heaven, for this world will forget it. Be faithful unto death, and receive the crown of life,' said he gave me his hand and departed.

Every body now left the place, except the executioner and the guard; evening came on, and at length silent night: a stormy wind arose, and its howling joined with the loud and unceasing prayers which I put up to the Almighty.

"One of the guard now brought me a cloak to protect me against the wind, because it was night; but I got upon the wheel and spread it upon the naked and broken limbs of my husband; the wind whistled through his hair, his lips were dry. 1 fetched him some water in my shoe, which was a refreshment to us both. I know not, my dearest Margaretha, how it was possible for me to live through such heart-breaking and cruel hours!

"But I lay, as if guarded and wonderfully strengthened by God's angels and the saints, continually praying near the wheel on which my whole world reposed.

During this time my thoughts were with God. As often as a sigh broke from the breast of my Rudolph it was a dagger in my heart. But I remembered the holy virgin, how she too had suffered under the cross of her Son, and consoled myself with the hope that after a short time of suffering, the eternal joys of heaven would be my portion, and this gave me courage to suffer; I knew too, for whom I suffered, and this gave me strength in the combat, so that I endured to the very last

moment.

Though Wart had at first so earnestly begged of me not to increase his agonies by my presence, yet he now thanked me as much for not having left him. In my prayers to God he found consolation and refreshment; it was a comfort to his soul when I prayed.

"How the last dreadful morning and noon were spent, permit me to pass over in silence.--A few hours before evening, Rudolph moved his head for the last time; I raised myself up to him. He murmured very faintly, but with smiling love upon his lips, these words :- Gertrude, this is fidelity till death,' and expired.-On my knees I thanked God for the grace, which he had given me to remain faithful to the end."

No. 14.-MRS. BLACKWELL, WIFE OF DOCTOR Alexander BLACKWELL.

Mrs. Elizabeth Blackwell was the daughter of a Scotch merchant. Her husband, Doctor Alexander Blackwell, was a native of Aberdeen, and received his education at the university of that city. Success in his profession was too slow to keep pace with his hopes,--perhaps with his necessities; and we find that he first became a corrector of the press in London, afterward a printer.

His new business soon involved him in debt, and he was imprisoned. Mrs. Blackwell had a good knowledge of botany, and was well skilled in drawing. She resolved to devote these talents to the benefit of her unfortunate husband, and she fulfilled her task with a remarkable degree of talent and energy. Having heard it said that an herbal of medicinal plants was much wanted, she determined to supply the deficiency. She consulted Sir Hans Sloane and several other distinguished physicians; who were so much pleased with her drawings, and had so much reverence for the motive, which impelled her to exertion, that they gave her every possible facility for procuring plants in their freshest state, and spared no pains to obtain for her the favor of the public. When Mrs. Blackwell had made the drawings, she engraved them on copper, and colored them all with her own hands. Each plate was accompanied by a brief description of the plant, its name in Latin, English, and various other languages, its qualities and uses. These illustrations were written by Doctor Blackwell.

The first volume was published in 1737, and the second appeared in 1739. The complete work bore the following title: "A curious Herbal containing FIVE HUNDRED of the most useful plants which are now used in the practice of physic, engraved on folio copper plates, after drawings taken from the life. To which is added a short description of the plants, and their common uses in Physic."

While Mrs. Blackwell was completing this laborious undertaking, she resided at Chelsea, near the Garden of Medicinal Plants; where she was frequently visited. and much patronised, by people of distinguished rank and learning. The College of Physicians gave the book a public testimonial

of their approbation, and made the author a present. Dr. Pulteney, speaking of this work, says, "For the most complete set of drawings of medicinal plants, we are indebted to the genius and industry of a lady, exerted on an occasion that redounded highly to her praise."

Mrs. Blackwell effected the purpose for which all this labour was performed; her husband regained his liberty, and was, for a time, relieved from pecuniary embarrassment. But this ill-fated man seemed predestined to be unfortunate in all things, save his affectionate and excellent wife. He formed various schemes. in all of which he was successively disappointed.

He finally went to Sweden, where he drained marshes, projected agricultural improvements, and was sometimes employed as physician to the king. In this country he fell under the suspicion of being concerned in plots against the government; and although he protested his innocence to the very last moment; he perished on the scaffold in 1747.

No. 15. COUNTESS OF NITHSDALE.

The Earl of Nithsdale was condemned to be beheaded for his efforts to place the Pretender on the British throne in 1715. He would unquestionably have shared the fate of the Earl of Derwent, had he not been rescued by the affection and ingenuity of his wife.

The day before his intended execution she distributed money very freely among the jailers, who were of course disposed to be as courteous as possible. Having obtained permission to bring several of her friends to bid him farewell, she persuaded one lady, who was tall and robust, to leave her clothes, and assume another dress, which she had prepared. When this lady came in, she affected to weep; but when she went out she was perfectly calm. This was done that the Earl of Nithsdale might more completely personate her, and disguise his own features, by holding a handkerchief to his face. Besides this the Countess had taken the precaution to paint his eye-brows and cheeks, and cover his head with artificial hair. The sentinel, suspecting no mischief, officiously opened the doors for his prisoner to depart. The countess followed her disguised husband closely, in order to L. 33. 2.

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prevent the jailers from taking particular observation of his gait. At this critical moment, she preserved a remarkable degree of calmness and presence of mind. As she walked on, she urged the pretended lady to hasten her servant in coming for her, because she was determined to present a petition to the king that night, as the last means of saving her husband's life.

Some friends who were in readiness outside of the Tower, received the fugitive, and conveyed him to a place of safety. After being concealed a few days in London, he assumed the livery of the Venetian ambassador, and passed with his retinue to Calais; from whence he travelled to Rome, where he resided till his death, in 1774.

No. 16.- ARRIA, WIFE OF PETUS.

Poetus, a senator of Padua, in the reign of Claudius, being accused of treason, escaped from Rome, accompanied by his wife, who was devotely attached to him. Their place of retreat was discovered, and ruin seemed inevitable. Arria met this painful crisis with firmness; only entreating that she might be permitted to share her husband's fate. It was not until this request was refused, that she gave way to tears. When the officers of justice absolutely forbade her to accompany Poetus, and when she found all her efforts to excite compassion were entirely fruitless, then indeed her misery knew no bounds. But her resolution did not forsake her. She offered a large sum of money to the owners of a fishing boat if they would take her on board and follow the vessel that contained her husband. Tempted by the promised reward, the fishermen consented to her proposition, and conveyed her safely to Rome. The senate, admiring her energy and strong affection, consented that she should be her husband's companion in prison. Here she gave way to no useless expressions of sorrow, but exerted herself to the utmost to support his spirits, and enliven his solitude, by her own cheerful fortitude.

When, at last, no hope of pardon remained, she urged him to avoid the ignomy of public execution by suicide. The advice was in accordance with the blind courage of those ancient times, when the light of the gospel was just dawning,

and men had not learned the duty of perfect resignation to the will of God; but Poetus, reluctant to part from her he loved, and perhaps still clinging to some faint hope of deliverance, resisted her entreaties. Finding her arguments ineffectual, she drew a dagger from her robe, and plunged it in her heart; then offering the weapon to her husband, with a gentle smile, she said, "It pains not, my Poetus."

Existence had now no value for the unhappy man-with one desperate stroke his spirit followed hers.

No. 17.-SELINA, COUNTESS OF HUNTINGDON.

This noble and wealthy lady was celebrated for being a firm and zealous Methodist, at a period when people of her rank universally considered that sect as vulgar and despicable; and this fact in itself announces a strong character and generous feelings.

She was most devotedly attached to her husband, and when he died, her heart yearned for full possession of that religious faith, which promises re-union in the world to come. She was handsome and distinguished, and the world of fashion did not fail to offer its allurements and its flattery; but she had fixed her hopes on something more enduring, and nothing could tempt her to swerve from the path she had chosen. During forty-five years of widowhood, her spirit held close communion with the dear, departed object of her affections; and every look and tone of his were enshrined in memory. She caused her beautiful bust to be placed upon his tomb, at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in the county of Leicester; and in her will, she requested that her body might be placed by his side, habited in the same dress of white silk, which she had worn at the opening of the Methodist Chapel, in Goodman's Fields.

In the course of her life she expended more than one hundred thousand pounds, in acts of public and private benevolence!

A tranquil, meek dignity, was her prevailing characteristic.

In the winter of 1787 some idle scoffer inclosed two masquerade tickets in a cover directed to her. She received the insult very calmly; and handed the tickets to one of her