er
"Introduction to the History of the Peace, from 1800 to 1815." A careful
English condensation of Comte's "Positive Philosophy" appeared in 1853.
Meanwhile she was a constant contributor to Mr. Charles Dickens's
"Household Words," and to the columns of the "Daily News." In the midst
of all this activity she was suddenly struck down by disease of the
heart, and her doctors announced that she might die at any moment. She
resigned herself to her fate with her usual calm courage, and proceeded
to draw up and print her autobiography. Strange to say, she lived for
twenty years longer; the Damocles' sword suspended over her head forbore
to fall, and as soon as her health was to some extent re-established she
resumed her literary labours. Among her latest works, which present
abundant evidence of the clearness and practical character of her
intellect, we may mention a treatise on "The Factory Controversy," 1853;
a "History of the American Compromise," 1856; a picturesquely-written
historical sketch of "British Rule in India;" also, "England and her
Soldiers;" "Health, Handicraft, and Husbandry;" and "Household
Education."

As years passed by her infirmities increased, but she retained her force
and freshness of intellect almost to the last. It was not until the
beginning of 1876 that her mental condition underwent any serious
change. Even then her strong will seemed to stay and strengthen her
failing mind. She kept her household books and superintended the
household economy to the very end, though suffering under a burden of
pain which weaker natures would have found intolerable. Writing to a
friend six weeks before her death, she exclaims:--"I am _very ill_....
the difficulty and distress to me are the state of the head. I will only
add that the condition grows daily worse, so that I am scarcely able to
converse or read, and the cramp in the hands makes writing difficult or
impossible; so I must try to be content with the few lines I can send,
till the few days become none. We believe that time to be near, and we
shall not attempt to deceive you about it. My brain feels under the
constant sense of being _not myself_, and the introduction of this new
fear into my daily life makes each day sufficiently trying to justify
the longing for death, which grows upon me more and more."

This longing was fulfilled on the 27th of June, 1876, when Harriet
Martineau closed in peace her long and active life.

FOOTNOTES:

[39] Harriet