THE EARNEST PHILANTHROPIST. and profound. She would sit, awed and silent, by her mother, at bed -time, listeningwith rapt attention to the portion of Scripture, or the Psalm, readby those beloved lips. At length the day so long dreaded arrived. Elizabeth was just twelve years old when, in 1792, her mother died, leaving seven girls and three boys, the eldest scarcely seventeen, the youngest not two years of age -to fight the battle of life, deprived of her guiding and watchful love. Years elapsed ; and the shy, pale child was become a tall, graceful, fascinating girl of seventeen. Although not so strikingly handsome as her two elder sisters, she excited admiration on every side. She had a sweet, winning expression, soft blue eyes, a profusion of lovely blonde hair, and an exquisitely modulated voice. Her six sisters were attractive, talented, lively, and original, possessing peculiar freshness of character, and warm affectionate dispo- sitions. Their father, John Gurney, a man of kind and easy temper, was by no means rigid in his prin- ciples as a " Friend ; " seemingly caring little for doctrines and disciplines, having few strict religious scruples, but wishing to pass an agreeable, comfort- able life. His occupations, too, bothpublic andprivate, prevented his interfering much in the pursuits of his children ; and the members of his youthful family were consequently left pretty much to their own devices. Contrary to the rules observed by the "Plain Quakers," his daughters learned many elegant fl
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