Page:A cyclopaedia of female biography.djvu/410

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HOP. HOR.

clearly set forth, such evidences of the truth of God's revealed Word, as must make the Bible History interesting to the youngest child who can read it, and furnish to the mother a manual for the edification of her own mind, as well as a guide to aid in instructing her family. Mrs. Hopkins should hold a high rank among Christian writers.

HOPTON, SUSANNA,

A lady of Staffordshire, who became a Roman Catholic, but afterwards returned to the Protestant faith, and died at Hereford, in 1709, aged eighty-two. She married Richard Hopton, one of the Welsh judges. She wrote "Daily Devotions," "Hexameron, or Meditations on the Six Days of the Creation," and also corrected the devotions in the ancient way of offices, published by her friend Dr. Hickes. She was a very charitable woman, and was noted for her excessive severity in performing her religious duties.

HORSFORD, MARY GARDINER,

Was born in the city of New York, 1824. Her father, Samuel S. Gardiner, soon after removed to the family mansion on Shelter Island, where her mother's ancestors had resided. Here, in this secluded and beautiful place. Miss Gardiner passed the greater portion of her youth, books and nature her chief companions. She soon became, from a reader of poetry, a writer; her father's library was her best means of education, although she had other good instructors. In 1840 she was placed in the Albany Female Seminary, where she continued three years with great advantage. Soon afterwards she began her contributions, by request, to the Knickerbocker; and also wrote for the Lady's Book, and other periodicals. In 1847 Miss Gardiner was married to Eben Norton Horsford, Rumford Professor in Harvard University at Cambridge. Since her marriage Mrs. Horsford has written some of her most beautiful poetry. There is an exquisite delicacy of fancy, united with power of thought in her verses, that, is rarely equalled by those who have established their fame.

HORTENSE DE BEAUHARNOIS BONAPARTE, EX-QUEEN OF HOLLAND,

Was born in 1783, daughter of the Vicomte Alexandre de Beauharnois and Josephine, subsequently Empress of France. The vicomte married at an early age; his dissipated habits and unjustifiable conduct obliged his wife to separate herself from him for a time; during this period, the education and charge of her children devolved solely upon her. A reconciliation took place, and the married pair seem to have afterwards lived in the utmost domestic peace and happiness.

Upon the breaking out of the Revolution, the vicomte rendered himself obnoxious to the existing powers, and after undergoing a sad imprisonment, was executed by the guillotine, July 24th, 1794. The childish days of Hortense were thus clouded by severe afflictions. It would be superfluous to detail the well-known circumstances of Josephine's marriage with General Bonaparte, who, in his rapid Elevation to the imperial throne, bore with him to the highest worldly splendours the family de Beauharnois. Hortense received a brilliant