was a work, the most fascinating I had ever read, always excepting 'The Pilgrim's Progress,' written by a woman! How happy it made me! The wish to promote the reputation of my own sex, and do something for my own country, were among the earliest mental emotions I can recollect. These feelings have had a salutary influence by directing my thoughts to a definite object; my literary pursuits have had an aim beyond self-seeking of any kind. The mental influence of woman over her own sex, which was so important in my case, has been strongly operative in inclining me to undertake this my latest work, 'Woman's Record,' etc. I have sought to make it an assistant in home education; hoping the examples shown and characters portrayed, might have an inspiration and a power in advancing the moral progress of society."
HALKET, LADY ANNE,
Whose extensive learning and voluminous theological writings place her in the first rank of female authors, was the daughter of Mr. Robert Murray, of the family of Tullibardine, and was born at London, January 4th., 1622. Her father was preceptor to Charles the First, and her mother sub-governess to the Duke of Gloucester and the Princess Elizabeth. Lady Anne was carefully educated by her parents in every polite and liberal science; but theology and physic were her favourite studies; and she became such a proficient in the latter science, and also in surgery, that the most eminent professional men, as well as invalids of every rank, both in this country and on the continent, sought her advice.
Being a staunch royalist, her family and herself suffered with the misfortunes of Charles. She married, in March, 1656, Sir James Halket, to whom she bore four children, all of whom died young excepting her eldest son Robert. It was to him she addressed her admirable tract, "The Mother's Will to the Unborn Child," under the impression that she should not survive its birth. She died in 1699. During her lifetime there were published of her writings no less than twenty-one volumes, chiefly on religious subjects. She was a woman of the most singular and unaffected piety, and of the sweetest simplicity of manner; this, together with her great talents and learning, procured her the universal esteem of her contemporaries. She left thirty-six books in manuscript, containing "Meditations."
HALL, ANNA MARIA,
Is a native of Ireland; her birth-place was in Wexford county, where her family, whose name was Fielding, was of high respectability. When Miss Fielding was about fifteen, she was brought by her mother to England, and here they resided several years, before revisiting their native county. But the scenes which were familiar to her as a child, must have made a vivid and lasting impression on her mind; and all her sketches evince so much freshness and vigour, that her readers might easily imagine she had passed her life among them. An able critic observes that, "To her early absence from her native country is probably to be traced one strong characteristic of all her writings—the total absence of party feeling on subjects connected with politics or religion."
Miss Fielding was very fortunate in her marriage connection with her husband, Mr. S. C. Hall, an English gentleman, whose.
