Page:Heroines of freethought (IA cu31924031228699).pdf/195

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HARRIET MARTINEAU
187

herself and her affairs; but it did not seem like egotism, because it was so cheerful and free from morbidness. And this woman is an atheist, and thinks that the principle of life will become extinct when her body is laid in the grave! I will not think so, were it only for her sake. What! only a few weeds to spring out of her mortality, instead of her intellect and sympathies flowing and fruiting forever.”

Catherine Sedgewick, whose guest Miss Martineau was for a short time during her visit to America, gives the following description of her in her journal:

“Miss Martineau and her attendant have paid their last visit to our valley. I intended to have been diligent in taking notes of our extraordinary guest, but the time was so filled with quickly succeeding pleasures that it passed without any written record. She was here eight days. She has just returned from her Southern and Western tour. She has been, honored, praised, and homaged, not to say wor-