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admitted prisoners were sometimes refractory； but her persistent
gentleness eventually won their respect and co…operation。 Men old
in years and crime； pert London pickpockets； depraved boys and
dissolute sailors； profligate women； smugglers； poachers； and the
promiscuous horde of criminals which usually fill the gaol of a
seaport and county town； all submitted to the benign influence of
this good woman； and under her eyes they might be seen； for the
first time in their lives； striving to hold a pen； or to master
the characters in a penny primer。 She entered into their
confidenceswatched； wept； prayed； and felt for all by turns。
She strengthened their good resolutions； cheered the hopeless and
despairing； and endeavoured to put all； and hold all； in the right
road of amendment。
For more than twenty years this good and truehearted woman pursued
her noble course； with little encouragement； and not much help；
almost her only means of subsistence consisting in an annual
income of ten or twelve pounds left by her grandmother； eked out
by her little earnings at dressmaking。 During the last two years
of her ministrations； the borough magistrates of Yarmouth； knowing
that her self…imposed labours saved them the expense of a
schoolmaster and chaplain （which they had become bound by law to
appoint）； made a proposal to her of an annual salary of ？12 a
year； but they did it in so indelicate a manner as greatly to
wound her sensitive feelings。 She shrank from becoming the
salaried official of the corporation； and bartering for money
those serviced which had throughout been labours of love。 But the
Gaol Committee coarsely informed her； 〃that if they permitted her
to visit the prison she must submit to their terms； or be
excluded。〃 For two years； therefore； she received the salary of
？12 a yearthe acknowledgment of the Yarmouth corporation for
her services as gaol chaplain and schoolmistress！ She was now；
however； becoming old and infirm； and the unhealthy atmosphere of
the gaol did much towards finally disabling her。 While she lay on
her deathbed； she resumed the exercise of a talent she had
occasionally practised before in her moments of leisurethe
composition of sacred poetry。 As works of art； they may not
excite admiration； yet never were verses written truer in spirit；
or fuller of Christian love。 But her own life was a nobler
poem than any she ever wrotefull of true courage； perseverance；
charity； and wisdom。 It was indeed a commentary upon
her own words：
〃The high desire that others may be blest
Savours of heaven。〃
NOTES
（1） James Russell Lowell。
（2） Yet Bacon himself had written； 〃I would rather believe all the
faiths in the Legend； and the Talmud； and the Alcoran； than that
this universal frame is without a mind。〃
（3） Aubrey； in his 'Natural History of Wiltshire；' alluding to Harvey；
says： 〃He told me himself that upon publishing that book he fell
in his practice extremely。〃
（4） Sir Thomas More's first wife； Jane Colt； was originally a young
country girl； whom he himself instructed in letters； and moulded
to his own tastes and manners。 She died young； leaving a son and
three daughters； of whom the noble Margaret Roper most resembled
More himself。 His second wife was Alice Middleton； a widow； some
seven years older than More； not beautifulfor he characterized
her as 〃NEC BELLA； NEC PUELLA〃but a shrewd worldly woman； not
by any means disposed to sacrifice comfort and good cheer for
considerations such as those which so powerfully influenced the
mind of her husband。
（5）Before being beheaded； Eliot said； 〃Death is but a little word；
but ''tis a great work to die。'〃 In his 'Prison Thoughts' before
his execution； he wrote： 〃He that fears not to die； fears
nothing。。。。 There is a time to live； and a time to die。 A good
death is far better and more eligible than an ill life。 A wise
man lives but so long as his life is worth more than his death。
The longer life is not always the better。〃
（6） Mr。 J。 S。 Mill； in his book 'On Liberty；' describes 〃the masses；〃
as 〃collective mediocrity。〃 〃The initiation of all wise or noble
things；〃 he says； 〃comes； and must come； from individuals
generally at first from some one individual。 The honour and glory
of the average man is that he is capable of following that
imitation； that he can respond internally to wise and noble
things； and be led to them with his eyes open。。。。 In this age；
the mere example of nonconformity； the mere refusal to bend the
knee to custom； is itself a service。 Precisely because the
tyranny of opinion is such as to make eccentricity a reproach； it
is desirable； in order to break through that tyranny； that people
should be eccentric。 Eccentricity has always abounded when and
where strength of character has abounded； and the amount of
eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the
amount of genius； mental vigour； and moral courage which it
contained。 That so few now dare to be eccentric； marks the chief
danger of the time。〃Pp。 120…1。
（7） Mr。 Arthur Helps； in one of his thoughtful books； published in
1845； made some observations on this point； which are not less
applicable now。 He there said： 〃it is a grievous thing to see
literature made a vehicle for encouraging the enmity of class to
class。 Yet this； unhappily； is not unfrequent now。 Some great
man summed up the nature of French novels by calling them the
Literature of Despair； the kind of writing that I deprecate may be
called the Literature of Envy。。。。 Such writers like to throw
their influence； as they might say； into the weaker scale。 But
that is not the proper way of looking at the matter。 I think； if
they saw the ungenerous nature of their proceedings； that alone
would stop them。 They should recollect that literature may fawn
upon the masses as well as the aristocracy； and in these days the
temptation is in the former direction。 But what is most grievous
in this kind of writing is the mischief it may do to the working…
people themselves。 If you have their true welfare at heart； you
will not only care for their being fed and clothed； but you will
be anxious not to encourage unreasonable expectations in them
not to make them ungrateful or greedy…minded。 Above all； you will
be solicitous to preserve some self…reliance in them。 You will be
careful not to let them think that their condition can be wholly
changed without exertion of their own。 You would not desire to
have it so changed。 Once elevate your ideal of what you wish to
happen amongst the labouring population； and you will not easily
admit anything in your writings that may injure their moral or
their mental character； even if you thought it might hasten some
physical benefit for them。 That is the way to make your genius
most serviceable to mankind。 Depend upon it； honest and bold
things require to be said to the lower as well as t