The Life of Darcy, Lady Maxwell, Compiled from Her Diary and Correspondence (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. 1826. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... 297 1786. Death of Ladies Hope and Glenorchy.--Character of Lady Glenorchy.-- She appoints Lady Maxwell her Executrix, and leaves her fortune for the support of religion.--Lady Maxwell visits England.--She meets with the Rev. Alexander Mather.--Character of him.--Correspondence with him-- and the Rev. Charles Atmore. This was an eventful and memorable year in the life of Lady Maxwell. That sacred bond of union, which nothing in life had been able to dissever, was at once broken up by the irresistible and unrelenting arm of death. On the first of January, Lady Henrietta Hope bade adieu to all the pains and disquietudes of mortality, and entered into life. She had long languished under an enfeebled body, and had been called to endure a complication of afflictions. While these, sanctified as they were by grace, naturally induced her to trim her lamp, and to wait, in an expectant attitude, the coming of her Lord, they also tended to prepare her friends for the painful bereavement. Lady Glenorchy was with her at Bath; a close and unwearied attendant. It was her honourable employment to watch over the last lingering moments of the dying saint, to soothe the bed of death, and to witness the flight of her redeemed and triumphant spirit. "But after every medical exertion had proved ineffectual, and the medicinal virtue of the wells yielding no relief, she meekly rendered up her ransomed soul into the hands of her Redeemer. Thus died Lady Henrietta Hope, more full of honour than of days, leaving behind her a fair copy of every thing praiseworthy, and of good report. A considerable part of her property she left for pious and charitable purposes."* Gibbons's Memoirs of eminently pious Women, vol. ii. page 260. Though Lady Maxwell could not but rejoice to hear that t...