e cannot, perhaps, exalt her deed too
highly, but it should always be borne in mind, that she would have been
just as good a girl if the "Forfarshire" had never been wrecked on the
coast of the Farne Islands. Grace was heroic already, but the
catastrophe brought her qualities of courage, endurance, and humanity,
to the front. One feels glad to know that all the praise did not make
her other than the humble British girl, though few, perhaps, could pass
through such an ordeal of adulation unscathed. The flatteries had,
however, a ludicrous as well as a touching side, as may be seen from
the following extract. Hero-worship leads to the hoarding of many
things, including bark of trees, stones, mortar, old rags, and hair;
and it is little wonder if Grace found the latter tendency rather
inconvenient.

"Grace Darling's name is now as well known throughout the island as
Queen Anne's; and to tell people of the decease of the one is about as
necessary as to warn them of the living glory of the other. Grace is
the admired of all admirers, and far is it from us to wish her grace
diminished in men's eyes, or herself less a darling than she is at
present. But the enthusiasm of gratitude and idolatry is becoming
somewhat alarming. We know not how the persons who, principally by her
intrepidity, were saved from the wreck of the 'Forfarshire,' may feel
towards their 'good angel in the hour of fate,' but every body else
seems to think of her as one to whom they owe the life of some being
related to themselves by blood, and inestimably prized by affection.
The universal feeling in this case shows us how truly

'One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.'

"All feel individually grateful to Grace Darling; and not a stranger
that talks of her but knows her intimately. But, as we have said, the
expression of this feeling of love and reverence is assuming an awkward
character. It has taken, it appears, the shape or shapes of infinite
demands upon her generosity in a minor way--of countless and
incalculable requests addressed to her by admirers of heroism, whenever
stirred out of their arm chairs but to accommodate themselves, and
trumpeters of intrepidity who have fainted at the bare idea of getting
wet-footed, that she will be so exceedingly self-devoted and munificent
as to clip from her head a curl--just one--as a token by which her name
and nature may be identified and treasured up; just one ringlet--one
apiece, for u