sisters conducted with hitherto unparalleled discretion and ability. At no other establishment could equal advantages of religious, moral, and mental instruction be obtained. The influx of scholars proved too great for the domicile, and the sisters consequently built for themselves a larger house on vacant ground, the first of the locality now well known as Park-street, Bristol. There they received sixty boarders, and might, if they would, have had as many more, the school being the most fashionable and prosperous in the kingdom.

In 1764, Sir James Stonhouse, the eminent physician, took Holy Orders, and, probably a little before that date, came with his second wife and family to reside at Bristol, in the same street with the Miss Mores. Appreciating their worth and talents, he introduced them at his house to the best society of the city and neighbourhood, among whom their good looks, agreeable manners, lively conversation, and total freedom from every sort and degree of artifice and affectation, made them general favourites. Sir James especially delighted in fostering the genius of Hannah; he directed her theological studies, and remained through life her almost paternal friend.

In 1765, occupying herself with the study of Italian literature, and making poetical translations for the improvement of her style, she enlarged and worked up Metastasio's opera of Attilio Regolo' into an English tragedy, to which she gave the title of The Inflexible Captive.' This alone of all her mere literary exercises, she deemed worthy of preservation. Several short pieces from other Italian poets, and from Spanish writers, were saved from oblivion by the friends of her youth, and evince a masterly facility.

All the sisters excelled in colloquial French, and

Sarah, as well as Hannah, spoke the Italian and Spanish languages fluently.

The candour with which the other four sisters admitted, asserted, and gloried in the superiority of Hannah, the subservience in which they held their own pretensions to notice, and the consistent self-denial with which they set themselves as foils to show off on all occasions her transcendent brilliancy, prove at once the soundness of their understandings, the nobleness of their hearts, and the strength of their family affection. She was the centre of their worldly hopes and fears, their first earthly object in life. Martha was pre-eminent in this devotion to Hannah, and Hannah repaid them all with cordial love, bore all her honours meekly, and led and joined her sisters in every benevolent act for which circumstances gave the opportunity. Gratitude to their parents was evinced by relieving them from labour, setting them free from care, and placing them in a comfortable house at Stony Hill, with two maid-servants to wait upon them, where the dutiful daughters could witness and enjoy the reflection of the happiness they bestowed.

The fatiguing monotony of their arduous employment was broken by spending the vacations at the houses of various friends. Hannah and her devoted "Patty" were frequently the guests of some pupils who made their home at Belmont, the seat of Edward Turner, Esq., and there Hannah's taste for landscape-gardening was elicited, alterations were made at her suggestion, and memorials erected, which, after the lapse of a century, still testify of her. A scene in those grounds, and a legend connected with it, afforded the materials for her poem, called The Bleeding Rock.' Mr. Turner of Belmont, a man of large fortune, and of an intellectual and honourable character,

though of a gloomy and capricious temper, was not insensible to the extraordinary attractions, moral, mental, and personal, of the gay and gentle Hannah More. In the year 1767, when she numbered twenty-two, and he fortytwo years, he made her an offer of marriage. Tempted, perhaps, by the desire of independence and social position, or mistaking gratitude for love, she accepted it, resigned her partnership in the school, and laid up a large supply of expensive house-linen, clothes, and other appertainments of a country gentleman's bride. Three times, in the course of the six following years, the wedding-day was fixed, and as often postponed by her affianced husband. He would not give up the engagement, yet he hesitated to fulfil it. Thus, lingering in suspense, Hannah More's health and spirits failed; she saw that there could be no rational prospect of happiness with a man who could so cruelly trifle with her feelings; and yielding to the remonstrances of her sisters, came at last to a peremptory decision, and renounced the engagement. Against this Mr. Turner earnestly protested, declaring to Sir James Stonhouse, that he would marry her without further delay, at any hour, if she would but have him. Sanctioned by the opinion of Mrs. Gwatkin, and of all her best friends, Hannah More firmly adhered to her resolution, and rejected this proposal. By the interposition of Sir James, an amicable arrangement was at last effected, and Mr. Turner, at his own instance, and after repeated and urgent entreaties, was allowed to settle upon her an annuity of 2007. a-year; having offered one of triple the amount. The agitation and distress caused by Mr. Turner's conduct induced Hannah More to determine, with that infrangible strength of will which belonged to her mild yet noble character, that she would never again listen to matri

monial proposals. Her resolution was subsequently tested more than once, and never wavered for a moment; and her experience probably induced her sisters likewise to preserve their maiden liberty.

In the spring of the year 1773, Hannah More, accompanied by two of her sisters, went to London for the first time. She was then twenty-eight years of age, and possessed an independent income, which released her from the onerous toils of a schoolmistress, and sufficed for all her requirements; she retained a happy home with her fondly attached family, possessed many valuable friends, and had already won a high reputation for learning and for brilliant conversational talents. She had not therefore to seek in the metropolis those objects which commonly attract the lowly born, increase of wealth, or elevation of station, either for herself or her kinswomen.

Her future career began to open more clearly before her, and she sought an opportunity of increasing her stores of knowledge, of becoming acquainted with authors and other celebrated persons, of seeing the world, and ascertaining the part which it behoved her to play in it. In fact she went into the great arena of life to try her strength among the athlete. She had by her, and probably with her, the tragedy of 'Regulus' ready for the stage and the press; and it was a part of her business in this, her first visit to London, to see a publisher, and to make arrangements with him for the immediate publication of her already popular school-play.

The author of the present biographical notice possesses a copy of The Search after Happiness; a Pastoral Drama; the ninth edition, with Additions, 1787.' The preface states that "This little poem was composed when the author was only eighteen years old," that is to say, in the

Y

year 1763. The dedication, to Mrs. Gwatkin, acknowledges the friendship with which from Hannah More's childhood that lady had honoured her, and bears the date of the drama's publication, May 10, 1773, the year and period of Hannah's first visit to London. There is a prologue, and between the concluding speech of the drama and the epilogue there is an Ode to Charity, "To be performed by the characters of the piece." This may probably be reckoned among the 'Additions;' the others consist in an Inscription in a beautiful Retreat, called Fairy Bower;' a 'Prologue to Hamlet, spoken by the late Mr. Powell, on his benefit night, at the theatre of Jacob's Well, near Bristol;' besides another prologue, which, filling the last leaves of the pamphlet, has been torn away and partly lost. The last page (57) shows it to have been spoken on the first appearance of a female candidate for scenic favour.

'The Search after Happiness' met with immediate and great success; and she presented the copyright and profits of this her first publication, to her beloved and devoted sister Patty.

The theatre, with its scenic hero, formed a principal object of attraction. Having seen Garrick in Lear,' and written her opinion of that wonderful impersonation to a mutual acquaintance, who showed it to him, Garrick called on her, at her lodgings in Henrietta-street, CoventGarden. A lively conversation ensued; he perceived at once her extraordinary mental powers, her tendency and talent for the drama, and he resolved to cultivate her friendship. The next day she received from Mrs. Garrick an invitation to their villa at Hampton. Being introduced there to Mrs. Montagu, and meeting soon afterwards at Mrs. Montagu's house, in Hill-street, Mrs. Boscawen, and