The Childhood of Distinguished WomenBower, Selina A.
History
The Childhood of Distinguished Women
Bower, Selina A.
Women -- Biography
She proved a very gentle, amiable scholar; and Mr. Rolfe, being himself
an earnest Christian man, also taught that dark mind the bright and
lustrous truths of God's most Holy Word. The Spirit of God blessed that
teaching, and the light thus introduced by His influence, alone became
the means of revealing to the warm heart of Pocahontas, the love of that
living Saviour of sinners, who died for all, that all may live for Him.
His blood can purify the Red Indian girl just as effectually as the fair
English maiden, and both equally require that blood to take away the sad
stains of sin in heart and life, which are as dark, as deep, and as
deadly in the one as in the other.
Powhattan seems to have been permitted some intercourse with his
daughter, for with his consent she eventually married Mr. Rolfe, and
subsequently Pocahontas came over to England, and was presented at Court
in 1616. Queen Anne appears to have been very friendly with the Indian
Princess. Her intelligence was great, and her modesty and unaffected
manners interested all who knew her.
She did not live to carry out her intention of returning to her own
native land, Virginia, but died at Gravesend in 1617. Her little son
remained in England for some years, and was educated as an English boy.
He then sought his mother's country, and from him many of the well-known
families of the State of Virginia claim descent.
Pocahontas, or the Rosebud, has been the heroine of many stories and
songs, but the most beautiful thought connected with her memory is that
those to whom her generous help and interest opened a fair land on
earth, should be the means, through the power of the Holy Spirit of God,
of opening to her that "land of pure delight, where saints immortal
reign;" and that from our own dear native country she should have passed
away, to enjoy for ever that "infinite day" which "excludes the night,"
through Him who is "The Way," for the dark daughter of another soil, as
well as for the favoured children of our own.
[Illustration: NORWICH CATHEDRAL.
(_Copied from a Photograph, by permission_)]
IX.
MRS. OPIE.
Norwich has been called "The City of Gardens;" for behind the large
houses belonging to professional men, and business men, which front the
narrow irregular streets, there are sweet lawns and well-cared-for
flower borders, with trees and shrubs planted so thickly round the
walls, or the walls themselves so covered with the trailing tendrils of
fresh creepers, that imagination might fancy the scene one of pure
country loveliness.
The beautiful taper spire of the rather small, but very elegant
Cathedral, appears above the verdure-covered walls, its stone notches
resting softly in attractive clearness upon the cloudless blue sky; or,
perhaps the battlements of the square, massive block of the Castle, rise
quietly above the grave old buildings of the city, the slopes of the
castle moat, gaily draped with innumerable lilacs in the spring, resting
in drowsy dignity below.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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