Selina A. Bower

Let us turn to an old Westmoreland family, residing between three and four hundred years ago, in the style of the period, at Sizergh Castle. Sir Thomas Strickland, the head of that family, manifested loyal attachment to the house of Stuart, and some of the lands and hereditary possessions, both in Westmoreland and Lancashire, were eventually lost through the steady adherence of Sir Thomas and his relatives to this cause.

We read of one daughter of the house in the time of Henry VIII., whose name, like that of the character we are sketching, was Agnes Strickland, marrying Sir Henry Curwen, of Workington Castle. And their son received Mary Queen of Scots, when she landed upon his estate. Camden, the historian, is also descended from the same branch of the family of Strickland.

A second Agnes Strickland married the eldest son of the Archbishop of York, Francis Sandys, and the family of the Stricklands appear to owe their conversion from Romanism to the Protestant faith to the influence of another son of the Archbishop, named George, who was a poet about two hundred years ago. They then became as staunch in the principles of the Reformation as they had previously been firm in papal policy.

One branch of the Strickland family settled at Raydon Hall, in Suffolk, and here the third Agnes Strickland was born, who has been so justly celebrated as the Historian of "The Queens of England from the Norman Conquest." Raydon Hall is a very lonely place on the sea coast, quite a mile from the nearest village, and there is no dwelling at all near to it, except one farm-house upon the estate.

The seclusion being thus extremely great during the long, bleak winter on the eastern coast, the family residing there would have passed many dreary months but for the intellectual tastes of its talented members.

There were eight children. Agnes was the third daughter, and the girls were very amicable and sociable in their simple life, varying the sterner work of severe study with delightful games, or in the care of pet animals, or by strolls in the gardens and grounds around the Hall. A governess had the partial training of Agnes and her sisters, but their father, himself a literary man, and intensely fond of history, topography and genealogy, principally conducted their education; compelling the girls to master subjects far beyond the usual attainments of young ladies, and requiring some knowledge of algebra and mathematics from the not always compliant and obedient daughters.

Mr. Strickland suffered from gout, and was frequently confined to his chair or bed.

He then supplied abundant work for Elizabeth, Agnes, and the other sisters in reading to him. This they were delighted to do, and took almost as much interest in history as the father. But Mr. Strickland also endeavoured to carry out his wish that the girls should be proficient in mathematical studies, and in this Elizabeth alone seemed to be docile, for she would patiently pore over the figures on her slate, whilst Agnes and the others bestowed very sisterly pity upon her.

Agnes had a more classical turn, preferring the history, and also poetry, making sundry attempts at versification herself; but this taste Mr. Strickland rigorously checked, considering the effort as a waste of time. At last the child obtained her father's consent to let Latin take the place of problems, and she then set to work upon an old book in that language, learning to repeat a number of dialogues:—a mode of studying language extremely irregular, and by no means commended by the anxious parent.

Still Agnes also managed to write verses which presently came under Mr. Strickland's notice, and when twelve years old she composed a poem called "The Red Rose." This was intended as a sketch of the fortunes of the House of Lancaster, but was so severely criticised by her father, that she tore up the manuscript by his advice, and promised not to try poetry again. But three years afterwards she made another venture in that line under the title of "Worcester Field," which was published, although, however, it is not well known.

Her fame arose gradually soon after this period, when, through the death of the father, reverses of fortune induced Agnes and her sisters to make literature a profession. She then assumed her true taste, and evinced marvellous talent as a writer of history, making the lives of England's Queens no longer dull, dry, and uninteresting, but beautiful sketches of true character, and of real, though bygone times; painting, too, in vivid colours, the social positions of our royal matrons with wonderful skill and ability.

Agnes Strickland died on the 13th of July, 1874, leaving us a powerful proof of the importance of early and attentive education.

The young girl, living in such seclusion on the Suffolk coast, little imagined in her childhood that her future fame was depending upon the interesting and valuable information which she was beginning to accumulate, and which she was learning to love as she read in dutiful diligence the books indicated by her careful father.

And yet that quiet commencement led to high honour, and England has well acknowledged her debt of gratitude to Agnes Strickland for her splendid additions to historic lore. Large labour, constant care, and stern study enabled her to use the talents which God had given, talents, of which she was unconscious as a child.

May not this thought induce a spirit of earnest effort in each young heart now? God has given talent in some degree, and of some description, to all, and He requires the improvement of that talent, whatever it may be.

In conclusion, Agnes Strickland wrote with womanly and wonderful beauty the history of England's Queens. There was once a history written, of far greater beauty, and by far higher power, of Him who is the "King of kings and Lord of lords;" a history traced by His own hand alone, as He guided "Holy men" of old by the power of the Holy Ghost. One portion of this History is traced in blood—the "blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, which cleanseth from all sin" those who receive in penitence, faith, and love, the "record that God gave of His Son." May the same Holy Spirit, which dictated the Holy Word of God, write the History of His character and love so deeply within our hearts, that we may receive His full salvation now, and the "eternal life" which He so freely gives hereafter!

PRINTED BY JARROLD AND SONS, NORWICH.

BY THE SAME AUTHOR.

Crown 8vo., 3/6. Handsomely bound in Cloth, Gilt Edges:

FROM ADVENT TO ADVENT:
OR,
Pieces in Prose & Poetry,

On Subjects selected from Sunday Services.

"A series of brief, thoughtful, and ably-written meditations. The poems are the spiritual utterances of a devout mind. We recommend the book with the greatest pleasure."

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"Each prose composition is followed by a poetical one; 'collect,' 'meditation,' and 'poem' succeed each other in due order throughout the book, and every page contains instructive and edifying matter. The verses show a command of metre in all its varieties, the ideas are well expressed, and the rhymes are good.... We sincerely wish it success."

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