Page:The works of Anna Laetitia Barbauld volume 1.djvu/61

 his spirits, in a great degree hereditary, which came gradually upon him, and closed the scene of his earthly usefulness; yet in the midst of the irritation it occasioned, the kindness of his nature broke forth, and some of his last acts were acts of benevolence."

Mrs. Barbauld had the fortitude to seek relief from dejection in literary occupation; and incapable as yet of any stronger effort, she consented to edit a collection of the British Novelists, which issued from the press in 1810. The Introductory Essay shows extent of reading combined with her usual powers of style; and the Biographical and Critical Notices prefixed to the works of each author are judiciously and grace fully executed.

In the following year she compiled for the use of young ladies an agreeable collection of verse and prose, in one volume