The Life and Letters of Elizabeth Prentiss Part 60

Je suis heureuse que vous m'avez donne l'occasion de le relire, et d'en eprouver de nouveau la bienfaisante influence....

Ce serait un vrai privilege de pouvoir faire connaitre a notre public francais cette femme aussi distinguee par le coeur que par l'esprit, que nous aimons tous.

14. _Nidworth, and his three Magic Wands._ 1869.

The three Magic Wands are: Riches, Knowledge, and Love; and in depicting their peculiar and wonderful virtues Mrs. Prentiss has wrought into the story with much skill her own theory of a happy life. She wrote the book with intense delight, and its strange, weird-like scenes and characters--the home in the forest; Dolman, the poor woodcutter; Cinda, his tall and strong-minded wife; Nidworth, their first-born; wandering Hidda, boding ill-luck; the hermit; these and all the rest--seemed to her, for a while, almost as real as if she had copied them from life.

Its publishers (Roberts Brothers) p.r.o.nounced _Nidworth_ "a gem" and were not a little surprised at its failure to strike the popular fancy. It certainly contains some of the author's brightest pictures of life and character.

15. _The Percys._ 1870.

This work was translated into French and German, and won warm praise in both languages. It is full of spirit, depicts real boys and girls and a loving Christian mother with equal skill, and abounds in the best lessons of domestic peace.

16. _The Story Lizzie Told._ 1870.

17. _Six Little Princesses and what they turned into._ 1871.

No one of Mrs. Prentiss' lesser works betrays a keener insight into character or a finer touch than this. Its aim is to ill.u.s.trate the truth that all girls are endowed with their own individual talents; and to enforce the twofold lesson, that the diligent use of these talents, on the one hand, can furnish innocent pleasures beyond the reach of any outward position, however brilliant; and, on the other, is the best preparation for the day of adversity.

The closing sentences of the story will give an inkling of its aim and quality:

"I see how it is," said the Countess. "You must live together. Each feels herself incomplete without the others. Novella needs somebody to take care of her and somebody to love. In return, she will give love and endless entertainment. Reima, too, needs looking after, and some one will watch with a friendly eye the growth of her paintings. Our two musicians must not become one-sided by thinking only of melody and song. They must enjoy being clothed by Moina's kind hands, listening to Novella's poems, and discussing Reima's works. And you must train all your ears to appreciate the talents of these two marvellous creatures who sing and play with such rare, such exquisite harmony."

"And what shall I do?" cried Delicieuse.

"You shall do a little of everything, dear child. You shall help Moina to guide the house, and Reima to mix the colors. You shall take care that the piano is never out of tune, or Novella at a loss for pens and paper. In a word, you shall be what you always have been, always ready with the oil of gladness, wherever you see friction, the sweetest, the most lovable creature in the world."

Delicieuse smiled, and ran to embrace all her sisters, hardly knowing which she loved best.

It was not long before those royal maidens, royal only in their virtues and their talents, found themselves in a home in a vine-clad land, where each could live as Nature had designed she should live.

Moina, whose practical skill was not confined to her needle, kept the house with such exquisite care and neatness, that her sisters preferred it to a palace. She found happiness in forgetting herself, in her pride in them, and in the freedom from petty cares from which she s.h.i.+elded them. Her calm, serene character was a continual repose to the varying moods of Reima and Novella; a balance-wheel to works that, running fast, often ran irregularly. Reima studied the old masters with no need for further travel, for her home lay among their works.

Mosella and Papeta composed music, made Delicieuse listen to and admire it when other hearers were wanting, and were satisfied with her criticisms.

Novella wrote books, and had her frenzies. She had her gentle and her gay moods, also, and made laughter ring through the house at her will.

Not one of these four was conscious of her powers, or asked for fame.

Nor did their aristocratic breeding make them ashamed to work for their bread. They even fancied that bread thus won, needed less b.u.t.ter to help it down, than that of charity.

As to Delicieuse, she was the bright, the golden link that bound the household together in peace and harmony. Her smiles, her caresses, the love that flowed forth from her as from a living fountain, made their home glad with perpetual suns.h.i.+ne. Thank G.o.d for the gifts of genius He has scattered abroad with a bountiful hand; but thank Him also that, without such gifts, one may become a joy and a benediction!

18. _Aunt Jane's Hero_. 1871.

This work was at once republished in England and appeared also in a French version.

19. _Golden Hours: Hymns and Songs of the Christian Life_. 1873.

Several of the pieces in this volume had already appeared; among them "More Love to Thee, O Christ." This hymn has pa.s.sed into most of the later collections. It was translated into Arabic, and is sung in the land once trodden by the blessed feet of Him whose name it adores, and throughout the East.

20. _Urbane and His Friends_. 1874.

This work was reprinted in England.

21. _Griselda: A Dramatic Poem in Five Acts_. Translated from the German of Friedrich Halm (Baron Munch-Bellinghausen). 1876.

Mrs. Prentiss supposed that hers was the first English version of this poem. But there is a translation by Sir R. A. Anstruther, which appeared in London as early as 1840 and in a new edition four years later. All attempts to obtain a copy of this translation in New York, or from London, have proved futile.

22. _The Home at Greylock_. 1876.

The following extract from a letter of the author of the French translation to Mrs. Prentiss deserves a place here:

MADAME,--Vous savez sans doute que, sans votre autorisation, une plume, bien hardie peut-etre, mais pleine de zele et de respect pour vous, s'est mise a traduire un de vos ouvrages, "The Home at Greylock." Sans votre autorisation! Etait-ce bien? etait-ce mal? Je me le suis demande plus d'une fois et je vous l'aurais demande, Madame, si j'avais su votre adresse a.s.sez tot.

L'editeur m'a mis la conscience a l'aise en m'a.s.surant que le droit etait le meme pour tous, et que les auteurs americains ne pouvaient conceder de privilege a qui que ce fut. Forte de cette a.s.surance, je me mis a l'oeuvre, mais j'avoue que j'eus besoin d'encouragements reiteres pour mener mon travail a bonne fin. Encore un mot d'explication, si vous le permittez, Madame. Je ne suis pas mere, mais je suis tante; j'ai vu naitre mes neveux et nieces, je les ai berces dans mes bras, j'ai veille sur leurs premiers pas, j'ai observe le developpement graduel de leur coeur et de leur intelligence, j'ai senti a fond combien l'oeuvre de l'education est serieuse et combien il importe d'etre discipline soi-meme par le Seigneur pour discipliner les pet.i.ts confies a nos soins. Il n'est done pas etonnant que votre livre m'ait vivement interessee et que j'aie voulu le mettre a la portee d'un grand nombre.

Cela eut ete fait tut ou tard par d'autres, je ne l'ignore point; mais j'avais envie d'essayer mes forces, et.... l'occasion a fait le larron.

Ne seriez-vous pas ma complice, Madame?...

M'appuyant sur votre bienveillame et sur la fraternite qui unit les ames dans le Seigneur, je vous prie, Madame, de ne pas me considerer comme une etrangere et d'agreer l'expression de mon estime et mes voeux en Christ.

23. _Pemaquid; a Story of Old Times in New England._ 1877.

24. _Gentleman Jim_. 1878.

This little story was the last production of her pen and appeared a few days only after her death.

25. _Avis Benson; or, Mine and Thine, with other Sketches_. 1879.

This is a collection of pieces that had already appeared in the Chicago Advance and in the New York Observer. It met with a cordial welcome and has had a large circulation.

Some of the readers of Mrs. Prentiss' books may be glad to see a specimen of her handwriting. The following is a fac-simile of the closing part of a letter to her cousin, Miss s.h.i.+pman, written at Dorset in 1867:

[Ill.u.s.tration: Handwriting Sample]

[1] B. J. Lossing, L.L.D., in the Christian Union of Oct. 15, 1879.

[2] B. J. Lossing in The Christian Union.

[3] Mr. Nathaniel Willis, then in his 76th year. He died at Boston, May 26, 1870, in the 90th year of his age.

[4] Sickness: its Trials and Blessings. A very wise and comforting book.

She bequeathed it back to Mrs. Prentiss at her death.

[5] To aid in defending it against the "Border-Ruffians."

[6] Mrs. Prentiss was on her way to Europe. Before sailing she went to Williamstown to say good-bye to her sister, but the latter was too ill to see her. They never met again on earth.

[7] Referring to the family of Rev. Wm. James, D.D., of Albany.