Page:Poems of Nature and Life.djvu/211

 THE RANDALL FAMILY 203

remember as a skilful family physician. Her mother was the grand-daughter of Samuel Adams, and Miss Randall's childhood and youth were spent on the Adams estate in Winter street, where fifty years ago were a large garden as well as a stately house, and in summer she enjoyed the Randall farm in Stow, which has been in the family since 1640 [the town grant was on March 10, 1685, as cited above]. She was a lady who did no discredit to her distinguished ancestor. She inherited a large fortune, which she held as a trust, not as a means of her own aggrandizement. Simple in her tastes, never wasteful in her expenditure, she sought to benefit those less fortu- nate than herself. She gave a beautiful library to Stow, her father's native town, as a memorial of him and her brother. Her family of three sisters and one brother had great musical talent and thorough training. Miss Randall's own rendering of music, both vocal and instrumental, had an indescribable charm for all her friends and for any fortunate listener. Her brother, John Witt Randall, with whom she lived until his death, was a poet, a naturalist, a musician, and an art connoisseur. His collection of en- gravings, forming a continuous history of the art of engrav- ing — one of the finest private collections in the country — was given to Harvard University with provision for its future care. The secluded life which both sister and brother preferred, fostered their originality and the depth of their learning. They shared each other's interests and pursuits, and their house seemed like a home of the Muses. It has been said that there were ' enough knowledge and accomplishments in the Randall family to stock a whole town.' It is sad to think that there are no descendants of this remarkable family."

�� �