to know simply what great thoughts a man has added to the world's treasures, what great impulses he gave to the world's progress. If none, let him rest in peace, we do not need the vulgar gossip of his faults.… Let us gather the eternal treasures, but leave the rest to the waters of oblivion."
It will be well to keep these noble words in remembrance, while we are taking a brief glance at the career of the woman who wrote them. Jane Francesca Elgee was the daughter of a clergyman of the Irish Church (afterwards arch- deacon). She was born at Wexford in 1826. The Elgees were originally an Italian race, descended from the Algiati of Florence. The first that came to Ireland was the great-grandfather of Speranza, and the name finally settled down into its present form. Lady Wilde's grandfather, Archdeacon Elgee, rector of Wexford, played a remarkable part in the days of the rebellion of '98, and on account of his popularity was left uninjured by the rebels of that time. Her mother, Sarah Kingsbury, was the daughter of Dr. Thomas Kingsbury, Commissioner in Bankruptcy, and owner of the well-known mansion, Lisle House, Dublin. Her uncle, Sir Charles Ormsby, Bart., was a member of the last Irish Parliament. Sir Robert M'Clure, the seeker of the North-west passage, was her first cousin, and she was also related to the Rev. Charles Maturin, author
