man nature is the germ of a divine life. She proceeds in her search after the unity of things, the divine harmony, not by exclusion, as Mr. E. does, but by comprehension, — and so, no poorest, saddest spirit, but she will lead to hope and faith. I have thought, sometimes, that her acceptance of evil was too great, — that her theory of the good to be educed proved too much. But in a conversation I had with her yesterday, I understood her better than I had done. ‘It might never be sin to us, at the moment,’ she said, ‘it must be an excess, on which conscience puts the restraint.’”
The classes thus formed were renewed in November
of each year, until Margaret’s removal to New York,
in 1844. But the notes of my principal reporter fail me
at this point. Afterwards, I have only a few sketches
from a younger hand. In November, 1841, the class
numbered from twenty-five to thirty members: the
general subject is stated as “Ethics.” And the influences
on Woman seem to have been discussed under the topics
of the Family, the School, the Church, Society, and
Literature. In November, 1842, Margaret writes that the
meetings have been unusually spirited, and congratulates
herself on the part taken in them by Miss Burley,
as ‘a presence so positive as to be of great value to me.’
The general subject I do not find. But particular topics
were such as these: — “Is the ideal first or last; divination
or experience?” “Persons who never awake to
life in this world.” “Mistakes;” “Faith;” “Creeds;”
“Woman;” “Demonology;” “Influence;” “Catholicism”
(Roman); “The Ideal.”
In the winter of 1843-4, the general subject was “Education.” Culture, Ignorance, Vanity, Prudence,
