The Childhood of Distinguished Women Part 4

Her father was William Darling; a most suitable man for his post as keeper of the lighthouse, being vigilant, steady, attentive, and careful, not only in the special duties to which he was appointed, but also in training a numerous family with diligence and discretion.

So little Grace was not a lonely child in a quiet home; but one of a merry, active, happy troupe of northern children; sometimes playing in the clean, white-washed rooms and staircases of the lighthouse, or at other times clambering about the rough rocks, and watching the eddying waters all around.

Still the life of the young girl was not all play, with the dear brothers and sisters whom she loved.

Lessons had to be learned, and they were well learned too; copies had to be written, and in these little Grace soon excelled, for she "wrote a beautiful hand."

The kind, homely parents, too, taught her to think, and as she read nicely, and was bright and quick in acquiring the information within her rather limited grasp, she became very intelligent.

A fair share of household duties also fell to her lot, and these were discharged in a quiet, orderly, and un.o.btrusive way.

Though very neat in her dress, she was never smart; the only trace of feminine vanity was this:--After her brave conduct in the s.h.i.+pwreck of the "Forfars.h.i.+re," the Duke and d.u.c.h.ess of Northumberland sent for Grace Darling to Alnwick Castle, and presented her with a gold watch, which she always wore when visitors came to the lighthouse; taking care that the watch-seal should be slightly conspicuous on the plain, simple striped cotton gown!

Thus the childhood and girlhood pa.s.sed gently on in almost unvarying home love, duty, and quiet happiness, until the 5th of September, 1838, Grace being then in her twenty-third year.

On that night an awful storm rose in tempestuous fury and swept up to the Farne Islands, raging and swelling around, and tossing the black billows into surging foam amongst the cliffy little isles that chafed it into such majestic madness. A steamer had left Hull a day or two before, and as her boilers were not in good repair, she was soon rendered helpless in the wide ocean, and presently drifted on towards the perilous Longstone Lighthouse. She struck on one of the dreaded islands, and the cries of the few survivors who could cling to that portion of the wreck which was forcibly driven between the rocks, reached the ears of Grace Darling, who immediately awakened her father. Utter darkness prevented them from seeing where the wreck lay, and both father and daughter watched till the dawn. An attempt to rescue the moving forms which they could faintly discern in the misty daylight was almost hopeless, but for all that it was made, and the two stepped without hesitation into the frail, small boat, which they then rowed towards the wreck. Here the difficulty increased, as the tempestuous sea threatened to dash the boat and its occupants on the rocks where the "Forfars.h.i.+re"

was stranded. But the father succeeded in landing, Grace pus.h.i.+ng off with the boat to avoid its being engulphed, and with her oars balancing it amongst the rolling billows until the nine survivors and her father were safely with her in the tiny craft. Then both rowing back to the lighthouse, they carefully nursed, cheered, and tended those rescued men, Grace especially devoting herself to them with unremitting care.

This event gave Grace Darling the notoriety which her n.o.ble conduct so well merited.

It was on the 20th of October, 1842, when the wild equinoctial gales had not long swept over the surrounding seas, that she died gently in the midst of her own loving family circle, at the early age of twenty-seven.

It is easy to imagine the grat.i.tude and joy of the nine peris.h.i.+ng men who were rescued from an awful death!

May you, dear young readers, value far more highly that eternal salvation from darker death than the one which threatened them, that salvation of those who trust themselves fully to the loving Saviour's power and willingness to save! To save _from_ both the guilt of past sin, and the power of present sin of heart and life, through the influence of the Holy Spirit of G.o.d, and to save _for_ the calm, unshaken rest of a bright Home of Light, when the last wave of this stormy sea of life is left outside, and exchanged for the unbroken beauty of heaven's crystal "sea of gla.s.s!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: ST. CLEMENT'S CHURCH, NORWICH.]

XI.

MRS. FRY.

Elizabeth Fry, subsequently so well known as the kind visitor and instructress of the females in Newgate, was born on the 21st of May, 1780, in St. Clement's parish in the old city of Norwich.

Her father's name was John Gurney; her mother, whose maiden name was Bell, was a lineal descendant of Robert Barclay, the Apologist of the Quakers.

The Gurneys of Norwich trace their family back to the days of William Rufus, if not to the times of William the Conqueror.

Elizabeth was one of twelve children, and the third daughter in this large family of Quakers.

When she was four years old, her parents removed from the city to the beautiful estate of Earlham, where her childhood pa.s.sed away in much worldliness and gaiety, for the Quakers of this period were extremely lax in carrying out their peculiarities.

Earlham Hall is scarcely two miles from Norwich, and is a stately mansion surrounded by a lovely park, the river Wensum adding its charms to the scenery by its graceful windings in the vicinity. It was here, surrounded by luxury, beauty, and profusion, that the child played; and the old Hall was her bright, glad home.

Her mother seems to have been very fond of Elizabeth, and in writing about her, remarks:--"My dear little Betsey never offends, and is, in every sense of the word, truly engaging."

This may have been maternal partiality, for whilst a mere child, she was somewhat obstinate in disposition, and averse to study. It is even stated that she was thought a very dull child as to lessons, but this was probably because she had a great dislike to routine; and preferred a ride on horseback, a merry dance--for she was particularly fond of dancing--or a song with her sister Rachel, with whom she sang duets well.

However, Elizabeth evidently made progress in accomplishments, and was taught drawing, as well as music and dancing.

The young girl was naturally extremely nervous and sensitive; when only seven years old, she would quietly watch her mother when asleep, with a terrible dread that that beloved mother should not wake again. Or at times the wish would come into her heart, that the walls might close upon herself, and her dear parents, brothers, and sisters, and bury them in one grave together, rather than that she should ever have to suffer separation from them.

When her mother died, Elizabeth was a fair-haired, sweet-looking child of twelve, with soft blue eyes, and a silvery attractive voice, which in later life told the beautiful story of the love and life of Jesus, with wonderful influence, to the poor degraded outcasts in prison. One poor woman, on hearing her read, said, "Hus.h.!.+ the angels have lent her their voices!"

After the mother's death, the father and friends remained as gay as before, and an almost sceptical tendency crept over the family. With Elizabeth's nervous disposition, a dread of death was inevitable; she frequently alluded to it, calling it "This wonderful death," and in her diary she complains of dark restlessness of mind, and some disbelief in the truths of the Bible.

Happily this was arrested, for before Elizabeth was eighteen, an American "Friend" came to Norwich and his addresses given in the chapel roused the attention, and led the unsatisfied spirit to deep sorrow and mental anxiety. Elizabeth, who appeared as one of the listeners, in such gay clothing that her boots--purple laced with scarlet--were the especial envy of a younger sister, left the "Meeting" humble and weeping; and at night she remarked that she had for the first time _felt_ that there was a G.o.d, and added, "May that belief never leave me, or, if it does, may I at least always remember that I _have_ felt there is a G.o.d and immortality."

She had a long struggle with herself, being fond of notice and flattery, and possessed of considerable pride.

When "His Royal Highness of Gloucester" was in Norwich, she wished him to visit Earlham, but confessed, after she had seen the Prince, that her wish was the result of pride.

Soon after this she went to London, and was introduced to London life, but immediately after her return to her home, she gave up the gaiety which she had proved to be utterly unsatisfactory, and commenced a life of devotion to G.o.d, that resulted in loving obedience to His will.

Elizabeth's first efforts to teach to others the way of life, which the Holy Spirit had revealed to her through Christ, was attention to a dying servant. This was followed by instruction to an increasing cla.s.s of boys whom she had in the laundry at Earlham Hall, and on her marriage with Joseph Fry, these lads numbered eighty-seven. Shortly after this marriage, which had removed her to London, she began her work of love in Newgate, where for many years she taught the poor women of the sympathy and care of Jesus. She pa.s.sed away at the age of sixty-seven, with a beautiful, lingering smile, and the simple words of trust and faith, "It is a strife, but I am safe."

XII.

AGNES STRICKLAND.

Let us turn to an old Westmoreland family, residing between three and four hundred years ago, in the style of the period, at Sizergh Castle.

Sir Thomas Strickland, the head of that family, manifested loyal attachment to the house of Stuart, and some of the lands and hereditary possessions, both in Westmoreland and Lancas.h.i.+re, were eventually lost through the steady adherence of Sir Thomas and his relatives to this cause.

We read of one daughter of the house in the time of Henry VIII., whose name, like that of the character we are sketching, was Agnes Strickland, marrying Sir Henry Curwen, of Workington Castle. And their son received Mary Queen of Scots, when she landed upon his estate. Camden, the historian, is also descended from the same branch of the family of Strickland.

A second Agnes Strickland married the eldest son of the Archbishop of York, Francis Sandys, and the family of the Stricklands appear to owe their conversion from Romanism to the Protestant faith to the influence of another son of the Archbishop, named George, who was a poet about two hundred years ago. They then became as staunch in the principles of the Reformation as they had previously been firm in papal policy.

One branch of the Strickland family settled at Raydon Hall, in Suffolk, and here the third Agnes Strickland was born, who has been so justly celebrated as the Historian of "The Queens of England from the Norman Conquest." Raydon Hall is a very lonely place on the sea coast, quite a mile from the nearest village, and there is no dwelling at all near to it, except one farm-house upon the estate.

The seclusion being thus extremely great during the long, bleak winter on the eastern coast, the family residing there would have pa.s.sed many dreary months but for the intellectual tastes of its talented members.

There were eight children. Agnes was the third daughter, and the girls were very amicable and sociable in their simple life, varying the sterner work of severe study with delightful games, or in the care of pet animals, or by strolls in the gardens and grounds around the Hall. A governess had the partial training of Agnes and her sisters, but their father, himself a literary man, and intensely fond of history, topography and genealogy, princ.i.p.ally conducted their education; compelling the girls to master subjects far beyond the usual attainments of young ladies, and requiring some knowledge of algebra and mathematics from the not always compliant and obedient daughters.

Mr. Strickland suffered from gout, and was frequently confined to his chair or bed.

He then supplied abundant work for Elizabeth, Agnes, and the other sisters in reading to him. This they were delighted to do, and took almost as much interest in history as the father. But Mr. Strickland also endeavoured to carry out his wish that the girls should be proficient in mathematical studies, and in this Elizabeth alone seemed to be docile, for she would patiently pore over the figures on her slate, whilst Agnes and the others bestowed very sisterly pity upon her.

Agnes had a more cla.s.sical turn, preferring the history, and also poetry, making sundry attempts at versification herself; but this taste Mr. Strickland rigorously checked, considering the effort as a waste of time. At last the child obtained her father's consent to let Latin take the place of problems, and she then set to work upon an old book in that language, learning to repeat a number of dialogues:--a mode of studying language extremely irregular, and by no means commended by the anxious parent.

Still Agnes also managed to write verses which presently came under Mr.