in different and distant parts of our country.  Evidently devoted to the welfare of her pupils—­attentive to their peculiarities of character—­happy in discovering the best avenue of approach to their minds—­possessing in a high degree the talent of simplifying her instruction and varying its form, she succeeded in that most difficult part of a teacher’s work, the inducing youth to take an interest in their own improvement, and to educate themselves by exerting their own faculties.

“In governing her little empire, she acted upon those principles which are the basis of all good government, on every scale and under every modification—­to be reasonable, to be firm, and to be uniform.  Her authority was both tempered and strengthened by condescension.  It commanded respect while it conciliated affection.  Her word was law, but it was the law of kindness.  It spoke to the conscience, but it spoke to the heart; and obedience bowed with the knee of love.  She did not, however, imagine her work to be perfected in fitting her eleves for duties and elegance of life.  Never did she forget their immortal nature.  Utterly devoid of sectarian narrowness, she labored to infuse into their minds those vital principles of evangelical piety which form the common distinction of the disciples of Christ, the peculiar glory of the female name, and the surest pledge of domestic bliss.  Her voice, her example, her prayers concurred in recommending that pure and undefiled religion without which no human being shall see the Lord.  Shall we wonder that her scholars should be tenderly attached to such a preceptress; that they should leave her with their tears and their blessing; that they should carry an indelible remembrance of her into the bosom of their families; that the reverence of pupils should ripen with their years into the affection of friends; and that there should be among them, at this day, many a wife who is a crown to her husband, and many a mother who is a blessing to her children, and who owes, in a great degree, the felicity of her character to the impressions, the principles, and the habits which she received while under the maternal tuition of Mrs. GRAHAM?

“Admonished at length by the infirmities of age, and importuned by her friends, this venerable matron retired to private life.  But it was impossible for her to be idle.  Her leisure only gave a new direction to her activity.  With no less alacrity than she had displayed in the education of youth, did she now embark in the relief of misery.  Her benevolence was unbounded, but it was discreet.  There are charities which increase the wretchedness they are designed to diminish; which, from some fatal defect in their application, bribe to iniquity while they are relieving want, and make food and raiment and clothing to warm into life the most poisonous seeds of vice.  But the charities of our departed friend were of another order.  They selected the fittest objects—­the widow, the fatherless, the orphan, the untaught child, and the ignorant adult.  They combined intellectual and moral benefit with the communication of physical comfort.