From the Christian Remembrancer. age its distinct recollections; her remembrance The Life of Mrs. Sherwood. By S. KELLY, 1 of persons is vague, and of the few distin vol. London: Darton & Co. many guished names which occur, she remembers little more than the name. She commenced THE sphere of biography extends from day this task, too, late in life, concluding it in her to day. We are so accustomed to see anseventy-third year, with a busy, bustling nouncements of the lives of whose persons year of married life intervening between this names have scarcely reached us, that it ceases period and the youth she dwells upon with a to be a question as it once was, what remark- garrulous prolixity, if not with the desired disable things has such an one done, or seen, or tinctness. Even in the times when she kept a thought that, now he has passed away, the journal, she finds cause to regret that she world must be made acquainted with his pri- made it rather a record of feeling than of fact. vate history. Rather we are arrived at the But present feeling is at least worth more than conclusion that every life is interesting if we retrospective feeling, as being likely to be truer. can only have its truthful history, and to ac- With a speculative mind of a progressive order, quiesce in and even believe ourselves gainers whose pursuit, after its own fashion, is truth; by this communicative habit of our own time. experience tells us nothing is more remorseless It does not, in fact, require celebrity to make than its sacrifices and abandonments of its a biography either agreeable or useful; the former self or rather selves. Ambition does changes of an ordinary life have enough of not kick away the ladder by which it climbed variety and romance in them to engage the interest of others in the like position. It only renounce and repudiate every previous stage more indifferently than does the enthusiast requires that these changes should have made of progress. The step he stands on is knowldeep impression that the subject of the me- edge and light, and peace one day, and gross moirs should have lived for a purpose, and darkness the next. So, if we are to learn that what has been done, seen or thought, anything by his wanderings, we prefer a curshould be vividly portrayed. rent history giving the triumphs and exulta In the present abundance of biographies, tions of each stage rather than the retrospect then, we have no need to ask why the partic- of the whole as a series of failures, which gives ular one under review has been published. a fallacious idea of rest at last, of a long search Every person has at least heard of Mrs. Sher- resulting in a final discovery. From Mrs. Sherwood. Many in their childhood were familiar wood we learn little beyond her latest concluwith her works; not a few, if not of our own sions, and those but dimly set forth; for readers, yet of readers in general of a certain whether through her own mystic style or her standing, have received their first notions of daughter's caution, we are left to infer her doctrinal religion from her fluent and prolific meaning rather than see it anywhere distinctly pen. Such being the case, we took up the stated; but we find that she had written many book with both interest and cnriosity. How- of her most dogmatic works, in which such as ever little we might expect to agree with the are acquainted with her writings will know lady's theology, however little we may have that her opinions are set forth with all imaginsympathized with her mode of instructing able confidence and assurance, before she had young minds in Christian truth, she had influ- attained to anything like what she considered ence in her day, and with a large party; and distinct truth; and now and then curious adwe naturally wish to know the character, and missions occur, showing the slight value of something of the history of every mind pos- even the most formal statements of persons sessed of this mysterious power. But the of this temper of mind concerning their own book disappoints expectation. It is tedious religious history, when their theory demands and heavy, so much so, especially at the com- them; as where, describing her spiritual state mencement, that without the stimulus of duty, as of a school girl of sixteen or seventeen, she which ought ever to be paramount in the reviewer's bosom, sustaining him through mighty achievements of dull reading, it would be next "Now sincerely, I do not believe that the ignoto impossible to read it honestly through. The rance in which I then lay, of anything relating cause of this failure presently dawns upon the to real religion, was the fault of my parents; mind. An autobiography,-which this book neither do I now believe, what once I not only bois with the exception of a few concluding chap-lieved but asserted, that until my mind was par ters by her daughter, should be produced by tially opened to the truth after my marriage, I had a clear and accurate memory, assisted by copi- actually never heard that truth, either in public ous notes taken at the time, either in the form or in private. But this I do firmly believe, that of letters to friends, or of a daily record of in an unregenerate state, for it is only by the enI was not capable of receiving the Gospel while events. The reader soon becomes convinced lightening and unerring influences of the Spirit that Mrs. Sherwood's memory was not a vivid one can receive "the truth as it is in Jesus." one, not enough so at least to assign to each From a child I had read the word of God, and says: that word is truth; but I had not the moral capacity to receive anything more than an historical view of it."-Pp. 116, 117. And there is one even more remarkable notice of the religion of her childhood written in advanced age-as throwing an unreality on all her previous positive statements concerning her alleged unregenerate state up to mature womanhood. It is contradictory of much beside in the book, but thus it stands : the truth to a point of view which is luminous indeed, and bright as the day, when compared with the twilight ray that I first discerned. The light of lights which I now enjoy, is not a deceit. ful one-an ignis fatuus, or feeble emittance of fire, which can possibly lead me astray; and for this reason, that in the same measure as it burns brighter and brighter I discern more and more of the all-sufficiency of God, and of the total insufficiency of man. Thus, to speak in scriptural language, "The city shall have no need of the sun, for the Lamb shall be the light thereof." markable manner for that which it was the Di It would not be easy to judge of the character There has been a singular Providence attendof a child so favorably circumstanced as I was; ing me through life, and preparing me in a reneither can I myself decide whether I had then any vine will I should do. I say singular, more because ideas of religion beyond what parents may teach, -in fact, beyond what may be acquired by the I am better acquainted with the steps which have unregenerate mind: the time of trial was then brought me thus far in my progress, than with remote, and the evil nature restrained by the the histories and experiences of other persons. gentle, yet firm hand of a tender and wise mo. But far be it from me to suppose that anything I ever received was in any way merited by me. All I have received is a free gift; and the remarkable benefits which have been bestowed upenjoyed, ought rather to excite wonder and graton me, and the very high privileges which I have itude than self-congratulation. "Oh! my God, what is man, that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him!"-Pp. 1–3. ther.-P. 39. Our readers, however, will prefer some facts concerning our authoress than longer dwelling on these curiosities of feeling which are also best developed in the course of the narrative. All people are of such consequence to themselves, every individual is so absolutely the centre and hero to himself of the scene he Mrs. Sherwood was the daughter of the moves in that we can never wonder at any Rev. George Butt, son of a physician at Lichundue sense of importance. Indeed, the field, Dr. Carey Butt, described as a man of strongest efforts of philosophy are not more exemplary piety, integrity and benevolence. than necessary to teach a man to estimate his She expresses herself with passionate devotion own position at its due worth. When Mrs. for her father, and uniformly describes him as Sherwood, therefore, prefaces her life with the a model of disinterested benevolence, generous following exordium, we may smile a little at to profusion, and incapable of care in money the importance she attaches to the work, and concerns. A daughter's deep affection is a muse upon the shortness of her day, and how guarantee for some true excellences of charlittle she knew that her influence and fame acter, for even natural tenderness must have were both circumscribed within the span of something real to feed on. Yet the facts her own life, but such disparaging thoughts about her father do not quite consort with should be corrected by the consideration that these praises. In the course of his life he acif any one was ever encouraged to an over-cumulated a vast amount of Church patronage estimate of self, she was. Indeed, the value in the way which public opinion allowed people of such a record as she has left really lies in to do in those days, and he married almost illustrating the mischief and injury many a avowedly for money, while still mourning the gifted nature receives from being tempted to loss of a lady to whom he had been attached. tasks and offices for which, from the very na- The circumstances are best detailed in his ture of things, it is unfitted:daughter's words : I am tempted to this most singular undertaking, by an observation I have lately been induced to make upon the propensity of the age for writing and recording the lives of every individual who has had the smallest claim to celebrity. Could I be quite sure, that when I am gone, nobody would say anything about me, I should, I think, spare myself the trouble which I now propose to take; but when I consider that it is possible that dear friends, when mourning for me, may speak too partially of me, or that those who do not understand me may bring forward some of the many errors of my writings to uphold their own opinions, I feel it but justly due to Divine love and mercy to state, how, through a life of many changes, I have been gradually brought to see It was the will of God, however, that this lovely young woman, Mary Woodhouse, should be taken early from this world of trials; and it was whilst still mourning her loss my father consented to his father's earnest wishes to marry my mother, whose fortune rendered her a desirable match under the pecuniary circumstances of the family. Mary Woodhouse was one of three sisters, all of whom were accounted lovely; whilst my mo. ther, then Miss Martha Sherwood, was a very little woman, having a face too long in proportion, with too decided features. She was marked too with the small-pox, and had no personal beauty but in her hands, the like of which I have never seen equalled. She was of a meek and gentle spirit, and it was no doubt oppressive to 'My dear father's benevolent feeling had a wide play at Kidderminster. her to be associated in the house with three of | tive, the impulse descends unabated to the the most lovely women of the time. What, then, third generation. His position also was one must her feelings have been when her father's for his children to be proud of. He was popcommands or wishes were made known to her, ular with high and low, courted by men of that she was to marry one who still mourned the rank for his social qualities; a court-chaplain, untimely fate of the fair Mary! Often have I thought of this since, and been led to consider and somewhat eminent as a preacher; with a that the smallest circumstances of human life literary and reading reputation, easily won in are, no doubt, arranged in such a way as to ad- those days; and endowed with an expansive, vance our everlasting good, though, through the easy benevolence of temperament which made devices of Satan, we love to "kick against the him at home with all ranks and all persuasions. pricks," wilfully misunderstanding the arrange- When leaving the elegant retirement of their ments of Providence. For the Almighty is country living, the family removed to the betteaching individuals, by different experiences, ter preferment of Kidderminster; while Mrs. the evil consequences of sin, and the effectual Butt shrank from the impolite associates and perfect work of the Saviour's sacrifice to reconcile the world to God-a glorious exhibition amongst whom they were thrown, her husof Divine love, justice, mercy, and holiness, to band's more vigorous mind moulded society be manifested in due time.-Pp. 14, 15. even there to something congenial to his own tastes, talked himself, led the conversation, and These vague but satisfied comments on ac- gave his own tone to it. He was hand and tions which cannot be approved, as though a glove with the dissenting ministers, and enspecial providence directed all which con-couraged the growing liberalism of that day by cerned herself, are common in this book, and such conspicuous acts of fraternization, as could form one of its noticeable points. It is the at- hardly be enacted now. tribute of God indeed to bring good out of evil, but this does not make the evil less evil. And it is not one of Satan's devices, but the "There were at that time, and still I believe working of pure, modest, natural feeling which are, many dissenters in that town. Though our leads a young woman to "kick against," or as family were decided Church people, yet my fawe should say, shrink from a marriage with a ther manifested as much kindness to the dissenman who she knows cannot love her, but mar-ters as to his own peculiar flock. By his entire ries her from mere prudential considerations. exemption from bigotry he was as much loved by one party as by the other, and was on fraterThe marriage (it took place in the year nal terms with the two dissenting ministers, of 1773) did not prove an unhappy one as far as ten inviting them to his house, and discussing rewe can gather; yet the wife's life was evident-ligious subjects with them in the most candid ly tinctured by this inauspicious commence- manner. He was also accustomed, when there ment. Three children were the fruits of it, a was a charity sermon at either meeting-house, to son, the Rev. George Butt, Mary Martha, the subject of the present memoir, born 1775, and Lucy, some years younger, afterwards Mrs. Cameron, well known as sharing her sister's facility in writing. Mrs. Sherwood's style is never more awkward than when drawing the He early established it in his own and his character of her parents-a difficult task to daughter's mind that she was to be a genius the most accomplished pen. Here we have and a writer, from which we infer that she to wade through a circumlocution of florid ex- must have shown talent early, though no parpressions intended to convey reverence, affec- ticular indications are given of this beyond the tion, devotion and admiration, till the thing power of inventing and extemporizing long she has really to tell, lies smothered in so much stories to her companions. He taught her decoration. We can discern, however, that Latin, and gave her the run of his library: her father had most of her real regard, that one of ber pleasantest early recollections being her vigorous nature and cheerful temperament connected with a wagon load of books her were inherited from him. His genial love of father had bought at the sale of Walsh's (the society and success in it prevented the little friend of Addison) library, for the sum of one sadness of such a home from affecting him in guinea. These books, dusty and black, but any way; and very early it is clear that there choice editions, many of them of ancient rowere more sympathies between the father and mances and old divinity, it was her privilege his clever daughter, than the husband with his to assist her father to arrange, in a loft assigndejected, retiring, unattractive, yet refined ed by her mother for their reception. A dewife. The power of expressing affection with-lightful task for a book-loving girl, and a temptout reserve or timidity was very likely his, as ing guinea's worth. We only wonder that it was certainly his daughter's; and if we may with such opportunities this authoress made no judge from her daughter's part in this narra- further advance in style and composition than attend himself in his gown and cassock, and stand she did. An inherent commonness pervades | 'The society in which I mixed as a child was everything she ever wrote; a total want either such as to give a decided turn to the thoughts of point or elegance, which is hardly reconcil- and the tastes. Indeed, as long as I have lived, able with the careful, and at the same time I have never heard any person converse as my original and peculiar education she received. But her mind, made more for action than for thought, though thrust by circumstances into this latter groove, resisted no doubt anything like deep culture. Such being her father, such in himself, and such towards her, we are not surprised that filial piety should compel her to relax something in the rigid tests by which she usually judges of spirituality of mind, and that though he conformed to the amusements and customs to father and mother were accustomed to converse. My mother never suffered her children to interwhether willing or not. My father not only conrupt conversation. We were compelled to listen, versed in a superior way himself, but he gave the tone to all his visitors and to all his pupils. I can hardly say how young I was when I got ideas of other countries, and other times, and other modes of life, such as, by the modern style of education, could never possibly be obtained; and this through the simple means of listening my father's conversation. Whilst this system of the world, which throughout her works she of improvement was always going forward whenever the family were assembled, there was a priregards as the criterion of the soul's condition, vate discipline of such undeviating strictness -and though there was in his statements of carried on with me by my excellent mother, that religious truth a total absence of terms and it might have appeared that no other person in phrases, in all other cases deemed essential by the world could have been better fitted to bring her, yet she happily reconciles herself to the a mere child of many imaginations under control discrepancies, and concludes her father's char- than was my ever honored parent. Lady Jane acter in the following terms. We remember Grey speaks of the severities to which she was Charlotte Elizabeth in a similar subjected by her noble parents. I had neither exception in favor of a favorite brother, and nips, nor bobs, nor pinches; but I experienced allows him to be saved without conforming to then for children to wear iron collars round the what I thought much worse. It was the fashion any one of her essential conditions:neck, with a backboard strapped over the shoulders: to one of these I was subjected from my sixth to my thirteenth year. It was put on in the morning, and seldom taken off till late in the evening; and I generally did all my lessons standing in stocks, with this stiff collar round my neck. At the same time I had the plainest possible food, such as dry bread and cold milk. Yet I was a very happy child; and when relieved I never sat on a chair in my mother's presence. from my collar, I not unseldom manifested my delight by starting from our hall door, and taking a run for at least half a mile through the woods which adjoined our pleasure-grounds.'-Pp. 38, 39. And again, we have the following painful picture of rough discipline: way makes an 'But in speaking of my beloved father, of his thousand kind acts, of his humility, and of his enlarged love for every human being who came under his eye, I must restrain myself, lest I should so far wander as almost to forget my object. One remark, however, I must make before I dismiss this subject, and that is, that we might as readily suppose warmth and light to exist in the sun independently of all Divine power, as to attribute the enlarged charity of my father to the motions of an uninfluenced nature. To sum up his character in a few words; he was as pure in heart, as free from what is wrong, as the present imperfect state of human nature will permit.'P. 83. Her mother's cares bestowed on her, and they were many, were all of a more austere and therefore she could bear neither the expo'My sister, as a child, had not good health, kind, and certainly raise a picture somewhat sure nor fatigue I did. Hence the reason whereforbidding, though she never seems to have fore I was so much alone. From this cause, too, failed in maternal duty, and certainly not in she was never submitted to the same discipline real affection. Her system of education was that I was; she was never made so familiar with one of restrictions, severities, and denials. the stocks and iron collar, nor the heavy tasks; Probably from the unhappy circumstances of for after my brother was gone to school, I still her marriage, her sympathies were never fully was carried on in my Latin studies, and even bedrawn out. She lived much in herself and for fore I was twelve I was obliged to translate fifty a few intimate friends, and does not seem to lines of Virgil every morning standing in these have been able to inspire intimacy and confi-throat. It only wanted one to tell me that I was same stocks with the iron collar pressing on my dence in her children. Still her daughter, hardly used to turn this healthful discipline into with that singular mixture of real good feel- poison; but there was no such person to give ing, and strong conviction that somehow the this hint, and hence the suspicion never, as I results in her own case were so good, that the remember, arose in my mind that other children means by which such results were attained were not subjected to the same usage as myself. must have been the best, while she carefully If my sister was not so, I put it down to her berecords all the little hardships of her childhood, ing much younger, and thus I was reconciled to assures us she would not have had them other the difference made between us.'-P. 54. wise: Iron collars and stocks have long been ex ploded as likely paths to the graces. At To the one we are most concerned with, it eleven years old our authoress had opened was a charming scene of liberty and exciteout to her a more flowery way, by a fine French ment, symbolized the very first morning of lady, who paid her parents a visit, decorated arrival by the privileges (forbidden at home) in all the preposterous finery of Marie Antoi- of free approach to the fire and buttered nette's prosperous days. The child always toast. knew she was to be a genius, Madame de No writer of her party has made it more Pelevè's conversation raised the question in her concern to discountenance and dispute her, whether she was also to be a beauty, a the view of Baptism taught by our Prayerpoint about which she became for the time a book. No one has said more on the necessity good deal more solicitous: indeed we may of being able to pronounce on the precise pepossibly trace to a visit of curiosity paid to riod of conversion, from which the elect soul her mirror about this time, for the purpose of may date the moment of regeneration, than ascertaining this point, those many pages de- Mrs. Sherwood. The utter absence of reservo voted to the description of personal beauty or timidity in approaching such subjects, the which subsequently enliven even her most sc- rude jarring positiveness of assertion, the unrious and profound polemical works. scrupulous judgment passed upon individuals At fifteen she was sent to school at Reading. and classes in respect to them, might at least Her father was on intimate terms with Dr. lead us to expect beforehand that she herself Valpy, head master of the Grammar School was a signal instance to her own mind of their there, and while on his annual visit to his truth; and so, as we have said, she has somefriend was witness of a "sort of exhibition," where stated it. Yet to us an absolutely conprobably a theatrical performance, got up by trary state of things is apparent, from her own the pupils of Monsieur and Madame St. Q- 's self-history, of which there is evidently a cuschool, kept in the old abbey. He was delighted rious glimmering consciousness in herself. Poswith all he saw, and pronounced it "the very sibly her latest lights, as she deemed them, place for Mary," in which judgment his daugh- made the former view less necessary to her ter believed him to have been divinely directed, system. Be this as it may, in a certain dim though the whole conduct of the school was way she is forced to recognize the pleadings of absolutely opposed to her own principles, as a divine principle in what she holds as the unit would have been in many respects disap- converted portion of her life. Take the folproved by all who desire any kind of religious lowing anecdote; instruction for their children. Yet it was evidently no common-place boarding school. M. I truly believe the larger number of the girls de St. Q- possessed the art of teaching. in the highest class at Reading were certainly The girl's minds were developed; they caught simple and well-intentioned. Some bad ones a tone from the place and from one another. there were indeed, and it so happened these were They learned to converse; met good society in the room in which I slept; for I had not been of a certain class; saw much of French re- at school many weeks, when one night, having fugees, who flocked round their old friend, and had the privilege of attending, I was kept from gone to bed before the supper in the parlor, which had their minds turned towards the subjects sleeping for some time by a conversation in the of the time of most real interest; and, as Mrs. next bed, attended by repeated laughs. Sherwood insinuates, acquired a certain grace I knew that something bad was going on, of manner, which for ever supplanted the though I did not understand all that was said. I awkwardness of overgrown girlhood which called out, "Have done with that nonsense, or I had previously oppressed her and called down will go down and tell of you." "That I am sure the reproofs of her friends. That the influ- you will not," said my neighbor. "I will not," ence of this school upon young ductile minds answered "if you will let us hear no more of it." There were many other girls in the room, was a powerful one, and also that it took but chiefly little ones. "We will not have done, certain definite direction, is evident. The was the reply I received. After one or two more popular authoresses Miss Mitford, and L. E. L., warnings I got up, dressed myself, and went and Lady Caroline Lamb, who made some down into the parlor, where I reported the case. noise in her day, were educated by M. and Madame St. Q whatever she might have Mdle. de St. Q- though not at the same thought or wished, was obliged to take up the af time with Mrs. Sherwood. It is curious to fair for the credit of the establishment. The trace the same somewhat French glow of sen- girls were punished by bread-and-water diet for timent, the same strain of overwrought, often a day or two. Through the Divine favor I never unreal feeling, and through all the same power unseldom observed the breaking-off of a disheard another bad word at school, though I not of exciting interest, and engaging the sympa course between two girls when I came near. thies of a large, though perhaps not very dis- It might be asked, whether it was under the criminating, class of readers, which these well-influence of religion that I did this right action, known female writers evidence through all whereby I protected the ears of all the little peotheir manifold differences of style and subject.ple in the room as well as my own? Really L a |