Taxation," of "Poor Laws," &c. Miss Martineau was induced to prepare these books, from reading Mrs. Marcet's "Conversations on Political Economy," and thinking that illustrations through stories, theory put in action, would be most effective in producing reforms. The books were very popular when they appeared; but we doubt if their influence on the public mind was productive of any beneficial improvement. The tales were read for amusement; the political notions were forgotten, probably, before the incidents of the story had been effaced by some newer work of fiction.
In 1835, she visited the United States, where she had many friends, warm admirers of her talents, and of the philanthropy with which her writings were imbued. She was welcomed as a lister; and throughout her "Tour in America," the kindest hospitality of the American people was lavished on her. She published the result of her observations and reflections, in 1837, in two works, entitled "Society in America" and "Retrospect of Western Travel." She brought to these investigations some excellent qualities and much benevolent feeling. She was earnest, enthusiastic and hopeful; her books, though marred by many mistakes, some misrepresentations, were yet more candid in tone and true in spirit, than any preceding works of British travellers in America had been. The style is spirited, graphic, and frequently eloquent. Miss Martineau is remarkable for her power of portraying what she sees; she revels in the beauties of landscape, and Has a wonderful command of language. Her writings are usually entertaining, even to those who do not agree with her in theory and sentiment.
Miss Martineau's first regular novel appeared in 1839, and was entitled "Deerbrook." Chambers says of it, that "though improbable in many of its incidents, this work abounds in eloquent and striking passages. The democratic opinions of the authoress (for in all but her anti-Malthusian doctrines, Miss Martineau is a sort of female Godwin) are strikingly brought forward, and the characters are well drawn. 'Deerbrook' is a story of English domestic life. The next effort of Miss Martineau was in the historical romance. 'The Hour and the Man,' 1840, is a novel or romance, founded on the history of the brave Touissant L'Ouverture, and with this man as hero. Miss Martineau exhibits as the hour of action the period when the slaves of St. Domingo threw off the yoke of slavery. There is much passionate as well as graceful writing in this tale; its greatest defect is, that there is too much disquisition, and too little connected or regular fable. Among the other works of Miss Martineau are several for children, as 'The Peasant and the Prince,' 'The Settlers at Home,' How to Observe,' &c. Her 'Life in the Sick-Room, or Essays by an Invalid,' 1844, contains many interesting and pleasing sketches, full of acute and delicate thought and elegant description."
It is known that in 1832, Lord Grey, the then premier of England, made Miss Martineau an offer of one hundred and fifty pounds per annum from the civil list, which she refused, because she objected to share in the proceeds of a system of taxation, against which she had written. This offer was 'afterwards, when the author was prostrated by a lingering sickness, repeated by Lord Melbourn, and again declined. Miss Martineau's recovery from her long illness was effected through the agency of mesmerism, at the close of 1843, and of the perfect restoration of her mental and physical energies, she gave evidence in her "Forest and Game Law Tales," in three volumes,
