OF FRENCH SOCIETY. 79 man who had served his father in his greatest extremities, and his Majesty in his greatest perils :" - if we view this extraordinary sufferer under all these trials, while we admire the woman, we must adore the Divine grace which alone could sustain her under them. After this imperfect sketch, may we not say; that, for an example of conjugal tenderness, we need not go out of our own country for a perfect model ? Portia swallowing fire because she would not survive her Brutus, the Pate non dolet of the faithful Arria, as she stabbed herself, and then presented the sword to her husband,-to set him an example of dying bravely ; these heroic instances of con- jugal affection, which have been the admiration of ages, are surpassed by the conduct of Lady Russell they died a voluntary death rather than outlive their husbands ; Christianity imposed on her the severer duty of surviving hers - of living to suffer calamities scarcely less trying, and to perform duties scarcely E4
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