Produced by Simon Tarlink, Juliet Sutherland and the Online Distributed Proofreading Canada Team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net [Illustration: handwritten inscription--your obedient servant, Maria Brooks.] GRAHAM'S MAGAZINE. VOL. XXXIII. PHILADELPHIA, AUGUST, 1848. NO. 2. THE LATE MARIA BROOKS. BY RUFUS WILMOT GRISWOLD. [WITH A PORTRAIT.] This remarkable woman was not only one of the first writers of her country, but she deserves to be ranked with the most celebrated persons of her sex who have lived in any nation or age. Within the last century woman has done more than ever before in investigation, reflection and literary art. On the continent of Europe an Agnesi, a Dacier and a Chastelet have commanded respect by their learning, and a De Stael, a Dudevant and a Bremer have been admired for their genius; in Great Britain the names of More, Burney, Barbauld, Baillie, Somerville, Farrar, Hemans, Edgeworth, Austen, Landon, Norman and Barrett, are familiar in the histories of literature and science; and in our own country we turn with pride to Sedgwick, Child, Beecher, Kirkland, Parkes Smith, Fuller, and others, who in various departments have written so as to deserve as well as receive the general applause; but it may be doubted whether in the long catalogue of those whose works demonstrate and vindicate the intellectual character and position of the sex, there are many names that will shine with a clearer, steadier, and more enduring lustre than that of MARIA DEL OCCIDENTE.