The Argosy — page 358: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Mrs. Henry Wood. 335 his child: ‘* I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me:” and in this les all consolation. As a poet has lately written of her in words that are so true: ‘¢ Work done, toil over, sounds the curfew’s knell, Comes Home and Welcome, folded hands and rest ; Sweet through the silence throbs the ‘ All is well :’ And Gop’s Own SLEEP has hushed the peaceful breast.”’ From that Sleep and Rest, who would bring her back to earth ? *‘ Life is perfected by Death.” An intimate friend and one of the most learned of divines, was wont to say: ‘‘ Whatever of greatness or beauty or charm there is in Mrs. Henry Wood’s heroines, she herself infinitely surpasses them all.” And again he would add: “She had persuaded him into the belief that as there had been religious inspiration in the past, so there was secular inspiration also in the present.” This was the opinion of one who had spent his life amongst princes, and had seen more of the world and human nature than most of his kind. It was all too true. And therefore I wish it to be realised that infinitely before and above all other considerations, we place HERSELF ; her loveliness ; the beauty of her life and character: that beauty of holiness which was pre-eminently hers: which remain as the one hope and consolation. If I seem occasionally to repeat myself, or to allude over and over again to certain of her distinguishing traits and virtues, it is that I wish to impress them upon the reader, and bring them vividly before him. Only by reiteration can this be done. We have to read a lesson ten times over before we know it by heart. Only thus can the reader be enabled, even in a slight degree, to see and know her as she was. If the rare beauty of her life is insisted upon, it is that it may be the more realised, for to some one or to some other it may perchance be a help and an encouragement. There is so little to be seen of this perfect and unfailing CONSISTENCY. It is so rarely that we come upon one for whose sake we will hold the world Goop. She is indeed of those who being dead yet speak. In the words of King Lemuel: ‘‘ Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.” And again with St. Paul to Philemon : “Thou wilt also do more than I say.” For she rose far above all earthly limitations of what we call DUTY. These few words have seemed to me necessary. I think it may now be understood that any praise occurring in the following pages arises from the necessity of the case, a rendering of justice. At the present moment, to a spirit seeking rest and finding none, from a sense of a loss which neither time nor change can ever fill again, all praise, even the very highest, falls cold and lifeless under the pen. It can bring no relief except as fulfilling a part of its task ; a rendering of honour to whom honour is due; the accomplish- ment of the work in hand. Ccomnmicooolks (SO