Page:A cyclopaedia of female biography.djvu/563

 when very young, and for nine years edited an annual called "The Rose of Sharon." She also edited "The Ladies' Repository," published in Boston; and wrote several works, both in prose and verse; "The Palfreys;" "Ellen Clifford;" "The Poetry of Women;" and "Memoir and Poems of Mrs. Julia II. Scott," etc. Her maiden name was Edgarton. She married, in 1846, the Rev. A. D. Mayo, of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and continued her literary pursuits with increased advantages. Had her life been prolonged, she gave promise of being one of the most distinguished female writers of America; but death suddenly destroyed these bright hopes of earthly usefulness. She died, July 9th, 1848.

McINTOSH, MARIA JANE, a native of Georgia, in America. She was born at Sunbury, a village about forty miles south of Savannah, and received all the education which she derived from schools at an academy in her native place. In 1835, Miss McIntosh removed to the city of New York, where she has since resided. Her first printed work, "Blind Alice," was published in 1840. It was followed, at various intervals, by the other tales, known as "Aunt Kitty's," which appeared in the following order:—"Jessie Grahame," "Florence Arnott," "Grace and Clara," and "Ellen Leslie;" the last being published in 1842. "Conquest and Self-Conquest," "Woman an Enigma," "Praise and Principle" and a little tale called "The Cousins," were published between 1848 and 1846. In 1847, the "Two Lives, or to seem and to be," was issued; and since that "Aunt Kitty's Tales," collected into one volume and carefully revised, "Charms and Counter-Charms," and "Woman in America—her Work and her Reward." In 1850, appeared "The Christmas Guest," intended as a book for the holidays.

In all Miss McIntosh's writings, there are evidences of originality and freshness of mind, as well as of good judgment and sound religious principle. In her two longer tales, she has displayed unusual power in depicting the passions and interesting the feelings. In her work on woman, she has shown herself to be one who thinks and judges for herself, uninfluenced and undisturbed by the clamour of conflicting opinions; and there have been few books on that much-canvassed topic which show so much sound common sense, as well as thought and earnestness. Her style is easy and graceful, and her first object is evidently the maintenance of pure morality and religion.

MEGALOSTRATA, poetess, a friend of Aleman, a Spartan lyric poet, flourished in the twenty-seventh Olympiad, about B. C 668. None of her poems remain, but there are satires written against her, which prove her talents were known and envied.

MELLON, HARRIET, DUCHESS OF ST. ALBANS, born in Westminster, about 1775. Her father was a gentleman in the service of the East India Company, but died before the birth of his daughter. Her mother afterwards married Mr. Entwistle, a professor of music, and leader of the band at the York theatre. Miss Mellon was educated for the stage, and made