of cultivating it. The discussion ended by these gentlemen offering to teach her themselves, and the most eminent men of Vienna vied with one another in awakening the intellect and training the understanding of this fortunate young lady. After studying the classic tongues, she acquired the French, Italian, and English. Even in ornamental accomplishments she enjoyed very extraordinary advantages; for the great Mozart, who visited them frequently, though he gave lessons to nobody, condescended, from friendship, to advise and improve Caroline. Her brother appears to have partaken of the family taste for literature, though his sister's superiority has alone redeemed him from oblivion. He associated himself in a literary club of young men, who amused themselves with producing a sort of miscellany, made up of political essays poems, tales, or whatever was convenient. To this Caroline contributed anonymously, and derived great benefit from the exercise in composition which it demanded. It was through this association that she became acquainted with her husband, one of its members. She was married in 1796, and lived for forty years in the enjoyment of a happy union. It was her husband who induced her to come before the public as a writer: he was proud of her abilities, and argued with her that her productions might be of service to her own sex. In 1800, she appeared in the republic of letters, and was received with much applause. Klopstock and Lavater both wrote her complimentary and encouraging letters. She describes her celebrated novel "Agathocles" to have been written after her perusal of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall," the sophistry and unfairness of which, with respect to Christianity, roused her indignation, and urged her to attempt a work in which a true picture of the early Christians should be portrayed according to really authentic accounts.
The disasters which attended the house of Austria at this period affected her powerfully. Animated with feelings of loyalty and patriotism, she determined to undertake a tragedy, which should breathe the German spirit of resistance to foreign invasion. "Heinrich von Hohenstaufen" appeared in 1812. It was received with warm enthusiasm, and procured for the author the acquaintance of several literary ladies—Madame von Baumberg, Madame Weisenthurn, and some others. Madame Pichler had but one child, a daughter, to whom she was tenderly devoted, and who rewarded her maternal cares by her goodness and filial piety. Caroline Pichler died in 1843.
As some of her best works we mention her "Agathocles," "The Siege of Vienna," "Dignity of Woman," and "The Rivals." Her works recommend themselves, by warm feeling, pure morals, and well-digested thoughts, as well as by a perfect style and vivid descriptive powers. We would particularly mention "Agathocles," which is considered the most important on account of the matter its subject being the struggles of new-born Christianity against the religion of Rome and Greece.
PICKERING, ELLEN,
An English novel-writer, of whom it may truly be said that she has given more innocent amusement in the way of this literature; with less of dangerous excitement, than any one author of her class. She wrote rapidly, having in the course of a few years sent
