Page:A cyclopaedia of female biography.djvu/267

 Boston, or its vicinity. She was an apt scholar, and began early to make her talents useful. Gathering around her in the home of her grandmother, an excellent and respectable lady, a select school of young girls, to whom she was less like a teacher than a loving elder sister, gaining their confidence and leading them on with her in the way of improvement, Miss Dix became known by her virtues, and won her way to public esteem. At this time she cultivated her literary taste, and prepared several books; the first, published in Boston, 1829, entitled "The Garland of Flora," is proof of that genuine love of flowers and of poetry which marks the delicately-toned mind, disciplined by reflection, as well as study. Miss Dix afterwards prepared a number of books for children, among which were "Conversations about Common Things," "Alice and Ruth," "Evening Hours," and several others. Her name was not given to any of her works, but we allude to them here to show that a refined literary taste and genius are compatible with the most active philanthropy, even when compelled to seek its objects through researches that are both painful and terrible.

The declining health of Miss Dix made a change necessary; and as, by the decease of a relative, she had been left sufficiently provided for to render her own exertions unnecessary for herself, she gave up her school in 1834 and came to Europe. In Liverpool she was confined by a long and dangerous illness, but, notwithstanding her weak condition, she gained, while here, much valuable information, particularly about charitable institutions. In 1837 she returned to Boston, and soon commenced visiting the Poor-House and Houses of Refuge for the unfortunate. She also became interested for the boys in the Naval Asylum. Then she went to the Prisons and Lunatic Asylums; everywhere seeking to ameliorate suffering and instruct the ignorant In this course of benevolence she was encouraged by her particular friend, and, we believe, pastor, the Rev. William E. Channing, D.D., of whose two children she had at one time been the governess. For about ten years, or since 1841, Miss Dix has given her thoughts, time, and influence to ameliorate the condition of poor lunatics, and to persuade the public to furnish suitable asylums; also to improve the moral discipline of prisons and places of confinement for criminals. For this purpose she has visited every state in the Union (except, perhaps one) this side of the Rocky Mountains; travelling, probably, a number of miles which would three times circle the globe. Every where seeking out intelligent and benevolent men, she has endeavoured to infuse into their hearts the enthusiasm that kindled her own. Visiting the poor-houses, the prisons, the places of confinement for the insane, she has learned their condition, pleaded their cause, and materially incited the exertions of individuals and legislative bodies to provide suitable asylums for this suffering class. In founding the state hospitals in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Indiana, Illinois, Louisiana, and North Carolina, her exertions were of much importance by preparing the public mind to sympathize with this peculiar walk of charity. But Miss Dix did not stop at this point. In her enthusiasm she sees only two classes of people—the insane and the sane; the one to do, the other to be done for; so she carried her cares to Congress, and, in the sessions of 1848-9, presented a memorial asking an appropriation of five millions of acres of the public domain to endow hospitals for the indigent insane