"I would do something for the country where I have found a Saviour for my soul, where I have had a home, and where I shall have a grave." Must the hope of her death-bed be in vain? It would not be if I could have given to the world the impression of this dear friend which my soul retains. But how inadequately I have done this no one can be so sensible as the writer. Indeed the difficulty of the task, the fear of saying less than my promise to the deceased implied, or more than the public taste-rigidly regarding the sacredness of private life-would approve, prevented me for years, from offering the manuscript of "Waldemar"* for publication; as that is no longer in my keeping, perhaps I might have plead exemption from my promise, but I could not feel perfectly satisfied without giving this tribute of affection to the memory of my Swedish friend. I have endeavored to fulfil her design without entering into details which might offend or wound any living individual with whom she was ever associated or connected. One parting lesson to the young ladies of America must. be hazarded. While Mrs. Turner was in Sweden she received a very advantageous offer of marriage, which she refused. On being urged to give her reason for this rejection, which seemed unaccountable to the gentleman, * "Waldemar," the novel translated by Mrs. Turner, was to have been published in New York, when a fire occurred there, and the manuscript was consumed with the office where it was deposited. It is useless now to speak of the merits of the translation; I feel sure however the work would have been popular with those who like historical novels and descriptions of the olden time. |