Prentiss during the first twenty years of her life, and which helped to
form her character. She was also strongly affected, especially while
passing from girlhood into early womanhood, by the literary influences
of the day. Poetry and fiction were her delight. She was very fond of
Wordsworth, Tennyson, and Longfellow; while the successive volumes of
Dickens were read by her with the utmost avidity. Mrs. Payson's house
was a good deal visited by scholars and men of culture. Her eldest
daughter had already become somewhat widely known by her writings. In
the extent, variety and character of her attainments she was, in truth,
a marvel. Indeed, she quite overshadowed the younger sister by her
learning and her highly intellectual conversation. And yet Elizabeth
also attracted no little attention from some who had been first drawn
to the house by their friendship for Louisa. [12] Among her warmest
admirers was Mr. John Neal, then well known as a man of letters; he
predicted for her a bright career as an author. Still, it was her
personal character that most interested the visitors at her mother's
house. This may be illustrated by an extract from a letter of Mr. Hamlin
to a friend of the family in New York, written in April, 1838, while he
was their temporary pastor. Mr. Hamlin has since become known throughout
the Christian world by his remarkable career as a missionary in Turkey,
and as organiser of Robert College. A few months after the letter was
written he set sail for Constantinople, accompanied by his wife, whose
early death was the cause of so much grief among all who knew her. [13]
I should like to write a long letter about dear Elizabeth. I have seen
her more since Louisa left and I love her more. She has a peculiar
charm for me. I think she has a quick and excellent judgment, refined
sensibilities, and an _instinctive_ perception of what is fit and
proper.... It seems to me there is a great deal of purity--of the
_spirituelle_--about her feelings. But I can not tell you exactly what
it is that makes me think so highly of her. It is a nameless something