t but look upon Lucretia Davidson as
one of the wonders of humanity. Her early productions excited even the
admiration of Byron; and the delicacy, dutifulness, and exaltation, of
her character seemed almost to have realized angelic purity and beauty
of soul, in a tenement of clay.

The little Margaret, as we have seen, was the object of Lucretia's
fondest affection. She used to gaze upon her little sister with
delight, and, remarking the brightness and beauty of her eyes, would
exclaim, "She must, she will be a poet!" She did not live to see her
prediction verified, but to use her mother's fond expressions, "On
ascending to the skies, it seemed as if her poetic mantle fell, like a
robe of light, on her infant sister."

Though Margaret was but two years and a half old, the death of her
sister made a strong impression on her, and an incident which occurred
a few months afterwards showed that she appreciated her character. As
Mrs. Davidson was seated, at twilight, conversing with a female
friend, Margaret entered the room with a light, elastic step, for
which she was remarked. "That child never walks," said the lady; then
turning to her, she said, "Margaret, where are you flying now?" "To
heaven!" replied Margaret, pointing up with her fingers, "to meet my
sister Lucretia, when I get my new wings." "Your new wings! When will
you get them?" "O, soon, very soon; and then I shall fly!" "She
loved," says her mother, "to sit, hour after hour, on a cushion at my
feet, her little arms resting upon my lap, and her full, dark eyes
fixed upon mine, listening to anecdotes of her sister's life, and
details of the events which preceded her death, often exclaiming,
while her face beamed with mingled emotions, 'O mamma, I will try to
fill her place! Teach me to be like her!'"

Warned by their dreadful experience in the former instance, the
parents endeavored to repress the intellectual activity of Margaret.
She was not taught to read till she was four years old; but so rapid
was her progress after that period, under her mother's instructions,
that at six she read not only well, but elegantly, and was wont to
solace her mother's hours of protracted illness, by reading to her the
works of Thomson, Campbell, Cowper, Milton, Byron, Scott, &c., in
which she took enthusiastic delight, and in discriminating their
beauties and defects, she showed wonderful taste and intelligence. The
Scriptures were her daily study; not hurried over as a task