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the Danish, from which, as well as from the Ger- | prentices," and "My Own Story." After the pubman, she has translated numerous works. lication of these, Mrs. Howitt wrote The History of Mary Leeson," "The Children's Year," and "Our Cousins in Ohio." She published, about 1835, her largest poetical work, • The Seven Temptations." She also edited for three years, "The Drawing-Room Scrap-Book," furnishing for that work a large mass of poetry. About 1848, she collected her fugitive poems in a volume, entitled "Ballads, and other Poems."

Mrs. Howitt has also written Memoirs, in the very kindest spirit, of several Americans; those of Miss Cushman and Mrs. Mowatt we have used in this work.

"The Seven Temptations," the largest and most elaborate of Mrs. Howitt's poetical works, represents a series of efforts, by the impersonation of the Evil Principle, to seduce human souls to his power. Mrs. Howitt, in the preface, remarks:

The idea of the poem originated in a strong impression of the immense value of the human soul, and of all the varied modes of its trials, according to its own infinitely varied modifications, as existing in different individuals. We see the awful mass of sorrow and of crime in the world, but we know only in part-in a very small degree-the fearful weight of solicitations and impulses of passion, and the vast constraint of circumstances, that are brought into play against suffering humanity. In the luminous words of my motto,

Mrs. Howitt's marriage has been one of singular happiness, and is blessed with children of great promise. In her literary pursuits, she possesses the sympathy and good offices of her husband, himself an extensive and popular writer, and in many of her translations she has been assisted by him. It is to be lamented that talents, worth and industry, like Mrs. Howitt's, should, through unmerited misfortune, have been stripped of all substantial reward, at a period of life when she might naturally have looked for some relaxation of her labours. Mr. Howitt having embarked, under the influence of an artful speculator, as partner in the "People's Journal," was, in short time, held responsible, by its failure, for debts to a large amount; not a pennyworth of which was originated by him. His financial ruin was the consequence; the copy-rights even of his own and his wife's works- the hard-won results of years of labour-were sacrificed, and they were obliged to begin the world anew. That their renewed exertions have met with such happy success as to warrant a hope of the retrieval of their fortunes, we have every reason to believe, and we trust, for the honour of human nature, that such exertions, based upon the honest character and good reputation of a quarter of a century, will be justly estimated, and meet with the reward they merit.

Mrs. Howitt has written much in prose; her books for children are very attractive, from the sympathy with youthful feelings, which seems to well up in her loving heart as freely as a mountain-spring sends out its pure freshness, after a summer-shower. But these warm sympathies make her more truly the poet; and the acknowledgment of this bias, made by William and Mary Howitt, in the preface of their first joint publication, was certainly true of the wife. They say – "Poetry has been our youthful amusement, and our increasing daily enjoyment in happy, and our solace in sorrowful hours. Amidst the vast and delicious treasures of our national literature, we have revelled with growing and unsatiated delight; and, at the same time, living chiefly in the quietness of the country, we have watched the changing features of nature; we have felt the secret charm of those sweet but unostentatious images which she is perpetually presenting, and given full scope to those workings of the imagination and of the heart, which natural beauty and solitude prompt and promote."

Thus, without sufficient reflection, we are furnished with data on which to condemn our fellowcreatures, but without sufficient grounds for their palliation and commiseration. It is necessary, for the acquisition of that charity which is the soul of Christianity, for us to descend into the depths of our own nature; to put ourselves into many imaginary and untried situations, that we may enable ourselves to form some tolerable notion how we might be affected by them; how far we might be tempted-how far deceived-how far we might have occasion to lament the evil power of circumstances, to weep over our own weakness, and pray for the pardon of our crimes; that, having raised up this vivid perception of what we might do, suffer, and become, we may apply the rule to our fellows, and cease to be astonished, in some degree, at the shapes of atrocity into which some of them are transformed; and learn to bear with others as brethren, who have been tried tenfold beyond our own experience, or perhaps our

Mrs. Howitt's first prose work was "Woodleigh-strength." Thus we see how earnestly the writer ton," in three volumes, which was exceedingly popular. She next wrote for children the following works," Tales in Verse," "Tales in Prose," "Sketches of Natural History,” “Birds and Flow-uniformly pure, generous and hopeful. But her ers," "Hymns and Fireside Verses;" and also a Ballads are the best exponents of her genius. In series of books, which are very popular, called these she is unrivalled, except, perhaps, by Mr. "Tales for the People and their Children," of Macaulay, in modern times. The play of her these there are, "Strive and Thrive," Hope on, warm, rich fancy, is like sunlight on icicles, giving Hope Ever," Sowing and Reaping," "Alice the glow and glory of its own hues to any object, Franklin," "Who shall be Greatest?" "Which is no matter how cold or colourless, it touches. the Wiser?" "Little Corn, much Care," "Work Who ever read her "Midsummer Legend," without and Ways," "Love and Money," "The Two Ap-believing in fairies? This union of the tenderest

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What's done we partly may compute,
But know not what's resisted.

sought to do good; the effort was noble, if not entirely successful; many touching incidents give interest to the poem, and the sentiments are

"The Queen answered, 'I do.'"

She soon afterwards conferred on her husband ing energy. the title of king.

It hardly seems credible that a crowned Queen would thus give, apparently, her free assent to her own marriage, if the bridegroom had been utterly hateful to her. But two circumstances are certain she was not old enough to make a judicious choice; and she was urged into the measure while she did not wish to marry at all. She seemed to resign herself to the guidance of others, and doubtless hoped she might find happiness. She thus alludes to the event in her speech at the opening of the Cortes, on the last day of 1846. Her speeches from the throne are models of their kind, whoever prepares them; and she is said to have a fine voice and gracious manner, appearing, indeed, the Queen while delivering them.

"I have contracted a marriage with my august cousin, Don Francisco d'Assis Maria de Bourbon, agreeably to my intention announced to the preceding Cortes. I trust that Heaven will bless this union, and that you, also, gentlemen, will unite your prayers with mine to Almighty God. The marriage of my beloved sister has also taken place in the way which has been already explained to the Cortes."

But this contentment with her lot did not long continue. Early in the following year, 1847, there arose a dislike on the part of the Queen towards her husband, and soon the royal pair became completely estranged from each other, and neither appeared together in public, nor had the slightest communication in private. The people seemed to sympathize warmly with the Queen, and she was loudly cheered whenever she drove out, or attended any of the theatres or bull-fights at Madrid.

On the accession of Narvaez to office as President of the Council, he used his utmost endeavours to effect a reconciliation, and at length succeeded. The meeting between the royal pair occurred October 13th, 1847, and is thus described:

"When the King reached the Plaza of the Arsenal, and alighted at the principal entrance of the palace, the President of the Council and the Holy Father's Legate, warned the Queen of it, who advanced with visible emotion unto the royal chamber, and received in her arms the royal consort."

Since then there have been estrangements and reconciliations; it seems almost hopeless to anticipate conjugal happiness, or even quiet, for Isabella. The only event which appears likely to give a new and healthy tone to her mind, is motherhood. She gave birth to a son in the autumn of 1850, but, unfortunately, the child lived only a

few hours. If he had survived, and her affections
had thus been warmly awakened, there would be
little doubt of her becoming a changed being.
That she has talents of a much higher order than
was given her credit for in childhood is now evi-
dent.* She certainly possesses great physical
courage, and a strong will. She manages the
wildest and most fiery steed with the coolness and
skill of a knight of chivalry. She delights in
driving and riding, and exhibits much, even dar-
She is prompt in her attention to the
duties of her government; and, what is best of all,
she evinces that sympathy for her people, and
confidence in their loyalty, which are never felt
by a crafty, cruel, or selfish ruler. In all her
speeches from the throne there is a generous, even
liberal spirit apparent; and were it not for the
obstacles which priestcraft interposes, there can
be little doubt that the Queen would move on-
ward with her government to effect the reforms so
much needed. In "features and complexion,"
Isabella bears a striking resemblance to her fa-
ther, Ferdinand VI., and his line of the Bourbons;
but her forehead has a better development, and
she is, undoubtedly, of a nobler disposition.

There is, indeed, great reason to hope she will
yet prove worthy of the name she bears. She is
only twenty; not so old by three years as Isa-
bella I. was when she ascended the throne. Spain
has never had a good great sovereign since her
reign.

J.

JAGIELLO, APPOLONIA. DISTINGUISHED for her heroic patriotism, was born about the year 1825, in Lithuania, a part of the land where Thaddeus Kosciusko spent his first

*The following is from the pen of a late resident at Ma drid:

"The letters written by the young Queen Isabella are the most charming things in the world; so say not only her courtiers, but her enemies, and those who have read them declare if her Catholic Majesty was not Queen of Spain. 'she would very certainly be a blue-stocking. Besides, although a sovereign, or rather because she is a sovereign. Isabella II. is a veritable lioness; not a lioness as understond in the fashionable world, but in the true acceptation of the word, a lioness, like the noble partner of the king of the forest. If the young Queen ever loses her crown, she will not do it without having defended it sword in hand. She fences like Grisier, and it is her favorite amusement.

"This is the way she employs her time. At three o'clock, not in the morning, but in the day, she rises. As soon as dressed, and her toilette is the least of her occupations, she orders a very elegant, light equipage, a present from her royal sister of England, and goes out alone; but sometimes she is accompanied by her husband, to his great despair and terror, for he believes in a miracle every time that he reenters the palace safe and sound; for the young Queen is her own driver, and generally urges on her horses to their full speed.

"She dines at five o'clock, eats very little and very fast: and as soon as her repast is finished, she exercises some time with the sword, then she mounts her horse and takes a ride. These exercises ended, she becomes a young and pretty woman; she dances, sings, and in fact takes all the possible pleasure of her sex and age. But when one o'clock strikes, the Queen re-appears, and Isabella assembles her council over which she always presides.