’The New-year opens upon me under circumstances inexpressibly sad.  I must make the last great sacrifice, and, apparently, for evil to me and mine.  Life, as I look forward, presents a scene of struggle and privation only.  Yet “I bate not a jot of heart,” though much “of hope.”  My difficulties are not to be compared with those over which many strong souls have triumphed.  Shall I then despair?  If I do, I am not a strong soul.’

Margaret’s family treated her, in this exigency, with the grateful consideration due to her love, and urgently besought her to take the necessary means, and fulfil her father’s plan.  But she could not make up her mind to forsake them, preferring rather to abandon her long-cherished literary designs.  Her struggles and her triumph thus appear in her letters:—­

’January 30, 1836.—­I was a great deal with Miss Martineau, while in Cambridge, and love her more than ever.  She is to stay till August, and go to England with Mr. and Mrs. Farrar.  If I should accompany them I shall be with her while in London, and see the best literary society.  If I should go, you will be with mother the while, will not you?[A] Oh, dear E——­, you know not how I fear and tremble to come to a decision.  My temporal all seems hanging upon it, and the prospect is most alluring.  A few thousand dollars would make all so easy, so safe.  As it is, I cannot tell what is coming to us, for the estate will not be settled when I go.  I pray to God ceaselessly that I may decide wisely.’

* * * * *

’April 17th, 1836.—­If I am not to go with you I shall be obliged to tear my heart, by a violent effort, from its present objects and natural desires.  But I shall feel the necessity, and will do it if the life-blood follows through the rent.  Probably, I shall not even think it best to correspond with you at all while you are in Europe.  Meanwhile, let us be friends indeed.  The generous and unfailing love which you have shown me during these three years, when I could be so little to you, your indulgence for my errors and fluctuations, your steady faith in my intentions, have done more to shield and sustain me than any other earthly influence.  If I must now learn to dispense with feeling them constantly near me, at least their remembrance can never, never be less dear.  I suppose I ought, instead of grieving that we are soon to be separated, now to feel grateful for an intimacy of extraordinary permanence, and certainly of unstained truth and perfect freedom on both sides.

’As to my feelings, I take no pleasure in speaking of them; but I know not that I could give you a truer impression of them, than by these lines which I translate from the German of Uhland.  They are entitled “JUSTIFICATION.”

      “Our youthful fancies, idly fired,
        The fairest visions would embrace;
      These, with impetuous