to all the indulgences love and wealth can bestow. From this time, she was to prove what those endure who have only their faith in God and their own energies on which to rely. Much of her property consisted in slaves—these she liberated, provided for, and sent to Liberia.
And now she was to begin the world; she chose the arduous post of teacher in a school for young girls in Virginia; but her plans of charity were not given up. Thus she writes to a friend: "I have been desiring a day or two of repose that I might devote to you and your dearest mother. But, indeed, you have very little idea of the life I lead. Saturday is as laboriously spent in working for the Liberian Society, as any other day in the week; and on Sunday we have a Sunday-school, in which I have my part, and so make out to employ every day fully. Drawing keeps me on my feet for six hours every other day; and at first it was truly bewildering to teach twenty-three children who did not know how to make a straight line. You are anxious to know all about me, and you see I am free in my communication: there are many encouraging circumstances in the mode of life I have adopted; for those very things that are most painful prove how much there is to do; and where there is much to do, steady laborious efforts to do good will doubtless be blessed, although we may in mercy be denied the luxury of seeing our work under the sun prosper. Mrs. G. is sometimes very much dispirited, at times without cause; for every little painful occurrence of misconduct in the children affords opportunity of more strenuously enforcing good principles. I never knew how to be thankful to my parents, above all to my God, for a good education, until I came to look into the state of young ladies generally."
The desire to be made instrumental in training souls for eternity, was the ruling motive by which she was influenced; and, from the very first, her chief efforts were devoted to this great end, which was pursued without deviation throughout her whole career, though by no means to the neglect of those subsidiary acquirements which she esteemed as highly as any one could do, and laboured most unremittingly to communicate to her pupils.
She continued in this, her chosen profession, for about twenty-five years; established a school of her own; and her example and influence have had a most salutary and wide-spread effect on the community where she resided. This admirable woman died in the autumn of 1846, aged fifty-five years. She prepared two works for her pupils, "Studies for Bible Classes," and a volume entitled "Ethics;" in the form of lectures to young ladies, which she employed as a text-book in teaching moral philosophy. It is admirably adapted to its purpose, conveying in chaste, yet glowing language, the feelings of a sanctified heart. She adopts the word of God as the only source of knowledge, as well of the practical duties of life, as of our relations to the Author of our being, and endeavours to explain and enforce the principles there laid down for the formation of character, and the government of life. It is a work well worthy of the diligent study of every woman who desires to attain to a high degree of moral worth.
MEREDITH, LOUISA A.,
Whose maiden name was Twamley, is an accomplished artist
