ad persevered, with
a singleness of purpose and a sincere devotion which were truly
unparalleled. And now that her one last expedition of the FOX, under the
gallant M'Clintock, had realised the two great facts--that her husband
had traversed wide seas unknown to former navigators, and died in
discovering a north-west passage--then, surely, the adjudication of the
medal would be hailed by the nation as one of the many recompences to
which the widow of the illustrious Franklin was so eminently entitled."

But that devotion to duty which marks the heroic character has more
often been exhibited by women in deeds of charity and mercy. The greater
part of these are never known, for they are done in private, out of the
public sight, and for the mere love of doing good. Where fame has come
to them, because of the success which has attended their labours in a
more general sphere, it has come unsought and unexpected, and is often
felt as a burden. Who has not heard of Mrs. Fry and Miss Carpenter
as prison visitors and reformers; of Mrs. Chisholm and Miss Rye as
promoters of emigration; and of Miss Nightingale and Miss Garrett as
apostles of hospital nursing?

That these women should have emerged from the sphere of private and
domestic life to become leaders in philanthropy, indicates no small,
degree of moral courage on their part; for to women, above all others,
quiet and ease and retirement are most natural and welcome. Very few
women step beyond the boundaries of home in search of a larger field of
usefulness. But when they have desired one, they have had no difficulty
in finding it. The ways in which men and women can help their neighbours
are innumerable. It needs but the willing heart and ready hand. Most
of the philanthropic workers we have named, however, have scarcely been
influenced by choice. The duty lay in their way--it seemed to be the
nearest to them--and they set about doing it without desire for fame, or
any other reward but the approval of their own conscience.

Among prison-visitors, the name of Sarah Martin is much less known than
that of Mrs. Fry, although she preceded her in the work. How she was led
to undertake it, furnishes at the same time an illustration of womanly
trueheartedness and earnest womanly courage.

Sarah Martin was the daughter of poor parents, and was left an orphan
at an early age. She was brought up by her grandmother, at Caistor,
near Yarmouth, and earned her living by going out to fa