Maids of Honour; Twelve Descriptive Sketches of Single Women Who Have Distinguished Themselves in Philanthropy, Nursing, Poetry, Travel, Science, Prose (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1906. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... PREFATORY NOTE. With grateful thanks I beg to acknowledge the kindness of Mrs J. Addington Symonds, Messrs Macmillan, and Messrs Sampson, Low, Marston, & Co., in allowing me to make use of 'Recollections of a Happy Life, ' 'West African Studies, ' 'Poems of Christina Rossetti, ' and 'Life of Louisa Alcott, ' respectively, --also to the Chairman of the Bristol Museum Committee, Professor J. Estlin Carpenter, Sir William Herschel and Miss Herschel, Mr Kirby, Mr Charles Kingsley, Madame Belloc, Mrs W. W. Vaughan, Mr F. B. Sanborn, Mr W. M. Rossetti, Mr W. G. Strickland, and Mr C. Elkin Mathews, for their kindly readiness in lending me the originals from which the portraits in this volume are reproduced--most of them for the first time, --also to "Delicia" for her clever delineation of Hannah Mores handwriting. For a detailed list of the illustrations and an interesting "note" respecting Agnes Strickland, b together with her authentic pedigree, the Appendix may be consulted. What shall I more say? Space would fail were I to tell of all the evidences of interest and encouragement received, -- always from the most unexpected quarters, --but I sincerely wish to acknowledge my indebtedness. Nothing truer has been said as to the making of a book than that "there is scarcely any limit to the improvements which might be suggested, scarcely any point at which an author would acknowledge that he could effect no more." Of this I am most humbly conscious, and, in submitting these "Sketches" to the Public, I would fain claim sympathy rather than challenge criticism, knowing only too well wherein I have failed, but knowing also, even better than It, the difficulties of portraying, satisfyingly, the rare and beautiful lives of these honourable women. A....