d in turn,
when she was exiled by Napoleon, Montmorency journeyed to Switzerland
to visit her, at the risk of being banished himself, as he
immediately was. "Matthieu, the friend of twenty years, is the most
faultless being I have ever known." "How could he think I should
tarry in Germany, when, by leaving it, I had a chance of seeing him?
All Germany could not pay me for the loss of two days of his
society." No unkindness, suspicion, or ignobleness of any sort, ever
interrupted or mixed in the affection of these high friends. When
Montmorency died, suddenly, in church, years after the death of
Madame de Stael, the daughter of the latter, the Duchess de Broglie,
instinctively exclaimed, on hearing of the event, "Ah, my God! I seem
to see the grief of my poor mother." The prejudice in England and
America against friendships between men and women has operated
considerably to lessen their frequency, still more to keep them from
public attention when they do exist. Undoubtedly, many a charming
English woman, many a charming American woman, in her time the centre
of the social circles of fashion, letters, and politics, has been
surrounded by a company of friends as devoted at heart as those who
have gathered with more public homage about the famous dames of
France and Germany. Such groups will be called to mind by the English
names of Mrs. Montagu, Lady Melbourne, Lady Holland; the American
names of Mrs. Madison, Mrs. Hamilton, Mrs. Seaton, Mrs. Schuyler, and
many others. But, since, with the most of these latter, the details
have not been taken from the category of private property, by
publications of memoirs and journals, it would be impertinent to
single them out for personal mention, even where it is possible.

Magdalen Herbert, mother of George Herbert, befriended Dr. Donne in
his distresses, ministering to the wants of his family with generous
delicacy, and comforting him by her society. His discernment of her
wit and piety, her gracious and noble disposition, combined with his
gratitude to make him her fast and fervent friend. His conversation,
together with that of Bishop Andrews, whose renown Clarendon and
Milton unite to swell, appears to have given Lady Herbert great
delight. Lasting evidence of the impression her character and
kindness made on him is found in his verses and letters addressed to
her, and in the funeral sermon which, with many tears, he preached
for her. He says in verse, in her advancing age,