Page:Heroines of freethought (IA cu31924031228699).pdf/193

by sickness for so large a portion of her life, and afflicted with deafness from early childhood, could have explored so successfully such vast and various fields of thought, have grappled with so many tough problems of Church and State, have penetrated behind so many scenes; searching the hearts of kings and courtiers, unearthing the secrets of cabals and cliques, ferreting out the tattle of clubs, and the scandal of drawing-rooms: and doing all this so calmly and intrepidly, without loss of dignity or delicacy, without giving way to ennui or disgust; but ever with even temper and unclouded judgment investigating and disentangling the facts as they pass in review before her, and announcing her opinions, often, indeed, with the brevity of an oracle, but never with any taint of its ambiguity or affectation... In this delightful volume only one thing seems wanting to render it absolutely satisfactory to all readers, and that is a deeper feeling of religious enthusiasm and a more cordial