A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Huntingdon, (Selina, Countess Dowager of)
This lady is said to have received her first impressions on the importance of a religious life when only nine years old, at the funeral of a child about her own age. With many tears, she prayed earnestly upon the spot, that whenever it should please God to take her hence, he would support and deliver her. She practised during her youth frequent private prayer, and when grown up and introduced into the world, made it her petition that she might marry into a religious family. She accordingly became the wife of the earl of Huntingdon, a respectable man, whose habits and connections were serious and well disposed. Though sometimes at court, and visiting in the higher circles, she maintained a peculiar steadiness of conduct, taking no pleasure in fashionable amusements. In the country she was bountiful and benevolent, and earnestly pursued that path she thought most acceptable to her Maker.
About this time, the sect called Methodists began to be much spoken of. Lady Margaret Hastings, the sister of Lord Huntingdon, was one of the number, and Lady Huntingdon, on her recovery from a dangerous illness, embraced their opinions, and her sions and conduct appeared very strange to the circle in which she moved. Some even advised Lord Huntingdon to interpose his authority; but, though he differed from her in sentiment, he continued to shew her the same affection and respect. He desired, however, she would oblige him by conversing with bishop Benson on the subject, to which she readily agreed; but the conference was not productive of any change.
During Lord Huntingdon's life, her means were necessarily circumscribed, and family affairs occupied her attention, but she devoted a considerable portion of time to the poor. These she relieved in their necessities, visited in sickness, conversed and prayed with. On his death, the entire management of her children and their fortunes was left to her, which last she improved with the greatest fidelity.
Countenancing more especially the followers of Mr. Whitfield, as she was herself inclined to the Calvinistic persuasion, she opened her house in Park-street for the preaching of the gospel, supposing, as a peeress of the realm, she had a right to employ, as her family chaplains, those ministers of the church whom she patronised. On the week days, her kitchen was open to the poor who wished for instruction; and on Sundays the great and fashionable were invited to spend the evening in her drawing-room, where Mr. Whitfield, Mr. Romaine, &c. occasionally preached.
The illness of her younger son leading her to Brighthelmstone, she erected a little chapel contiguous to her house: it was afterwards enlarged, and that not sufficing to contain the congregation, it was a third time taken down and rebuilt. In Bath, Oathall, Bretby, and various other parts, places of worship were also erected by her. At first, she selected her ministers from those of the established church, but her zeal enlarging with her success, and a great variety of persons throughout the kingdom begging her assistance, in London, and many of the most populous cities, she purchased, built, or hired, large and commodious chapels. These multiplied exceedingly through England, Ireland, and Wales, and the ministers she had hitherto employed found themselves unequal to the task, and some became unwilling to move in a sphere which began to be branded as irregular, and to meet with opposition. She, therefore, followed the steps of Messrs. Wesley and Whitfield, by inviting the aid of laymen to keep up the congregations she had established.
In order to provide proper persons for this purpose, she retired into Wales, where she erected a college for training up young men to the ministry. They were itinerant, moved from one congregation to another in an established rotation, and her correspondence with them, to regulate and provide a constant supply, was a labour to which her active spirit alone was equal.
Though Lady Huntingdon devoted the whole of her substance to these purposes, it is not a little surprising how her income sufficed for the immensity of expences in which she was necessarily involved. Her jointure was no more than twelve hundred pounds a-year, and only after the death of her son, a few years preceding her own, she received the addition of another thousand. She often involved herself in expences in building, but her debts were always honourably discharged.
To the age of fourscore and upwards, she maintained all the vigour of youth; and, though in her latter years the contraction of her throat reduced her almost wholly to a liquid diet, her spirits never seemed to fail her, and to the very last days of her life, her mind was active in her favourite pursuit.
Lady Huntingdon was rather above the middle size, her mien dignified, her address particularly pleasing, and her mind acute, diligent, and indefatigable. She was so little given to self-indulgence, that a friend used to say, she was one of the poor who lived upon her own bounty. Her temper was warm and sanguine; no disappointment quenched her zeal, no labours slackened, no opposition discouraged, or progress of years abated—but her prejudices and partialities were sometimes fantastic. From the success attending her efforts, she seemed impressed with an idea that a particular benediction would rest upon whomsoever she sent forth, and was impatient of contradiction. That simplicity and truth which will always secure esteem from the wise, appears to have gained Lady Huntingdon the respect of many who disagreed with her in principle. Her son, who was unfortunately of the infidel school, still highly reverenced his venerable mother.
At her death, Lady Huntingdon left her chapels to trustees and executors for the continuance of the same plan, which is still pursued, though the property she left for that purpose was seized, on her death, by the Americans of Georgia and Carolina, where it lay.
Her unbounded benevolence bore the best testimony of the purity of her intentions, having, in the course of her life, expended above one hundred thousand pounds in public and private acts of charity.