bed as the happiest as well as the last
of her life. Heading was perhaps more than ever a delight to her,
especially of works of religious instruction and consolation. Bishop
Hall, Leighton, and Jeremy Taylor, and other old divines afforded her
great strength and refreshment, whilst the Scriptures were her daily
study and delight. Wordsworth was the poet she loved best and read
oftenest, never a single day during the last four years of her life
being passed, unless sickness prevented, without her reading
something of his.

X.

ASPIRATIONS DURING FAILING HEALIH.

"Nervous suffering" is a phrase that describes Mrs. Hemans' state of
health. But still her mind was busy and her pen active, especially on
subjects of a religious character. "I now feel as if bound to higher and
holier tasks which, though I may occasionally lay aside, I could not
long wander from without some sense of dereliction. I hope it is not
self-delusion, but I cannot help sometimes feeling as if it were my true
task to enlarge the sphere of sacred poetry, and extend its influence."
In 1834 _Hymns for Childhood_ and _National Lyrics_ appeared in a
collected form, and soon after the long-contemplated collection of
_Scenes and Hymns of Life_. The aim of these may be best expressed in
her own words. It was to enlarge the sphere of sacred poetry "by
associating with its themes, more of the emotions, the affections, and
even the pure imaginative enjoyments of daily life, than had hitherto
been admitted within the hallowed circle."

Two last works were to issue from her mind and heart. The lyric
"Despondency and Aspiration" was hoped to be her best production, as it
was certainly her most laborious effort. On it she was anxious to
concentrate all her powers. It was meant to be the prologue to a
poetical work which was to be called _The Christian Temple_. It was her
purpose, "by tracing out the workings of passion--the struggle of human
affection--through various climes, and ages, and conditions of life, to
illustrate the insufficiency of any dispensation, save that of an
ill-embracing Christianity, to soothe the sorrows, or sustain the hopes,
or fulfil the desires of an immortal being whose lot is cast in a world
where cares and bereavements are many." She was never to carry out
this design.

She dictated _Thoughts during Sickness_ in the intervals of sickness,
when concentrated thought was possible. Their shortness tells of the
shortness of those