"It is, by God's mercy, in our power to attain a degree of
self-government, which is essential to our own happiness, and
contributes greatly to that of those around us. Take care of over-
excitement, and endeavour to keep a quiet mind (even for your health
it is the best advice that can be given you): your moral and spiritual
improvement will then keep pace with the culture of your intellectual
powers.
"And now, madam, God bless you!
"Farewell, and believe me to be your sincere friend,
"ROBERT SOUTHEY.
Of this second letter, also, she spoke, and told me that it contained an
invitation for her to go and see the poet if ever she visited the Lakes.
"But there was no money to spare," said she, "nor any prospect of my ever
earning money enough to have the chance of so great a pleasure, so I gave
up thinking of it." At the time we conversed together on the subject we
were at the Lakes. But Southey was dead.
This "stringent" letter made her put aside, for a time, all idea of
literary enterprise. She bent her whole energy towards the fulfilment of
the duties in hand; but her occupation was not sufficient food for her
great forces of intellect, and they cried out perpetually, "Give, give,"
while the comparatively less breezy air of Dewsbury Moor told upon her
health and spirits more and more.
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