which she listened to his frank and instructive conversation, touched his feelings. On leaving France for a long tour in Italy and Germany, he left with her his manuscripts; and this mark of esteem was not received without an expression of gratitude and pleasure. On the day of his departure, he accompanied his friend St Lette to M. Phlipon's, where he dined; and on taking leave, asked permission to salute his fair friend. The privilege was granted, not without a blush. "You are happy in departing," said St Lette; "but make haste to return, in order to demand another." His manuscripts gave Mademoiselle Phlipon a deep sense of his strong mind, austere probity, strict principles, knowledge, and taste. She heard from him during his absence through his letters to a dearly beloved brother, with whom she became acquainted. On his return, they saw each other a great deal; but it was not till five years after their acquaintance commenced, that he declared other sentiments than those of friendship.

There was some difficulty in obtaining the

consent of her father. In the meantime he had become impoverished by his altered habits, and his daughter was obliged for economy's sake to leave him, and retire to a convent, where she lived in the highest story and very economically, never going out excepting once a week, when she visited her relations, and overlooked her father's linen and household affairs. M. Roland did not yield to M. Phlipon's refusal. He continued to urge his suit, although Manon was disinterested enough to argue against his marrying her without fortune. After some months he succeeded in convincing her she was necessary to his happiness.

Madame Roland devoted herself to her husband with all the energy of her heart, and all the consistency of a firm mind. She accompanied him in his studies, and kept in retirement to accommodate herself to all the peculiarities which had matured during his long celibacy. She was his amanuensis, and his counsellor. With the jealousy of his age, he required her exclusive affections and attentions. By becoming

necessary to him she increased her own tenderness, which was also augmented by his delicate health. On one occasion she snatched him from the grave during a terrible illness, in which her care alone could have saved him. She passed twelve days without undressing and without sleep, and six months in all the anxiety of a perilous convalescence. "Yet," says she, "I was not even indisposed; so much does the heart confer strength, and increase our power of action."

She acknowledges, however, that twenty years advantage in point of time, added to the natural influence of a predominating character, was too great disparity for the perfection of matrimonial happiness.

But we have finished the early life of Madame Roland, and we have not space to take up the history of her married life. It includes the history of the French Constitutional Monarchy. It brought into action a prodigious force of character, which had grown up under the influence of the course of life we have recorded.

That sensibility which was so terribly evinced on the first trial of her life, and which had instinctively stimulated her to acquire mental power, contributed to give her an adequate conception of the duties of a minister of state at that important crisis of the history of France. She assisted and supported Roland in his duties, and went to prison firmly and resignedly when the licentiousness of the corrupted mass outran the energy of the friends of liberty. In prison she wrote much that was destroyed. Her "Appeal to impartial posterity," still remains; and to this, and to her posthumous works, with a preface by Champagneux, any, who have been interested by this sketch, can go for more information. They will find that from the elements of imagination, sensibility and a sincere love of duty, although there was original timidity and all the woman's weakness, may be developed; a firmness in difficult emergencies, such as temperament cannot give; a delicate perception of duty, which not even the French Revolution could overwhelm, (with all that it had

of horror to excite the imagination and wound the feelings;) a fortitude, which could endure imprisonment, insult, and oppression, without the loss of mental elasticity; a courage which could ascend the scaffold with such an overflow of cheerfulness, as enabled the victim to impart courage to her fellow sufferers of the stronger

sex.

TO MRS HEMANS.

ON READING HER "KINDRED HEARTS.""

AND hast thou, sweet one, felt the need
Of others' sympathy?—

O, would it not be strange indeed,

If all could feel with thee?

With thee, whose spirit more refined

Might nearer kindred claim

With habitants of Heaven, where mind

Glows with a purer flame.