Page:A cyclopaedia of female biography.djvu/221

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against evangelical religion. She scarcely hoped to remove them by conversation; but she prayed for "oil in her lamp," and sought to make her own light shine. Her prayers were answered; her consistency was rewarded."

A short time previous to the death of her husband, Lady Colquohn published another book, "The Kingdom of God," to which she attached her name, her father on his death-bed having enjoined her to do this.

She continued the school for girls, and her readings and expositions at her Sunday School, and visitings among the poor and afflicted. Thus in the round of steady usefulness she filled up every day. One of her duties, distributing tracts, we have not named, nor have we space to give the details of her noble charities. She was an active member of many benevolent Societies, the projector of several, and to all she gave freely of her own wealth. Her last appearance as an author was in 1839, in "The World's Religion, as contrasted with genuine Christianity." She died October 21st., 1846, aged sixty-five years.

COMNENUS, ANNA,

Daughter to the Greek Emperor Alexius Comnenus, flourished about 1118, and wrote fifteen books on the life and actions of her father, which she called "The Alexiad." Eight of these books were published by Hicscbelius, in 1610, and the whole of them, with a Latin version, in 1651; to another edition of which, in 1670, the learned Charles du Fresne added historical and philological notes.

The authors of the "Journal des Savans," for 1075, have spoken as follows of this learned and accomplished lady. "The elegance with which Anna Comnenus has described the life and actions of her father, and the strong and eloquent manner with which she has set them off, are so much above the ordinary understanding of women, that one is almost ready to doubt whether she was indeed the author of those books. It is certain that we cannot read her descriptions of countries, towns, rivers, mountains, battles, sieges; her reflections upon particular events; the judgments she passes on human actions; and the digressions she makes on many occasions, without perceiving that she must have been very well skilled in grammar, rhetoric, philosophy, mathematics, physic, and divinity; all of which is very uncommon with her sex."

COMSTOCK, SARAH DAVIS,

Was the daughter of Robert S. Davis, of Brookline, Massachusetts. She early became a member of the Baptist church in her native town, and gave full evidence of being imbued with the self-denying spirit of a Christian. The Rev. Grover S. Comstock, a clergyman in the Baptist Church, selected her as his companion in the life of toil and hardship he had chosen as a missionary to Burmah, and she faithfully fulfilled the task she then undertook in a true martyr-spirit. In June, 1834, Mr. and Mrs. Comstock were publicly consecrated to the work in Boston, and sailed immediately for their field of labour, which they reached on the 6th. of December, in the same year. In his labours between Arracan and Burmah, Mr. Comstock found his wife of great assistance. Whenever women came near the house, she would instantly leave her occupations,