the neighbourhood, was introduced to the family at Gwrych. The young poetess was then only fifteen; in the full glow of that radiant beauty which was destined to fade so early. The mantling bloom of her cheeks was shaded by a profusion of natural ringlets, of a rich golden brown; and the ever-varying expression of her brilliant eyes gave a changeful play to her countenance, which would have made it impossible for any painter to do justice to it. The recollection of what she was at that time, irresistibly suggests a quotation from Wordsworth's graceful poetic picture :

"She was a phantom of delight,

When first she gleamed upon my sight;

A lovely apparition, sent

To be a moment's ornament.

A dancing shape, an image gay,

To haunt, to startle, and waylay."

That so fair a being should excite the warmest admiration, was not surprising. Perhaps it was not more so, that the impassioned expression of that admiration should awaken reciprocal feelings in the bosom of a young, artless, and enthusiastic girl, readily investing him who professed such devotion, (and who, indeed, was by no means destitute of advantages either of person or education), with all the attributes of the heroes of her dreams. Their intercourse at this time was not of long continuance; for Captain Hemans was called upon to embark with

his regiment for Spain; and this circumstance was in itself sufficient to complete the illusion which had now gained possession of her heart. It was hoped by the friends of both parties, that the impressions thus formed might prove but a passing fancy, which time and distance would efface; but the event proved otherwise, though nearly three years elapsed before they met again.

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In 1809, the family removed from Gwrych to Bronwylfa, near St Asaph, in Flintshire. Here, though in somewhat less of seclusion than during the previous years of her life, her mind continued to develope itself, and her tastes and pursuits to embrace a progressively wider range. The study of the Spanish and Portuguese languages was added to the already acquired French and Italian. She also read German, though it was not until many years later that she entered with full appreciation into the soul and spirit of that magnificent language, and wrote of it as 66 having opened to her a new world of thought and feeling, so that even the music of the Eichenland, as Körner calls it, seemed to acquire a deeper tone, when she had gained a familiarity with its noble poetry."

The powers of her memory were so extraordinary, as to be sometimes made the subject of a wager, by those who were sceptical as to the possibility of her

This place was purchased, some years afterwards, by Mrs Hemans's eldest brother, Colonel Sir Henry Browne.

† Land of Oaks.

achieving, what she would, in the most undoubting simplicity, undertake to perform. On one of these occasions, to satisfy the incredulity of one of her brothers, she learned by heart, having never read it before, the whole of Heber's poem of " Europe" in one hour and twenty minutes, and repeated it without a single mistake or a moment's hesitation. The length of this poem is four hundred and twenty-four lines.

She had a taste for drawing, which, with time and opportunity for its cultivation, would, doubtless, have led to excellence; but having so many other pursuits requiring her attention, she seldom attempted anything beyond slight sketches in pencil or Indian ink. Her correctness of eye, and the length and clearness of her vision, were almost as proverbial amongst her friends as her extraordinary powers of memory. She played both the harp and piano with much feeling and expression, and at this time had a good voice, but in a very few years it became weakened by the frequent recurrence of affections of the chest, and singing was consequently discontinued. Even in her most joyous days, the strains she preferred were always those of a pensive character. The most skilful combinations of abstract musical science did not interest or please her: what she loved best were national airs, whether martial or melancholy, (amongst these the Welsh and Spanish were her favourites), and whatever might be called suggestive music, as awakening associations either traditional,

local, or imaginary. There are ears in which certain melodies are completely identified with the recollection of her peculiarly soft and sostenuto touch, which gave to the piano an effect almost approaching to the swell of an organ. Amongst these may be mentioned Jomelli's Chaconne, Oginsky's wellknown Polonaise, some of the slow movements from the Ballet of Nina, and a little touching air called the Moravian Nun, brought from Germany by her eldest brother, who had learned it by ear.

In after life, when, like " a reed shaken by the wind," her frame had been shattered by sorrow and suffering, the intensity of her perceptions was such, that music became a painful excitement, and there were times when her nerves were too much overwrought to bear it. Allusions to this state of feeling is found in many of her poems; and in one of her letters, referring to a work of Richter's, she thus expresses herself:-" What a deep echo gives answer within the mind to the exclamation of the 'immortal old man' at the sound of music.* Away!

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* "Once in dreams, I saw a human being of heavenly intellectual faculties, and his aspirations were heavenly; but he was chained, methought, eternally to the earth. The immortal old man had five great wounds in his happiness-five worms that gnawed for ever at his heart. He was unhappy in spring-time, because that is a season of hope, and rich with phantoms of får happier days than any which this Aceldama of earth can realize. He was unhappy at the sound of music, which dilates the heart of man with its whole capacity for the infinite; and he cried aloud, Away! away! Thou speakest of things which,

away! thou speakest of things which, throughout my endless life, I have found not, and shall not find!' All who have felt music, must, at times, I think, have felt this, making its sweetness too piercing to be sustained."

Some of the happiest days the young poetess ever passed were during occasional visits to some friends at Conway, where the charms of the scenery, combining all that is most beautiful in wood, water, and ruin, are sufficient to inspire the most prosaic temperament with a certain degree of enthusiasm; and it may therefore well be supposed, how fervently a soul, constituted like hers, would worship Nature at so fitting a shrine. With that happy versatility, which was at all times a leading characteristic of her mind, she would now enter with child-like playfulness into

throughout my endless life, I have found not, and shall not find!' He was unhappy at the remembrance of earthly affections and dissevered hearts; for Love is a plant which may bud in this life, but must flourish in another. He was unhappy under the glorious spectacle of the heavenly host, and ejaculated for ever in his heart-So, then, I am parted from you to all eternity by an impassable abyss! the great universe of suns is above, below, and round about me, but I am chained to a little ball of dust and ashes!' He was unhappy before the great ideas of virtue, of truth, and of God; because he knew how feeble are the approximations to them which a son of earth can make. But this was a dream. God be thanked that there is no such asking eye directed upwards towards heaven, to which Death will not one day bring an answer!"From the German of Richter.