on of infirmity and decay.
The idealization of the human form makes a God. The fact that
man can conceive and express this perfection of being, is as
good a witness to immortality, as the look of aspiration in
the countenance of a Magdalen.

"It is quite beyond the power of my memory to recall all
the bright utterances of Margaret, in these conversations on
Sculpture. It was a favorite subject with her. Then came two
or three conversations on Painting, in which it seemed to be
conceded that color expressed passion, whilst sculpture more
severely expressed thought: yet painting did not exclude the
expression of thought, or sculpture that of feeling,--witness
Niobe,--but it must be an universal feeling, like the maternal
sentiment."

* * * * *

"_March 22, 1841_.--The question of the day was, What is life?

"Let us define, each in turn, our idea of living. Margaret did
not believe we had, any of us, a distinct idea of life.

"A.S. thought so great a question ought to be given for a
written definition. 'No,' said Margaret, 'that is of no use.
When we go away to think of anything, we never do think. We
all talk of life. We all have some thought now. Let us tell
it. C----, what is life?'

"C---- replied,--'It is to laugh, or cry, according to our
organization.'

"'Good,' said Margaret, 'but not grave enough. Come, what is
life? I know what I think; I want you to find out what you
think.'

"Miss P. replied,--'Life is division from one's principle of
life in order to a conscious reoerganization. We are cut up by
time and circumstance, in order to feel our reproduction of
the eternal law.'

"Mrs. E.,--'We live by the will of God, and the object of life
is to submit,' and went on into Calvinism.

"Then came up all the antagonisms of Fate and Freedom.

"Mrs. H. said,--'God created us in order to have a perfect
sympathy from us as free beings.'

"Mrs. A.B. said she thought the object of life was to attain
absolute freedom. At this Margaret immediately and visibly
kindled.

"C.S. said,--'God creates from the fulness of life, and
cannot but create; he created us to overflow, without being
exhausted, because what he created, necessitated new creation.
It is not to make us happy, but creation is his happiness and
ou