ACCOUNT OF THE EXTRAORDINARY LITERARY ENDOWMENTS OF MISS ELIZABETH SMITH. In a work confessedly written for the in- | struction and amusement of the fair sex, we conceive we cannot fulfil our engagement more to the satisfaction of our readers, certainly not more to our own satisfaction, than when we introduce to their notice biographical sketches of females, whose innate virtue and superior talents have added a lustre to the times in which we live. We have hitherto, from the nature of our plan, and from what we think due to rank, drawn our sketches chiefly from high life; but should we, as it is our intention in the present instance, descend a little lower, we shall perhaps exhibit a life, short as it unfortunately was, more easy of imitation to the generality of our readers. The great intellectual acquirements which the subject of our present memoir attained at an early period of her existence may, indeed, be difficult to accomplish, nor is it necessary for the happiness of the female sex that all should attempt it; but the modest diffidence which she entertained of her abilities, and the great humility she shewed in every part of her life, notwithstanding her superior understanding and knowledge, will, we hope, be copied by many of our fair readers. Miss Elizabeth Smith, the young lady of whom we are going to speak, has been brought to public notice by Mrs. Bowdler, the amiable anthor of the well known and greatly admired Sermons on the Doctrines and Duties of Christianity; and it is from her fourth edition of Fragments in Prose and Verse, by a young Lady lately deceased, that we profess to draw our information respecting her. Miss Elizabeth Smith, we learn by a letter from her mother contained in the above volame, was born at B, in the county of Durham, in December 1776. At a very early age she discovered that love of reading, and that close application to whatever she was engaged in, which marked her character through life. She was accustomed, when only three years old, to leave an elder brother and younger sister to play and amuse themselves, while she eagerly seized on such books as a nursery library commonly affords, and made herself mistress of their contents. At four years of age she read extremely well. What in others is usually the effect of education and habit, seemed born with her; from a very habe the utmost regularity was observable in all her No. XLI. Vol. VI. actions; whatever she did was well done, and with an apparent reflection far beyond her years. "In the beginning of 1782," says her mother, we removed into a distaut county, at the earnest entreaty of a blind relation; and in the following year my attendance on him becoming so necessary as daily to engage several hours, at his request I was induced to take a young lady, whom he wished to serve in consequence of her family having experienced some severe misfortunes " This lady, then scarcely sixteen, but whose abilities exceeded her years, became the governess of her children for about eighteen months. On the death of her relation, in 1784, Mrs. Smith informs us that they returned to B, and remained there till June in the following year, when they removed to Piercefield. In the course of the preceding winter Miss Elizabeth Smith had made an uncommon progress in music. From that time till the spring of the year 1786, the children had no instruction but from their mother, their former governess then returned to them, and continued in the family three years longer. By her the children were instructed in French, and in the little Italian which she herself then understood. These particulars Mrs. Smith says she mentions to prove how very little instruction in languages her daughter received, and that the knowledge she afterwards acquired of them was the effect of her own unassisted study. In the year 1789, the late Mrs Bowdler spent some weeks with the Smith family, at which time, it is supposed, Miss Elizabeth Smith, by accidentally hearing that Mrs. Bowdler had acquired some knowledge of Hebrew and Greek purposely to read the Holy Scriptures in the original languages, was induced to make those languages her particnlar study, and to have obtained so much facility in the former language as to have left behind her a translation of the Book of Job, which a very learned divine has pronounced as conveying more of the true character and meaning of the Hebrew, with fewer departures from the idiom of the English, than any other translation whatever that we possess; to combine accuracy of version with purity of style, and to unite critical research with familiar exposition. At the age of thirteen Miss Elizabeth Smith became a sort of governess to her younger B sisters, her mother having then parted with · and I may say it is the only time I ever rẻ joiced at being prevented from seeing you. Last night, after my mother wrote to you, we were informed by a friend that there was an execution against my father. At ten o'clock at night came to take possession of the house. It was secured so that they could not enter; but you may imagine the horror of our situation in that night of storms. Fortunately, the next day being Sunday, we had to watch only till twelve o'clock; and to-day we were preparing to go away at eight in the evening, when we heard that my father's attorney was come from London, that the money was provided, and the execution stopped. There is to be a meeting of creditors to-mor the concerns of the Bank. My mother supported herself wonderfully last night, but today she was quite exhausted till this news revived her a little. Mr. and Mrs. were "At this time," says Mrs. Bowdler, "Elizabeth astonished us by the facility with which she acquired information on every subject.row, who are to have an exact statement of all She excelled in every thing she attempted; music, dancing, drawing, and perspective were her chief pursuits, and she succeeded in all; but even at that early age her greatest pleasure seemed to be reading, which she would pursue with unwearied attention during so many hours that I often endeavoured to draw her away from her books, as I feared that such close application might injure her health. She was then well acquainted with the French and Italian languages, and had made considerable progress in the study of geometry and some other branches of the mathematics; at every period of her life she was extremely fond of poetry." Here Mrs. Bowdler treats us with a specimen of her poetic talents, in a beautiful fragment written in the year 1792, when she was no more than fifteen; and another written at the end of that year, entitled "A supposed Translation from a Welch Poem lately dug up at Piercefield, in the same spot where Llewellyn ap Gryffyd was slain, December 10, 1281.* But neither of which poems will our limits allow us to transcribe. Then follow some very interesting letters from Miss Elizabeth Smith to different friends on this and other subjects, one of which, as forming a part of our history, we shall here introduce. At the commencement of the war, in the year 1793, many Banks in the west of England failed, and Mr. Smith's was unfortunately of that number; at which time Miss Elizabeth Smith wrote to Mrs. Bowdler as follows: "We were within an hour of setting off from hence, and intended to have seen you, my dear friend, to-morrow, when we were prevented; This poem was occasioned by the family, who at that time resided at Piercefield, reading the account of the death of Llewellyn in Warrington's "History of Wales," and from an imagination that it happened in their grove. in dreadful anxiety this morning, but I hope they too are now a little comforted ;* in short, the prospect appears bright to what it did two hours ago, and we shall all, I hope, bear whatever happens with fortitude. Above all, my beloved friend, I entreat you not to be uneasy, for I trust all will be well. My only apprehension has been for my mother; and I confess it has been hard work to appear cheerful when I saw her agitated in the greatest degree, and knew I could in no way be of the least use; † but she shewed great resolution whenever it was necessary. My mother desires me to say a thousand kind things for her. The servants have behaved nobly, and she has had all the comfort that friends can give; if she had none but you she would he rich enough, and I shall wish for nothing more whilst I know you are mine.-Adieu, my dearest!" How Miss Elizabeth Smith bore this cala * In the summer of the year 1791, when the Bank was in a flourishing state, Mr. —, who was the neighbour and friend of Mr. Smith, put his name in the firm, without advancing any part of the capital, or receiving any share of the emoluments, but on condition that his son should be taken into the house as clerk, and be admitted a partner on his coming of age. In consequence of this circumstance Mr. was involved in the misfortune which happened in the year 1793, to the regret of all who knew him, and particularly of the Smith family. +We cannot conceive that a young lady can be more useful than in shewing fortitude on such an occasion, and helping to calm the mind of a distressed parent. |