In her writing she was prone to spin her sentences without a sure guidance, and beyond the sympathy of her reader.  But in discourse, she was quick, conscious of power, in perfect tune with her company, and would pause and turn the stream with grace and adroitness, and with so much spirit, that her face beamed, and the young people came away delighted, among other things, with “her beautiful looks.”  When she was intellectually excited, or in high animal spirits, as often happened, all deformity of features was dissolved in the power of the expression.  So I interpret this repeated story of sumptuousness of dress, that this appearance, like her reported beauty, was simply an effect of a general impression of magnificence made by her genius, and mistakenly attributed to some external elegance; for I have been told by her most intimate friend, who knew every particular of her conduct at that time, that there was nothing of special expense or splendor in her toilette.

The effect of the winter’s work was happiest.  Margaret was made intimately known to many excellent persons.[A] In this company of matrons and maids, many tender spirits had been set in ferment.  A new day had dawned for them; new thoughts had opened; the secret of life was shown, or, at least, that life had a secret.  They could not forget what they had heard, and what they had been surprised into saying.  A true refinement had begun to work in many who had been slaves to trifles.  They went home thoughtful and happy, since the steady elevation of Margaret’s aim had infused a certain unexpected greatness of tone into the conversation.  It was, I believe, only an expression of the feeling of the class, the remark made, perhaps at the next year’s course, by a lady of eminent powers, previously by no means partial to Margaret, and who expressed her frank admiration on leaving the house:—­“I never heard, read of, or imagined a conversation at all equal to this we have now heard.”

The strongest wishes were expressed, on all sides, that the conversations should be renewed at the beginning of the following winter.  Margaret willingly consented; but, as I have already intimated, in the summer and autumn of 1840, she had retreated to some interior shrine, and believed that she came into life and society with some advantage from this devotion.

Of this feeling the new discussion bore evident traces.  Most of the last year’s class returned, and new members gave in their names.  The first meeting was holden on the twenty-second of November, 1840.  By all accounts it was the best of all her days.  I have again the notes, taken at the time, of the excellent lady at whose house it was held, to furnish the following sketch of the first and the following meetings.  I preface these notes by an extract from a letter of Margaret.

    TO W.H.C.