long and somewhat bitter tirade a few lines may suffice as a specimen:—
But here comes Miranda. Zeus! where shall I flee to?
She has such a penchant for bothering me, too!
She always keeps asking if I don't observe a
Particular likeness 'twixt her and Minerva.
She will take an old notion and make it her own,
By saying it o'er in her sibylline tone;
Or persuade you 'tis something tremendously deep,
By repeating it so as to put you to sleep.
And she well may defy any mortal to see through it.
When once she has mixed up her infinite me through it.
Here Miranda came up and said. Phœbus, you know
That the infinite soul has its infinite woe,
As I ought to know, having lived cheek by jowl,
Since the day I was born, with the infinite soul.
These remarks, explanatory and apologetic, are suggested partly by Emerson's statements concerning the beginning of his acquaintance with Margaret, and partly by the writer's own recollections of the views of outsiders concerning her, which contrasted strongly with the feeling and opinion of her intimates.
Emerson first heard of Margaret from Dr. Hedge, and afterwards from Miss Martineau. Both were warm in their praise of her, and the last-named was especially desirous to introduce her to Emerson, whont she very much wished to know. After one or more chance meetings, it was arranged that Margaret should spend a fortnight with Mrs. Emerson. The date of this visit was in July 1836.
To the description of her person already quoted from Dr. Hedge, we may add a sentence or two from Emerson's record of his first impressions of her:–
"She had a face and frame that would indicate
