Part 60 (1/2)

Je suis heureuse que vous m'avez donne l'occasion de le relire, et d'en eprouver de nouveau la bienfaisante influence

Ce serait un vrai privilege de pouvoir faire connaitre a notre public francais cette feuee par le coeur que par l'esprit, que nous aiic Wands_ 1869

The three Magic Wands are: Riches, Knowledge, and Love; and in depicting their peculiar and wonderful virtues Mrs Prentiss has wrought into the story with much skill her own theory of a happy life She wrote the book with intense delight, and its strange, weird-like scenes and characters--the home in the forest; Dol- Hidda, boding ill-luck; the hermit; these and all the rest--seemed to her, for a while, almost as real as if she had copied them from life

Its publishers (Roberts Brothers) pronounced _Nidworth_ ”a gem” and were not a little surprised at its failure to strike the popular fancy It certainly contains sohtest pictures of life and character

15 _The Percys_ 1870

This as translated into French and Geres It is full of spirit, depicts real boys and girls and a loving Christian mother with equal skill, and abounds in the best lessons of domestic peace

16 _The Story Lizzie Told_ 1870

17 _Six Little Princesses and what they turned into_ 1871

No one of Mrs Prentiss' lesser works betrays a keener insight into character or a finer touch than this Its aiirls are endoith their own individual talents; and to enforce the twofold lesson, that the diligent use of these talents, on the one hand, can furnish innocent pleasures beyond the reach of any outward position, however brilliant; and, on the other, is the best preparation for the day of adversity

The closing sentences of the story will give an inkling of its aim and quality:

”I see how it is,” said the Countess ”You ether Each feels herself incomplete without the others Novella needs somebody to take care of her and soive love and endless entertain after, and sorowth of her paintings Our twoonly ofclothed by Moina's kind hands, listening to Novella's poe Reima's works And you must train all your ears to appreciate the talents of these twoand play with such rare, such exquisite harmony”

”And what shall I do?” cried Delicieuse

”You shall do a little of everything, dear child You shall help Moina to guide the house, and Reima to mix the colors You shall take care that the piano is never out of tune, or Novella at a loss for pens and paper In a word, you shall be what you always have been, always ready with the oil of gladness, wherever you see friction, the sweetest, the most lovable creature in the world”

Delicieuse s which she loved best

It was not long before those royal maidens, royal only in their virtues and their talents, found themselves in a home in a vine-clad land, where each could live as Nature had designed she should live

Moina, whose practical skill was not confined to her needle, kept the house with such exquisite care and neatness, that her sisters preferred it to a palace She found happiness in forgetting herself, in her pride in them, and in the freedom from petty cares from which she shi+elded them Her cal moods of Rei fast, often ran irregularly Reima studied the old masters with no need for further travel, for her ho their works

Mosella and Papeta composed music, made Delicieuse listen to and ad, and were satisfied with her criticisms

Novella wrote books, and had her frenzies She had her gentle and her gay h the house at her will

Not one of these four was conscious of her powers, or asked for fa make them ashamed to work for their bread They even fancied that bread thus won, needed less butter to help it down, than that of charity

As to Delicieuse, she was the bright, the golden link that bound the household together in peace and harmony Her smiles, her caresses, the love that flowed forth frolad with perpetual sunshi+ne Thank God for the gifts of genius He has scattered abroad with a bountiful hand; but thank Hiifts, one may become a joy and a benediction!

18 _Aunt Jane's Hero_ 1871

This as at once republished in England and appeared also in a French version

19 _Golden Hours: Hys of the Christian Life_ 1873

Several of the pieces in this volu them ”More Love to Thee, O Christ” This hymn has passed into most of the later collections It was translated into Arabic, and is sung in the land once trodden by the blessed feet of Hihout the East