Fenwick Miller (p. 188). Besides this she wrote some articles for the 'Edinburgh Review' after 1859. Her energy was not entirely absorbed by this work; but in 1854 she showed symptoms of disease of the heart, which was pronounced to be fatal in January 1865. In expectation of a speedy death, she wrote her autobiography in 1855. Her life, however, was prolonged, though her strength gradually declined. She took a keen interest in the American war, and afterwards in the agitation against the Contagious Diseases Acts. The loss of her niece, Maria Martineau, daughter of her brother Robert, in 1864 was a great trouble; but she preserved her mental powers to the last, and died at The Knoll 27 June 1876. She was buried beside her mother in the old cemetery at Birmingham.
Besides her varied and industrious literary labours Miss Martineau had been active in her social relations. She was on friendly terms in her first years at the Lakes with the Wordsworths, and the poet had pronounced her purchase of the land there to be 'the wisest step of her life, for the value of the property would be doubled in ten years' (ib. li. 229). He also prudently advised her to entertain her friends to tea, but if they wanted more to say that they must pay for their board (ib. p. 235). He was, however, substantially kindly and generous. Some of the respectable neighbours were frightened by her opinions ; but she had abundance of friends and guests. She gave careful lectures to the workmen during the winter, was very charitable out of a modest income, and started a building society and other benevolent schemes. She started a farm on her little property with the help of a labourer imported from Norfolk, and described his success in a pamphlet. An excellent description of her in her later years is given by Mr. Payn in his 'Literary Recollections,' who speaks warmly of her kindly, 'motherly' ways, ner strong good sense, and her idolatry of Atkinson.
Miss Martineau says of herself, in a short biography written for the 'Daily News' (republished in 'Autobiog.' iii. 459-70), that her power was due to 'earnestness and intellectual clearness within a certain range.' She had 'small imaginative and suggestive powers, and therefore no approach to genius,' but could see clearly and express herself clearly. She 'could popularise, though she could neither discover nor invent,' Her life, she adds, was useful so far as she could do this 'diligently and honestly.' There can be no doubt of her honesty, and her diligence is sufficiently proved by the great quantity of work which she executed in spite of many years of prostrating illness. Her estimate of herself was, if any thing, on the side of modesty, but seems to be substantially correct. Some of her stories perhaps show an approach to genius; but neither her history nor her philosophical writings have the thoroughness of research or the originality of conception which could entitle them to such a name. As an interpreter of a rather rigid and prosaic school of thought, and a compiler of clear compendiums of knowledge, she certainly deserves a high place, and her independence and solidity of character give a value to her more personal utterances. Her portrait by Richmond, taken in 1849, was presented to her, and has been engraved.
Her works are:
- 'Devotional Exercises, … with a "Guide to the Study of the Scriptures," 1823.
- 'Traditions of Palestine,' 1830.
- 'Five Years of Youth, or Sense and Sentiment,' 1831, a story for the young.
- 'Essential Faith of the Universal Church,' &c, 1831.
- 'The Faith as unfolded by many Prophets …,' 1832.
- 'Providence manifested through Israel …,' 1832 (the last three the prize essays published by the Unitarian Society).
- 'Illustrations of Political Economy,' 9 vols. 1832, 1833, 1834.
- 'Poor Laws and Paupers Illustrated,' 1833.
- 'Illustrations of Taxation,' 1834.
- 'Society in America,' 1837.
- 'Retrospect of Western Travel,' 1838.
- 'How to Observe: Morals and Manners,' 1838.
- 'Addresses, with Prayers and Original Hymns,' 1838.
- 'Deerbrook, a novel,' 1839.
- 'The Playfellow, a series of tales,' 1841 ('Settlers at Home,' 'The Peasant and the Prince,' 'Feats on the Fiord,' and 'Crofton Boys').
- 'The Hour and the Man, an historical romance,' 1841.
- 'Life in the Sick Room: Essays by an Invalid,' 1843.
- 'Letters on Mesmerism,' 1845.
- 'Forest and Game-Law Tales,' 1845 ('Merdhin' and three other stories).
- 'Dawn Island, a tale,' 1845 (published for the Anti-Cornlaw League).
- 'The Billow and the Rock,' 1846 ('Knight's Weekly Volumes').
- 'Eastern Life, Past and Present,' 1848.
- 'History of England during the Thirty Years' Peace,' 1849.
- 'Household Education,' 1849.
- 'Introduction to the History of the Peace,' 1851.
- 'Letters on the Laws of Man's Nature and Development' (with H. G. Atkinson), 1851.
- 'Merdhin; the Manor and the Eyrie; and Old Landmarks and Old Laws,' 1852.
- 'The Philosophy of Comte, freely translated and condensed,' 1853 (vols. iii. and iv. of 'Chapman's Quarterly Series').
- 'A Complete Guide to the English Lakes,' 1855
