THE WORKER IN CHRIST'S VINEYARD. In 1776, Hannah thought she would test the value of the praises which had been lavished on her ; and writing a short ballad, " Sir Eldred of the Bower, " -towhich she added"The BleedingRock," she offered them to Mr. Cadell, who gave her a handsome sum, adding that if she could discover what Goldsmith had obtained for " The Deserted Village," he would make up the amount, whatever it might be. This little work began her acquaint- ance with Mr. Cadell-who, by a coincidence, was a native of her own village-and during forty years their friendship continued without interruption. In the same season her first regular drama -" The Inflexible Captive "-was produced on the Bath stage, the prologue being written by the Rev. Dr. Langhorne, the epilogue by Garrick. It met with astonishing success. To detail her adventures during her annual visits to London would be to write the literary history of the time. She is a thoroughly " representative" character ; representative of the Intellectual Life of her age. Intimate with all the stars in the literary, artistic, and fashionable world, every- where welcomed with admiration and respect, she had every opportunity of mingling in the gayest and most splendid scenes ; but her heart was un- touched by the dazzling radiance of the mighty world, and her letters are redolent of Christian hopes and wishes, even when giving a glittering picture of the " men and manners" of the day. In the spring 22
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