Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 November 1889 — A Bit from Gladstone’s Review. [ARTICLE]

A Bit from Gladstone’s Review.

And so we bid adieu to one of those abnormal beings who in this or that country seem to be born into the world once or twice in a generation, oftener, perhaps, women than men, and who commonly succumb to the strain of life long before the natural term. They may seem to warn us common mortals to beware how we handle them roughly or lightly, because they are above and beyond us. Our arms do not encompass them. And yet, as they are meant for this, among other purposes, to give us lessons; and as we can not learn without trying to understand, something like judgments must perforce be passed upon them, with whatever deference and reserve. And, indeed, there is one remark, obvious enough to make, which seems to cover the whole case of this extraordinary person. She was a true genius, though some of her judgments in letters and in arts seem to be eccentric. But while her powers in every direction unfolded themselves with superlative and precocious rapidity, the great quality which we call character was of slow and immature growth; and girls of 12 or less than 12 abound everywhere around us who are riper in this capital respect than was Marie Bashkirtseff when she died.— Nineteenth Century.