Early origin-Pedigree of the Sheehy family-Notice of maternal grandfather-Career of Edmond Power-Marriage of Marguerite Departure from Naples - Sojourn in Rome, Florence, Milan, Return to Paris, in June, 1828-Residence there-Death of Lord Conversational powers of distinguished persons-Seamore Place and Gore House-Literary circles-Rival salons of Holland House, and Réunions at the Countess of Charleville's-Residence of Lady Blessington at Seamore Place, from 1832 to 1836; and at Gore House, Kensington Gore, from 1836 to April, 1849 150 Arrival of Lady Blessington in Paris, the middle of April, 1849- Her last illness and death, on the 4th of June following-No- Notice of Count Alfred D'Orsay-His origin, some account of his Proceedings on Inquest on the Body of Joseph Lonergan, shot THE LITERARY LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE OF THE COUNTESS OF BLESSINGTON. INTRODUCTION. THE task of Biography is not comprised in a mere attempt to make a word-picture of a person that can be identified by its resemblance to the original; to narrate a series of striking passages in the life of an individual, whose career it is intended to illustrate; to record dates of remarkable events, and particulars of important occurrences; to give a faithful account even of signal failures and successes; to delineate the features of the person described, and to make peculiarities of mind or form clearly perceptible to those for whom we write or paint in words. These are essential things to be done, but they are not all that are essential in human life-history, which should be descriptive not only of external appearances, and accidental circumstances, but of the interior being, and actual peace of mind of those of whom it treats. The great aim to be accomplished is to make the truthful VOL. I. B |