became the standing toast among the celebrated men of the day-at a time when Dr Johnson, Joshua Reynolds, Edmund Burke, and other notabilities were in their prime. At first she received an assemblage of intellectual persons unpremeditately; but afterwards, when she took possession of Mon-tague House, she gave entertainments on a scale of great splendour, to which were invited the leading celebrities of the time. In 1755, her husband died in extreme old age, while she was yet in the prime of life, being only thirty-five years of age. After this event, she adopted the son of her eldest brother, to whom she bequeathed her splendid fortune, requiring him to assume the name of Montague.

One special feature, in these grand receptions at Montague House, was the impartial choice its brilliant and hospitable mistress entertained with regard to the characters of those whom she invited. Although she chose them from all grades of society, merit was their chief recommendation. Further, when there was a stain upon the reputation of the noblest, she desisted from inviting them, while the lowly person of talent was received with a welcome. This was exemplified in her dropping the acquaintance of Lord Lyttleton, a brilliant but bad man, while she introduced to the notice of her visitors of high rank the talented James Beattie-a young Scotchman, who had earned his fame by an Essay on Truth, beside poems that have since immortalized his name. On this subject of choosing guests for her assemblies she has written the following beautiful sentence, as a theme of true friendship:-"Many guests my heart has not admitted; such as there are to do it honour, and a long and intimate acquaintance has preceded their admittance; they were invited in it by their best virtues; they passed through the examination of severity, nay, even answered some ques

tions of suspicion that inquired of their constancy and sincerity; but now they are delivered over to the keeping of constant faith and love; for doubt never visits the friend entirely, but only examines such as would come in, lest the way should be too common." When we consider the dissolute times in which this virtuous woman held her high influence in the social sphere of the English metropolis, it redounds to her honour and spotless fame that she came out of it scatheless. It is true that there were some, even women of talent, who threw their shafts of envy at her. But these fell harmless against the armour of virtue with which she was clad; and many who came within her circle to find some blemish, departed with a confirmed opinion of her purity of conduct.

To trace the various stages in the career of Mrs Elizabeth Montague, would be a long task, and beyond the limits of our sketches of the Gems of Womanhood. From the time of her husband's death she maintained her natural gifts as a leader of the social sphere she had created around her, for fortyfive years, and died an octogenarian in 1800, with all her mental faculties preserved, but physically feeble and almost blind. In those days she could recall, with melancholy pleasure, what she had predicted of old age in her youth, when she wrote the following passage in one of her letters :-" If the near prospect of death is terrible, it is a melancholy thing when every day of added life is a miracle; but such is the happy and merciful order of things that life is eternal, and therefore we cannot outlive it. It has for our amusement the midsummer's dream and the winter's tale; the ear deaf to all other music, is still soothed by its flattering voice."

Of those who knew her well and appreciated her character, we have the highest encomiums upon her

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as a sincere, talented woman, and a Christian. this head Dr Beattie remarks that " She was a sincere Christian, both in faith and practice, so that by her influence and example she did great good. I have known several ladies in literature, but she excelled them all, and in conversation she had more wit than any other person, male or female." Added to these testimonials of her religious character, it was through her superior attainments that she drew men and women from the gaming tables to frequent the intellectual circle of her drawing-room. In this respect, as a leader of the social sphere, she purified the atmosphere of conventional society in her time. To her social gatherings, also, is attributed the rise of literary society in London, which has steadily progressed during the present century, and now attained a high and honourable position.

Madame Recamier,

CELEBRATED FOR HER BEAUTY AND POWER OVER PARISIAN SOCIETY.

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MANKIND in all ages, and in every country, has acknowledged the power of beauty in womankind, as exercising a great influence on society. have endeavoured to ignore that power, by exalting the mental capabilities of the fair sex; but when it came to practical results, the charms of a beautiful woman carried the palm of excellence. Philosophers have endeavoured to prove that it was but a flitting vanity, but in its presence they have bowed to the

radiant presence of the "noblest work of God." Monarchs have vainly tried to be superior to its alluring powers, but in the end they have become the slaves of a reigning beauty. Even the multitude, who profess to be independent of its attractions, have, in many instances, swept along, dragging the car of Venus, and paid tribute to the queen of beauty, raised to that eminence by her sisterly compeers. And when the external charms of a woman are joined to superior mental qualifications, high and low, rich and poor, have acknowledged by their acclamations the irresistible influence of female excellence. Such in a pre-eminent degree was the magic sway of Madame Recamier over all classes of society in Paris, during the last years of the past and the early part of the present century.

In illustration of this fact we may cite from the testimony of her biographers, some remarkable instances of her overwhelming power in securing the admiration of all beholders. After the " Reign

of Terror"—like some hideous nightmare that had disturbed the dreams of the body politic-had passed away, people began to look abroad for scenes of pleasure in the light of day to dispel the horrible recollections of that long fearful night. Illuminated gardens were got up in imitation of those at Tivoli, where subscription balls were held, and thronged by the beauty and fashion that was left from the revolutionary wreck of society. These were the only places fit for a large and gay company, as the mansions of the noble and wealthy had been pillaged by the revolutionists, and no one had yet attempted to refurnish them. Accordingly for a time, Parisian society held its reunions at these public places of entertainment, hastily got up for the occasion. Here, under the blaze of innumerable lights, Madame Recamier, blessed with youth and beauty of the

most exquisite order, was acknowledged by alleven the most envious of her sex-to be the most beautiful woman in France. Radiant with smiles, she cast a glamour over the eyes and hearts of all who saw or conversed with her. Those who had witnessed the sanguinary women of the sans culotte class, during the days of the guillotine, looked upon her as the emblem of an angel of peace come to restore happiness and security to the distracted land.

But it was not only in the glare of artificial light that she eclipsed all other beauties, her transcendant loveliness was even more radiant in the light of day. At that time the gardens of the Tuilleries were the chief resort of the promenaders who went there to enjoy the freedom of talking and walking without fear of spies or executioners. By the Revolution all distinctions of rank had been not only abolished but forgotten, so that high and low, rich and poor, people from town and country, mingled promiscuously in the beautiful walks and arbours. There, as Madame Recamier passed along with her friends, crowds of the ruder suburban Parisians would push the more polite people aside to get a glimpse of the reigning belle, just as we see rude people in our own country rush in mobs to look at the Princess Alexandra. Then, when she went for a drive in what is now called the Champs Elyseés, where the finest equipages, the best dressed ladies, and the most fashionable young men drove, rode, and walked; the carriages, though not very numerous, were obliged to go at a foot's pace to allow a full view of the ladies; and Madame Recamier was universally proclaimed the most beautiful.

Nor was it only in the ordinary places of public resort that this beautiful woman was the admired of all admirers; she was peerless among the highest circles, where her husband's great wealth and posi

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