advice, sympathy, or aid; the door-bell rang too often. I heard a
young girl once say of her: "She is great enough to have been an
inspired prophetess of olden times, and tender enough to have been the
mother of our Dear Saviour." Such were the words of impassioned praise
that fell from the lips of a young, motherless, Roman Catholic girl,
one of the many whom Mrs. Botta had taught and befriended. Once, when
reading to Mrs. Botta in connection with her "History," a man called
to see her about getting material for her biography. To my surprise,
she waved her hand to me saying, "This young lady is to be my
biographer." As I felt entirely unable to attempt such a work I told
her it should be made up of letters from a host of friends who had
known her so well and so long. This pleased her, and after her death
her husband wrote me urging me to edit such a composite picture, but
knowing his superior fitness for the work, I thanked him for the
compliment, but declined. What a delightful result was accomplished by
his good judgment, literary skill, and the biographical notes gladly
given by her intimate friends. I will give a few quotations from the
tributes:

To me--as to others--her conversation was singularly inspiring;
it suggested to a man his best trains of thought; it developed
in him the best he had; it made him think better of himself and
of mankind; it sent him away stronger for all good work.


She seemed to me capable of worshipping in equal fervour with
Roman Catholics or with Unitarians--in a cathedral or in a
hovel; and this religious spirit of hers shone out in her life
and in her countenance. Very pleasant was her optimism; she
looked about her in this world without distrust, and beyond her