The life of Sophia Jex-Blake / by Margaret Todd (Graham Travers).

  • Margaret Todd
Date:
1918
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The life of Sophia Jex-Blake / by Margaret Todd (Graham Travers). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    bearing the words, “ Children, obey your parents in the Lord ; for this is right.” By the same post as the second of these letters her Father writes : “ My darling Child, We have been so grieved to hear of your illness, and do hope that before you receive this, you will be much better. It will please you to know that dear Mummy is much better for the quiet and Norfolk air. Everybody is so kind and trying to get her quite strong, and they all enquire so kindly after little Sophy, whom they call ‘ little Sophy ’ still, everybody saying what a very sweet and darling child you were six years ago ; and I do trust that, when you see them next, they will find you a more darling child, and more loveable than ever. God grant it be so, dearest, for I want you to be very happy.” The next letter from Miss B. that has been preserved is dated September, 1851, and is addressed to Mr. Jex-Blake. “ I ought not to express sorrow at the sudden removal of your child, hoping and believing that it is ‘ ordered by the Lord.’ She bears away with her my affectionate love and prayerful interest.” No record has been kept of the precise steps that led to the “ sudden removal.” For the next two years the child went to a boarding-school in Brighton, where her parents had now gone to reside, and there are, therefore, practically no letters of the period. Two of her schoolfellows, however, have been good enough to contribute their impressions of her. For better and for worse, they call up a very vivid picture. Miss Lucy Portal writes : “ Being the junior of Sophy, as we always called her, she and I were not much in touch, though I never forgot her, for she had a strong personality, and was so clever—in fact, far above our school¬ mistress in natural intelligence, and she made a lasting impression on those with whom she associated. Whenever I heard her name in after life the vision of a young capable girl who asked questions that bewildered her governess rose before me. One day when we were walking on the ‘ Downs ' with [an assistant governess] in the rear, Sophy saw a large stone by the wayside and seated herself on it. * What do you mean by this ? ’ said the gover¬ ness. ‘ I am tired and must rest,’ replied Sophy. ‘ Get up at
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