ITY.

Immediately after reading Miss Martineau's book on America, Margaret
felt bound in honor to write her a letter, the magnanimity of which is
brought out in full relief, by contrast with the expressions already
given of her affectionate regard. Extracts from this letter, recorded
in her journals, come here rightfully in place:--

'On its first appearance, the book was greeted by a volley
of coarse and outrageous abuse, and the nine days' wonder
was followed by a nine days' hue-and-cry. It was garbled,
misrepresented, scandalously ill-treated. This was all of
no consequence. The opinion of the majority you will find
expressed in a late number of the North American Review. I
should think the article, though ungenerous, not more so than
great part of the critiques upon your book.

'The minority may be divided into two classes: The one,
consisting of those who knew you but slightly, either
personally, or in your writings. These have now read your
book; and, seeing in it your high ideal standard, genuine
independence, noble tone of sentiment, vigor of mind and
powers of picturesque description, they value your book very
much, and rate you higher for it.

'The other comprises those who were previously aware of these
high qualities,--and who, seeing in a book to which they
had looked for a lasting monument to your fame, a degree
of presumptuousness, irreverence, inaccuracy, hasty
generalization, and ultraism on many points, which they did
not expect, lament the haste in which you have written, and
the injustice which you have consequently done to so important
a task, and to your own powers of being and doing. To this
class I belong.

'I got the book as soon as it came out,--long before I
received the copy endeared by your handwriting,--and
devoted myself to reading it. I gave myself up to my natural
impressions, without seeking to ascertain those of others.
Frequently I felt pleasure and admiration, but more frequently
disappointment, sometimes positive distaste.

'There are many topics treated of in this book of which I am
not a judge; but I do pretend, even where I cannot criticize
in detail, to have an opinion as to the general tone of
thought. When Herschel writes his Introduction to Natural
Philosophy, I cannot test all he says, but I cannot err about
his fairness,