, whether we take the testimony of the Poetess or that of her younger sister, who has written the memoirs. How Felicia and her younger brother and sister used to enjoy the freedom of their secluded but happy home, we may see by an extract from these Memoirs : "At about the age of eleven, she passed a winter in London with her father and mother; and a similar sojourn was repeated in the following year, after which she never visited the metropolis. The contrast between the confinement of a town life, and the happy freedom of her own mountain home, was even then so distasteful to her, that the indulgences of plays and sights soon ceased to be cared for, and she longed to rejoin her younger brother and sister, in their favourite haunts and amusements-the nuttery wood, the beloved apple-tree, the old arbour with its swing, the post-office tree, in whose trunk a daily interchange of family letters was established. the pool where fairy ships were launched (generally painted and decorated by herself,) and dearer still, the fresh, free ramble on the sea-shore, or the mountain expedition to the Signal Station, or the Roman Encampment. In one of her letters, the pleasure with which she looked forward to her return home was thus expressed in rhyme ; "WRITTEN FROM LONDON TO MY BROTHER AND SISTER IN THE COUNTRY. "Happy soon we'll meet again, Free from sorrow, care, and pain; Or wander through the well-known vale; Soon, dear playmates, we'll embrace ;- Pass we over the scenes of her intelligent girlhood, and her manifold acquisitions in literature, in drawing, in music, and in languages, mostly self-taught; and come to the era of her life, which had the great est peculiar influence upon her, as a woman and as a genius. As a specimen of her disposition and way of thinking at this period, when she first became acquainted with Captain Hemans, we introduce the following letter written to her aunt, soon after she had entered on her 16th year:- "Dec. 19th, 1808.-The severe indisposition from which I have just recovered, has prevented me, my dear aunt, from fulfilling, so early as I could have wished, my promise of writing to you: 1 have suffered much pain, and should have continued an invalid much longer, but for the unremitting care and attention of my dear mother; my illness was a fever, entirely occasioned by cold. I can now appreciate the full value of health, and feel my heart glow with gratitude to the good Supreme, who bestows on me so inestimable a blessing; so true it is in the words of Shakspeare, that what we have we prize not to the worth, while we possess it.' I am now quite restored, and my mind has recovered its usual energies. I never felt a more ardent emulation in the pursuit of excellence than at present. Knowledge, virtue, and religion, are the exalted objects of my enthusiastic wishes and fervent prayers, in which I know you will unite with me. 66 You have, I know, perused the papers (as I have done, with anxiety, though, perhaps, without the tremors which I continually experience. The noble Spaniards! surely, surely, they will be crowned with success: I have never given up the cause, notwithstanding the late disastrous intelligence; but I think their prospects begin to wear a brighter appearance, and we may hope that the star of freedom, though long obscured by clouds, will again shine with transcendent radiance. You will smile, my dear aunt, but you know not what an enthusiast I am in the cause of Castile and liberty: my whole heart and soul are interested for the gallant patriots, and though females are forbidden to interfere in politics, yet as I have a dear, dear brother, at present on the scene of action, I may be allowed to feel some ardour on the occasion. "You see I am writing on the anniversary of George's birthday; and I know you will pray that every year may see his progress in virtue and heroism. I am proud that he is at present on the theatre of glory; and I hope he will have an opportunity of signalizing his courage, and of proving an honour to his family, and an ornament to his profession. I am this very moment wishing that I possessed a small portion of that patience with which my mother is so eminently gifted, for the paper is not yet arrived, and you may imagine the petulance of your little obstreporous niece.' I have been reading a most delightful French romance, by Madame de Genlis, Le Siege de la Rochelle; you would be in raptures with it. 1 think it excels Corinne,' which is certainly bestowing a very high eulogium upon any work. Lady Kirkwall paid us a long and highly agreeable visit a few days ago, and brought me these volumes, which I perused with such enthusiasm: she bestowed great commendation upon Valour and Patriotism,' and I hope it will justify her encomiums. I had a letter from Major Cox, dated 16th of November, and from Madrid: he wrote in good spirits, and looked forward to the ultimate success of the Spanish cause. Glorious, glorious Castillians! may victory crown your noble efforts. Excuse me for dwelling so much on this subject; for Spain is the subject of my thoughts and words-' my dream by night, my vision of the day.' Can you be surprised at my enthusiasm? My head is half turned, but still steady enough to assure you that I remain ever, my dearest aunt, "Your attached and affectionate How few girls of sixteen have ever written thus! FELICIA."' It was in the glow of her enthusiasm, about "the noble Spaniards," and military enterprise, and after long sympathy with her brothers, who were on distant service, that she met her future husband, then on a visit to a family in the neighbourhood. There is no record of the mode in which the heart of the imaginative girl was brought under the influence of an attachment that was to be productive of happiness so transient, and of woe so lasting. Captain Hemans, however, was by no means destitute of advantages either of person or of education; and, though his innate capacity of feeling, and his previous experience of life, may not have rendered his "impassioned expression of admiration" for the exqusitely beautiful girl of sixteen, altogether so sincere as eloquent; yet there is little doubt that she was worthy of all the admiration he either felt or expressed. Had they been permitted during a long period to discover the natural tendencies, the opinions, and the habits, which distinguished them from each other, their marriage might never have ensued. But after a short intercourse Captain Hemans was called to embark with his regiment for Spain; and the affectionate romance, with which Felicia would surround such a parting, may well be supposed capable of giving greater strength to her attachment than any longer experience of his society could have given. Her sister observes-"It was hoped by the friends of both parties that the impressions thus formed might prove but a passing fancy, which time and distance would efface; but the event proved otherwise, though nearly three years elapsed before they met again." In this interval, the family had removed from Gwrych to Bronwylfa, near St. Asaph in Flintshire. Here she made further acquisitions in foreign languages and in literature, and cultivated her taste for drawing, and her remarkable love of melody. "The most skilful combinations of abstract musical science did not interest or please her; what she loved best were national airs, whether martial or melancholy, (amongst these the Welsh and Spanish were her favourites) and whatever might be called suggestive music, as awakening associations traditional, local, or imaginary. There are ears in which certain melodies are completely identified with the recollection of her peculiarly soft and sostenuto touch, which gave to the piano an effect almost approaching to the swell of the organ." At this period of her life she become acquainted with two works which had no small influence on her poetical life-the Plays of Joanna Baillie, and the Chronicles of Froissart. The three years passed away. Captain Hemans returned to Wales. Their acquaintance was renewed. The poetess was married in her nineteenth year; and her residence for the first year of her wedded life was at Daventry, to which place the military duties of her husband had called him. They then returned to Bronwylfa, with Arthur their first born, and in the privacy of domestic life, the time of the poetess was divided between the cultivation of her wonted studies and the claims of an increasing family. She had five children-all sons, at the time at which the saddest event in her life took place. "In the year 1818, Captain Hemans, whose health had been long impaired by the previous vicissitudes of a military life, determined upon trying the effects of a southern climate; and, with this view, repaired to Rome, which he was afterwards induced to fix upon as his place of residence. It has been alleged, and with perfect truth, that the literary pursuits of Mrs. Hemans, and the education of her children, made it more eligible for her to remain under the maternal roof, than to accompany her husband to Italy. It is, however, unfortunately but too well known, that such were not the only reasons which led to this divided course. To dwell on this subject would be unnecessarily painful, yet it must be stated, that nothing like a permanent separation was contemplated at the time, nor did it ever amount to more than a tacit conventional arrangement, which offered no obstacle to the frequent interchange of correspondence, nor to a constant reference to their father in all things relating to the disposal of her boys. But years rolled on-seventeen years of absence, and consequently alienation-and from this time to the hour of her death, Mrs. Hemans and her husband never met again." In the life of this gifted woman, thus was a fountain of bitterness opened of which to her dying day she was compelled to drink. That she |