Selina A. Bower

“ The truths of God's most Holy Word will always brighten each day of this life, not only cheering, but sufficiently lighting it for the safety of those who seek also the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The long, long day with Jesus, by-and-bye will have no snares, no dangers, no regrets to cast their sorrowful shadows across its pure, sweet sky, for His presence will be everlasting light, and He has taken away all the sins of His people who believe in Him, and as there is no sin in Heaven, there is no suffering, and no shade of pain. ”

“ Rolfe, being himself an earnest Christian man, also taught that dark mind the bright and lustrous truths of God's most Holy Word. The Spirit of God blessed that teaching, and the light thus introduced by His influence, alone became the means of revealing to the warm heart of Pocahontas, the love of that living Saviour of sinners, who died for all, that all may live for Him. ”

“ We ought, indeed, to value our Bibles, and to seek grace to study them, so that, although there are snares and temptations around us, we may always know what God's will is, and also know how to resist those temptations through His mighty help. And we should also thank God that He has given us His Holy Word to lead us safely through all earth's changes to the unchanging Heaven, and that He has promised to give those who trust in Jesus and love Him now, far more than an uncertain crown of gold, even a "Crown of glory that fadeth not away." ”

“ When the Lady Selina was nine years old, a child just her own age died, and the passing funeral attracted her notice. She followed to the grave; listened to the beautiful and solemn service; heard those thrilling words, as the body was slowly lowered, [Pg 33] "Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust." Her eyes filled with tears, and, awe-struck and frightened, the young girl earnestly asked God to prepare her for her last hour, that she might die happily and without alarm. ”

“ But it was the grace of God alone which influenced her to utilize all this preparation; and that grace; having first filled her heart with a deep sense of sin, and of the utter insufficiency of her own ability to procure salvation, then led her to the most unbounded and simple trust in Jesus. Her love and gratitude made her anxious to work for Him; and her own peace rendered her desirous that others too should possess like peace. Thus the whole of her energy was directed to seek the honour and glory of her Saviour, and the safety of every sinner through Him. ”

“ Mary, Queen of Scots, led a gay, dissipated life, and her death was sad and solemn. Having been trained a Romanist, the Holy Word of God was not placed in her hands and made the guide of her life, and her sins brought much sorrow and difficulty which seemed to draw her on from sin to sin, instead of leading her to humble repentance and simple faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible alone is the guide which God has given both for this present life, and for the future life ”

“ Her fame arose gradually soon after this period, when, through the death of the father, reverses of fortune induced Agnes and her sisters to make literature a profession. She then assumed her true taste, and evinced marvellous talent as a writer of history, making the lives of England's Queens no longer dull, dry, and uninteresting, but beautiful sketches of true character, and of real, though bygone times; painting, [Pg 82] too, in vivid colours, the social positions of our royal matrons with wonderful skill and ability. ”

“ In conclusion, Agnes Strickland wrote with womanly and wonderful beauty the history of England's [Pg 83] Queens. There was once a history written, of far greater beauty, and by far higher power, of Him who is the "King of kings and Lord of lords;" a history traced by His own hand alone, as He guided "Holy men" of old by the power of the Holy Ghost. One portion of this History is traced in blood—the "blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, which cleanseth from all sin" those who receive in penitence, faith, and love, the "record that God gave of His Son." ”

“ However, Elizabeth evidently made progress in accomplishments, and was taught drawing, as well as music and dancing. [Pg 75]
The young girl was naturally extremely nervous and sensitive; when only seven years old, she would quietly watch her mother when asleep, with a terrible dread that that beloved mother should not wake again. Or at times the wish would come into her heart, that the walls might close upon herself, and her dear parents, brothers, and sisters, and bury them in one grave together, rather than that she should ever have to suffer separation from them. ”

“ IX. MRS. OPIE.
Norwich has been called "The City of Gardens;" for behind the large houses belonging to professional men, and business men, which front the narrow irregular streets, there are sweet lawns and well-cared-for flower borders, with trees and shrubs planted so thickly round the walls, or the walls themselves so covered with the trailing tendrils of fresh creepers, that imagination might fancy the scene one of pure country loveliness. ”

“ And yet that quiet commencement led to high honour, and England has well acknowledged her debt of gratitude to Agnes Strickland for her splendid additions to historic lore. Large labour, constant care, and stern study enabled her to use the talents which God had given, talents, of which she was unconscious as a child.
May not this thought induce a spirit of earnest effort in each young heart now? God has given talent in some degree, and of some description, to all, and He requires the improvement of that talent, whatever it may be. ”

“ For the home of Lady Selina's childhood was also a fine old edifice, very massive, with noble and spacious apartments, standing in the midst of an extensive park, with soft, swelling hills, and still softer green-clad vales. ”

“ There is no evidence to prove that in youth she gave her heart to the Saviour of sinners; but some of her poems in after life are deeply and touchingly full of yearnings for "The Better Land," or they sketch in soft melodious metre the swift decay of earthly beauty and joy, which is indeed always "Passing Away." ”

“ Her studies do not appear to have been at all conducted with regularity. French, the English Grammar, and the rudiments of Latin comprised the only systematic training which she received. Highly imaginative as she was, and surrounded by the wild beauty of the Welsh hills, the varying sights and sounds of the wide deep sea, with her love of books and capacity to retain, as well as enjoy, her cultivation progressed, and knowledge increased rapidly without effort on her part, or on the part of others. ”

“ Her Majesty thus writes:—"Our little baby is to be called Alice, an old English name, and the other names are to be Maud (another old English name, and the same as Matilda) and Mary, as she was born on Aunt Gloucester's birthday." Again, in writing to her uncle, the Queen's account of the little Princess's conduct was that "little Alice behaved extremely well."
When quite a young child, the Princess Alice was remarkably quick, and earnestly enjoyed the acquirement of all the knowledge suitable to her years, and soon displayed intellectual talent of a high order. ”

“ Peculiarly sweet and amiable in her disposition, and patient and untiring in her love, the young Princess was a favourite in the royal nursery and schoolroom.
Her illustrious father found her when even a child as to age, quite his companion as to comprehension and mental capacities. [Pg 13]
Two very special characteristics place the beloved Princess Alice in the highest range of distinguished women, and call for the deepest regard and respect from all hearts. ”

“ After the mother's death, the father and friends remained as gay as before, and an almost sceptical tendency crept over the family. With Elizabeth's nervous disposition, a dread of death was inevitable; she frequently alluded to it, calling it "This wonderful death," and in her diary she complains of dark restlessness of mind, and some disbelief in the truths of the Bible. ”

“ The young girl, living in such seclusion on the Suffolk coast, little imagined in her childhood that her future fame was depending upon the interesting and valuable information which she was beginning to accumulate, and which she was learning to love as she read in dutiful diligence the books indicated by her careful father. ”

“ Hannah's other great talent, as a writer, was also early and fully indicated. As a mere child, she would scribble poems and prim essays upon every scrap of available paper, and a story is told of her, that she had one grand ambition constantly before her young life, and that was to be old enough to "possess a whole quire of paper!" As a schoolgirl, Dr. Johnson, the elder Sheridan, and the astronomer Ferguson, seem to have been on terms of some intimacy, and exercised a talented influence upon the strong sense and mental capacity of Hannah More. ”

“ The day of grace closed, and the day of [Pg 65] glory opened, for Mrs. Opie loved and served Jesus on earth, so that she was taken to serve Him in Heaven.
The early teaching of the mother appears to have been blessed to the child in later life, even as its influence also preserved her amidst some difficulties during younger days, for Mrs. Opie writes very sweetly of her mother's care thus:—
"Oh! how I mourn'd my heedless youth, Thy watchful care, repaid so ill: Yet joy'd to think some words of truth Sunk in my soul, and teach me still. ”

“ One branch of the Strickland family settled at Raydon Hall, in Suffolk, and here the third Agnes Strickland was born, who has been so justly celebrated as the Historian of "The Queens of England from the Norman Conquest." Raydon Hall is a very lonely place on the sea coast, quite a mile from the nearest village, and there is no dwelling at all near to it, except one farm-house upon the estate. ”

“ His blood can purify the Red Indian girl just as effectually as the fair English maiden, and both equally require that blood to take away the sad stains of sin in heart and life, which are as dark, as deep, and as deadly in the one as in the other.
Powhattan seems to have been permitted some intercourse with his daughter, for with his consent she eventually married Mr. Rolfe, and subsequently Pocahontas came over to England, and was presented at Court in 1616. Queen Anne appears to have been very friendly with the Indian Princess. ”

“ The parents were poor, too poor to supply all the requirements of so large a family. Very wisely they determined that the children should be trained to support themselves. Miss More was, therefore, sent to a good school in Bristol, as a weekly boarder, and every Saturday, on her return home, she was required to teach her four sisters all that she had learned in the week!
When this sister was twenty years old, she, together with Betty and Sally, opened a school themselves in Bristol; and Hannah, then twelve years of age, and Patty were sent as pupils. ”

“ Elizabeth was fourteen when her father died, and then she wrote a celebrated letter in choice Latin to her young half-brother Edward, with whom she was always on excellent terms.
The two children were Protestants, Mary alone remaining attached to the Papal power, which Henry VIII. had so unflinchingly put down during the latter part of his reign. Elizabeth's cherished and noble Protestantism remained firm through all the changes of her eventful life ”

“ In 1815, a tiny, gentle baby girl was born in the little lighthouse home, who presently received the name of Grace Horsley. [Pg 67]
Her father was William Darling; a most suitable man for his post as keeper of the lighthouse, being vigilant, steady, attentive, and careful, not only in the special duties to which he was appointed, but also in training a numerous family with diligence and discretion. ”

“ Lady Selina was very highly educated, being trained with extreme care, for her social position, and her naturally high intellect, and evident talent, were developed by sound instruction in all the various branches of interesting study. ”

“ Their child Frances was the mother of Lady Jane Grey, who was born in 1537. There were two other little girls younger than Lady Jane, Katherine and Mary.
All the three children were treated with very great severity, which was not unusual at that time. Lady Jane, perhaps because she was the eldest girl, was expected to be quite perfect in her manners, movements, and in all that she said; to use her own [Pg 26] striking expression, to do everything "Even so perfectly as God made the world."
Her parents enforced obedience by threatening and taunting her ”

“ Felicia Browne's first book of poems was published in 1808, when she was only fourteen, and this, together with another volume published in 1812, met with severe criticism. The poor child felt this so acutely that she became ill, and had to keep her bed for several days. ”