[Illustration: Mrs. WALTER BOWNE From a miniature by Malbone, in possession of W. B. Lawrence ARTOTYPE, E. BIERSTADT, N. Y. ] A GIRL’S LIFE EIGHTY YEARS AGO SELECTIONS FROM THE LETTERS OF ELIZA SOUTHGATE BOWNE WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY CLARENCE COOK _ILLUSTRATED WITH PORTRAITS AND VIEWS_ NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS 1887 Copyright, 1887, BY CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS. _The Riverside Press, Cambridge_: Electrotyped and Printed by H. O. Houghton & Co. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _MRS. WALTER BOWNE_ _Frontispiece_ _Miniature by Malbone_ _Facing Page_ _DR. ROBERT SOUTHGATE—MRS. SOUTHGATE_ _5_ _From Silhouettes in the possession of W. B. Lawrence, Esq._ _MRS. JOHN DERBY_ (_Eleanor Coffin_) _22_ _Miniature by Malbone, in possession of Miss Rogers, of Boston_ _RUFUS KING_ _42_ _From a painting by Woods_ _MRS. RUFUS KING_ _68_ _After a portrait by Trumbull_ _MR. E. HASKET DERBY, OF SALEM_ (_Æt. 28, 1794_) _110_ _From a Miniature in possession of Dr. Hasket Derby, of Boston_ _MRS. RICHARD DERBY_ (_Martha Coffin_) _116_ _Miniature by Malbone, in possession of Mrs. Peabody, of Boston_ _THE VAN RENSSELAER MANOR HOUSE_ _130_ _MR. WALTER BOWNE_ _140_ _Miniature by Malbone_ _THE LYMAN PLACE—WALTHAM_ _148_ _LUCIA WADSWORTH—ZILPAH WADSWORTH_ _159_ _From Silhouettes in the possession of W. B. Lawrence, Esq._ _SUNSWICK—THE DELAFIELD HOUSE, HELL GATE, LONG ISLAND_ _167_ _THE BOWNE HOUSE, FLUSHING_ _195_ _Erected 1661_ _JAMES GORE KING_ _206_ _From a Miniature in the possession of A. Gracie King, Esq._ _CHARLES KING_ _210_ _From a Miniature in the possession of his daughter, Mrs. Martin._ INTRODUCTION.