Harriet Martineaus Autobiography | Page 2

people. N.P. Willis. Curious incident.
Parable. Depth of American impression. Safety of travel. Judge
Marshall's letter. Mysterious valediction. Voyage home.
SECTION IV.--
Booksellers' proffers and methods. "Society in America." "Retrospect
of Western Travel." Proposed Scheme of a new periodical. First novel.
"Deerbrook." Remarkable suggestion. "How to Observe," and smaller
pieces. The Princess Victoria. The Queen. Her Coronation. Lord
Durham and his family. Topographical notes to Shakspere's Scotch and
Italian plays. British Association meeting at Newcastle. The Lakes and
Scotland. Mrs. Crowe and Dr. Samuel Brown. Ailsie. Continental
journey. Illness.
PERIOD V. TO FORTY-THREE YEARS OLD.
SECTION I.--
Morbid conditions as a matter of study. Causes of illness. Retreat to
Tynemouth. "The Hour and the Man." "The Playfellow." Taking advice
in authorship. "Life in the Sick-room." Refusal of a pension. Charity
fund. Testimonial.

SECTION II.--
Anti-theological progression.
SECTION III.--
Recovery. "Letters on Mesmerism." Persecution of convalescents
restored by Mesmerism. Leaving Tynemouth.
PERIOD VI. TO FIFTY-THREE YEARS OLD.
SECTION I.--
Relish of life at last. No dislike of death. Medical criticism. First seeing
Mr. Atkinson. Lodging at Waterhead. Country visiting declined.
Reasons for settling at Ambleside. Buying field and planning house.
SECTION II.--
Long credit system. Building house. Mysterious present. Wordsworth's
tree. First acquaintance with Wordsworth. The poet and the man.
Hartley Coleridge. Exploration of the District. Mesmerising the sick.
Liabilities. Margaret Fuller. Jane's arrival. "Forrest and Game-law
Tales." Correspondence with Sir Robert Peel. Garden and sun-dial.
Tourists. Leaving home.
SECTION III.--
"The Billow and the Rock." Going to the East. Dention in the
Mediterranean. Politics in Egypt. Profit of travel. Conception of book.
Preparation of book. Correspondence with Mr. Atkinson. Emerson.
"Household Education." "Eastern Life."
APPENDIX A.--Miss Berry
APPENDIX B.--Memorial against Prosecution for Opinion
APPENDIX C.--A Month at Sea

APPENDIX D.--Correspondence about a Pension 587

INTRODUCTION TO HARRIET MARTINEAU'S
AUTOBIOGRAPHY. AMBLESIDE, March, 1855.
FROM my youth upwards I have felt that it was one of the duties of my
life to write my autobiography. I have always enjoyed, and derived
profit from, reading that of other persons, from the most meagre to the
fullest: and certain qualities of my own mind,--a strong consciousness
and a clear memory in regard to my early feelings,--have seemed to
indicate to me the duty of recording my own experience. When my life
became evidently a somewhat remarkable one, the obligation presented
itself more strongly to my conscience: and when I made up my mind to
interdict the publication of my private letters, the duty became
unquestionable. For thirteen or fourteen years it has been more or less a
weight on my mind that the thing was not done. Twice in my life I
made a beginning; once in 1831, and again about ten years later, during
my long illness at Tynemouth: but both attempts stopped short at an
early period, answering no other purpose than preserving some facts of
my childhood which I might otherwise have forgotten. Of late years, I
have often said to my most intimate friends that I felt as if I could not
die in peace till this work was done; and there has been no lack of
encouragement and instigation on their part: but, while I was in health,
there was always so much to do that was immediately wanted, that, as
usually happens in such cases, that which was not immediately
necessary was deferred. At
the beginning of this last winter, however, I had hopes of being able to
unite my political work with this; and on New Year's Day I said to
myself that the year must not close without my having recorded the
story of my life. I was probably strengthened in this purpose by having
for some time past felt that my energies were declining, and that I had
no longer a right to depend on being able to do whatever I chose. Two
or three weeks more settled the business. Feeling very unwell, I went to
London to obtain a medical opinion in regard to my health. Two able
physicians informed me that I had a mortal disease, which might spare

me some considerable space of life, but which might, as likely as not,
destroy me at any moment. No doubt could remain after this as to what
my next employment should be: and as soon after my return home as I
had settled my business with my Executor, I began this autobiography.
I thought it best to rewrite the early portion, that the whole might be
offered from one point of view, and in a consistent spirit. Without any
personal desire about living a few months or weeks more or less, I
rather hope that I may be able to finish my story with my own hands. If
not, it will be done by another, from materials of more or less value.
But one part which