206 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

like enterprising genius: however, he had formed a
design of visiting Britain *, when a sudden revolt
of the Salafi, a people of the Piedmontese, put a
ftop to his intentions, which were never afterwards
revived.

Tiberius followed the example of his predeceſ-
for, and made no attempt upon the island. Cor-
nelius Tacitus, ſpeaking of this behaviour towards
the Britons, ſays, *Conſilium id divus Auguſtus vocabat,
Tiberius præceptum*. “ This conduct Auguſtus
“ called policy: the example of Auguſtus, was a
“ precept to Tiberius.”

The temper of Caligula, the next Roman em-
peror, differed in a great measure from the peace-
fulftupidity of Tiberius. Caligula was vain, im-
petuous, and extravagant, but cowardly, paffive,
and irrefolute. He assembled an army of two
hundred thousand men, paffed the Rhine, repaſſed
it, without feeing an enemy; plundered Gaul,
came to the gallic shore, proclaimed war againſt
Britain, and gathered cockle ſhells.

To Claudius the fifth emperor of Rome fate had
referved a more complete conquelt of our island than
had been made by any of his predeceſſors. The Bri-
tons had juſtly ridiculed the military fopperies of
Caligula; but they carried their exultations too
far. They imagined themselves invincible, becauſe
a Roman emperor and his numerous army had
pompouſly marched to the feaſhore, and were

* Serves iterum Cæfarum in ultimos,
Orbis Britannos. Horat. Lib. i. Ode 35.
“ Preferve Cæfar, who is going againſt the Britons, thoſe
“ inhabitants of the fartheſt part of the world.”

afraid

THE LADY's MUSEUM.

afraid to cross the ocean. Our ancestors remained wrapt up in this kind of security, at the acceSSION of Claudius, whose personal character could not possibly give the least room for apprehension. He was as indolent as Tiberius, and as cowardly as Caligula; but his lucky stars ordained him to be governed by counsellors of far superior judgment to his own. Among these were Aulus Plautius, and Ostorius Scapula, both men of great eminence in rank and reputation. To the first, was assigned the command of the army destined against the Britons.

It is an observation made by Julius Cæsar, that the Belgic Britons, and the native or ancient Britons, were very different in their customs and manners. A constant intercourse with the continent, some proceeds in agriculture, and a considerable increase of commerce, had, in a great measure, polished, and improved the former, whilst the latter remained in their original fierscenes.

We cannot wonder that men of such a dissimilar turn of mind and actions, should be continually jarring with each other. The former, like courtiers, were too servilely submissive to tempting circumstances, and alluring views of ambition; the latter, like country gentlemen, were too obsequiously resolute, and too impolitically reserved. These diffentions proved of great use to an invader, and Plautius landed, without the least opposition. He found the island like a desert; scarce an inhabitant appeared. The Belgic Britons had retired into woods and fortresses: they halted to retreat from

208. THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

from an enemy with whom they were unprepared
to engage. Plautius moved onward, with his army
coasting along the Thames, till he came to Wal-
lingford, where he crofted the river, and entered
into the territories of the Donubi, a colony to whom
Oxfordshire, and a great part of Gloucestershire,
belonged. These were the first people from whom
he met with resistance. They fought against the
Romans with great bravery; but being unfortunate
in four successive battles, and in the lots of
one of their chieftains, Togodumus, they retreated
across the Thames, and were followed by Plautius.
Both armies encamped on the side of the river, next
to Gaul; but our historians, I think, have not exactly
fixed their situation.

The Roman General remained in his camp, and
evidently declined an engagement. The Donubi,
although four times vanquished, and still in a state
of exile from their own colony, attributed his con-
duct to fear: but they were mistaken in their
judgment. The inactivity of Plautius was neither
the effect of fear nor caution: he waited for
the arrival of the emperor; and, from a nobleness
of soul, uncommon in a general, intended to crown
his imperial master with all the laurels and honours
that might arise from any future conquest over
the Britons.

Claudius landed at the Portes Rutupinus (Sand-
wich in Kent) and marched with his troops to the
mouth of the river Thames, where Plautius was
encamped. As soon as the Roman forces were all
joined, they repassed the Thames, and, with much
flaughter, made their way through a great number

of

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

of the Britons, who had endeavoured to stop their passage. They took Camlodunum* the capital of one of the British Princes; and they passed on with such a victorious Quicknefs, that many of the Belgic colonies thought it a proper time to submit. Claudius placed them under the government of Plautius; and, after a stay only of fixteen days in the island, returned to Gaul, in his way to Italy.

The personal preference of a powerful prince, is of great efficacy wherever he goes. The *veni, vidi, vici* of Julius, was a motto accidently applicable to Claudius Cæsar, who, in a little more than a fortnight subdued, partly by arms, and partly by the terror of his name, four colonies of Britons †. Plautius judged rightly in sending for such a figure to be carried about, at the head of the army: his judgment was not less exquisite, in sending it as quickly back. A longer stay might have discovered the idol to have been paseboard; and the Britons might have despied the pageant, when they found it only a moving machine in the human form.

As soon as Claudius had set sail, the Romans resolved upon a farther progress into different parts of our island. They divided their troops under the command of two generals. Aulus Plautius, the proprætor, and Flavius Vespasianus, afterwards

* Malden in Essex.

† The Trinobantes, inhabitants of
The Cantii,
The Regni,
The Atrebates,
Nº. III.
P
Hertfordshire, Essex,
and Middlesex.
Kent.
Suffolk and Surry.
Berkshire.

Em-

210 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

Emperor. The actions of Vespasian are mentioned by Dio and Suetonius, and are particularly extolled by Tacitus. Our English Historians are no less profuse in his praises. Most of them assign to him the conquest of the Isle of Wight; and of the several other Belgian colonies, from Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Somersetshire, to the extremity of the western part of Cornwall.

Plautius had undertaken the conquest of the more inland countries: but probably finding his task too difficult, he contented himself with the laurels which he had gained, and returned to Rome. Aftorius Scapula succeeded him in the title of pro-prætor, and in the command of the army. Scapula, in attempting to purify the plan of his predecessor, met with many difficulties. His adversaries were endued with a certain stubborn bravery, that scorned the superior power of the Romans. They fought with the resolution of men, who esteemed the enjoyment of their laws and liberty as the greatest blessings under heaven. The love of liberty, and a true devotion to its cause, seems to have been implanted by nature itself in thebreasts of our forefathers. How strangely, and from what incidents this elementary British fire was frequently evaporated, and again was amazingly rekindled, must be the subject-matter of future enquiry. Certainly it never Phone forth with greater brightness than in the person and character of Caraetacus: he was a prince of a noble birth, and a proud undaunted spirit: he was an able and a judicious commander. During nine years successively, he had defended himself with inferior forces, against

Oftorius

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

211

Oſtorius and the Roman army. He had often
ſhifted his ground, and had withdrawn his troops
into mountains and rocky places. Every paſſage
that might prove acceſſible to the enemy, was ſtopt
up, and fortified by heaps of ſtones. At length
the Romans, growing alḥamed of their frequent
diſappointments, and enraged to be outdone by a
Briton, demoliſhed his fortreſſes, and forced him to
an engagement. The event of the battle was
fatal to Britain in general, and particularly unfor-
tunate to Caractacus, whole wife and daughter
were taken prifoners. The unhappy prince eſcaped,
only to become more miſerable : he fled, in con-
fidence of receiving friendſhip and protection from
Cartiſmandua, queen of the Brigantes, who imme-
diately betrayed him to the conquerors; and Ca-
ractacus, with his captive family, were ſent bound
in chains to Rome.

[To be continued.]

P 2

THE

[ 212 ]

THE

T R Y A L

O F T H E

M A I D O F O R L E A N S.

Extracted from the Archives of Normandy, by John Nagerel, canon and archdeacon of the church of Nostre Dame at Rouen. Communicated to the author by a friend.

IN the year one thousand four hundred and twenty nine, a young girl named Jane Taré, of the dutchy of Lorrain, declared she had frequent revelations from heaven : she was the daughter of a common labourer, and her whole life had been employed in tending cattle. God commanded her, she said, to go to Charles the seventh, king of France, in order to advise and assist him in the recovery of his dominions, then poffeffed by the English.

She was brought before the governor of Vau-
couleurs, who looked upon her as disordered in
her mind, and dismiffed her. She infiſted how-
ever ſo strongly, and perſevered ſo much in her re-
ſolutions to go and offer her ſervices to Charles, that
the governor at laſt conſented to have her con-
ducted to Chinon where the king reſided.

Her behaviour there did not ſhow the embarraſſ-
ment of a country girl, but the unaſſected politenefs
and ceremony of a courtier. She immediately
diſtinguifhed her royal matter from among the
crowd of his attendants, and ſaid to him that ſhe
came in compliance to the almighty's orders to raiſe

the

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

the siege of Orleans, and to recover the kingdom
from English usurpation, desired him not to be
apprehensive of his enemies: that she would attack
them wherever she met them: that she made no
doubt of succeeding in her attempts: and that
his majesty should be soon peaceably established
upon the throne of his ancestors.

Charles ordered this extraordinary young woman to be examined in matters of religion; and asked her several questions relative to the art of war, and other curious subjects.

Her answers were so pertinent and so juft, that
the king, the prelates, and the other clergy who
were present, were very much amazed. It was
revealed to her, she said, that in a neighbouring
church was hid a sword on which five Flower-de-
luces, the arms of France, were engraved.

The sword was searched for, and found among
some old iron in the church she had mentioned.
The king prefent ed it to her, and she was soon ac-
coutred in warlike drefs. Every thing seemed fa-
miliar to her mind; her activity and addrefs were
equal to those of the moft accomplished warriors.

When she was admitted to his majesty's council
to advise on the exigency of affairs, she spoke with
so much knowledge, with so much prudence and
wisdom, that her opinion was often followed, and
that of the moft experienced generals laid aside.

But what was more astonishing, when a council
was held in her absence, she knew every thing that
was proposed and concluded there. However, his
majesty thought proper to defire the maid to give
him some unquestionable proofs of her being the mef-

fenger

214 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

fenger of God, as he might then entirely confide
in her advice, and follow her inſtructions.

To which Jane anſwered, “Sire, if I can diſ-
“cover to you your thoughts, which you confided
“to God alone, will you firmly believe that I am
“his meſſenger?”

Charles ſaid he would; on which ſhe aſked him
if he remembered that ſome months before, in the
chapel of his caſtle of Loches, he privately and
alone humbly begged three things from heaven ?

The king remembred very well his having made
requeſts to God, which he had not ſince revealed
even to his confefſor; and ſaid that he would no
longer doubt of Jane's divine legation, if ſhe could
tell him what theſe entreaties were?

Your firſt ſuit was then, continued Jane, that if
you were not the true heir to the crown of France,
God would please to deprive you of the courage
and deſire of continuing a war, in order to poſſeſs it,
which had already cauſed ſo much bloodſhed and
miſery throughout the kingdom. Your ſecond
prayer was, that if the great troubles and misfor-
tunes which the poor inhabitants of France have
lately underwent, were the puniſhment of any fins
by you committed, that he would please to relieve
the people of France, that you alone might be pu-
niſhed, and make expiation, either by death or any
torment he would please to inſtict. Your third de-
ſire was, that if the fins of the people were the
cauſe of their ſufferings, he would be pleaſed in his
divine mercy to grant them pardon, and deliver
them from the pains and miſeries which they have
been labouring under already above twelve years.

Charles

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

Charles knowing the truth of all she said, was now firmly persuaded that she was a divine meffenger, and placed much hopes in her affrontance towards the recovery of his kingdom: soon after, affronted by Jane, he raised the siege of Orleans, and re-took possession of Gien, Gergueau, Meun, Bau-genci, and many other places; and afterwards, by her perfusion, he ventured through the country of Champaign, though in the hands of the English, and went to Rheims, where he was anointed and crowned.

Jane carried the royal standard at this ceremony, and, in a little time, contributed very much to the recovery of several towns and castles. Her reputation was at a great height; Charles always succeeded in every thing which she proposed and undertook; and in gratitude Jane had the credit of every thing that did succeed.

This brought upon her the hatred and envy of several of the commanders and chieftains of the French army, and at last proved fatal to her: for, in the year one thousand four hundred and thirty one, the maid of Orleans being informed that the duke of Burgundy, with some English, had laid siege to the town of Compiegne, immediately departed at the head of a few troops, to strengthen and support the feeble garrison that defended it.

A day or two after her arrival, some of the French lords proposed to fally out against the enemy; and though Jane did not think it advisable, yet, left she should be suspected of cowardice or backwardness, she consented, unfortunately for her, to be one of the number.

P 4

As

216 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

As she was supporting her country's cause with valour and intrepidity, some Frenchmen gave the signal for retreat, on which every body haftened to get back to the gates, where there was so great a throng, that before she could enter she was taken by some of the troops of John of Luxemburgh, who was at the siege with the duke of Burgundy.

Luxemburgh ordered her to be conducted to the castle of Beaurevoir, where she was strictly guarded, as he was apprehensive she would endeavour to escape by magic art, or some other subtle means. The king of England, fearing that Luxemburgh would give her back to the French for a considerable ransom, was very anxious to have her in his own custody: but Luxemburgh absolutely refused to deliver his prisoner; so that Henry was obliged to have recourse to the bishop of Beauvais, in whose dioceses she had been taken, entreating him to demand her as a person strongly suspected of hereby and witchcraft, and therefore liable to be examined and tried by him, according to the laws of proceeding against heretics.

The bishop, after much deliberation, consented to demand the suspected Jane from Luxemburgh, on paying him a reasonable ransom, if the assembly of divines of the university of Paris would advise him so to do.

The assembly not only was of opinion that he could and ought to do it, but also in compliance, to the king of England, wrote to John of Luxemburgh, in the name of the university, praying him to send his prisoner to the bishop of Beauvais, in

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

in whose diocefes she was still in custody, and who
alone had the right of trying her for the crimes
of which she stood accused.

This letter had the desired effect, and Jane was
given up to the bishop, who immediately put her
into the hands of the English, by whom she was
carried to Rouen, and there kept in strong and
close confinement. Soon after, the king of England
sent the following order to the magistrates of
Rouen, to deliver Jane to be examined and tried
by the bishop of Beauvais.

" Henry, by the grace of God, king of France
and England, to our magistrates of Rouen greeting.
It is publicly known, that for some time past a
woman who calls herself Jane the Maiden, laying
aside the drefs and habit of her sex, which is againft
the law of God, and prohibited as an abominable
practice by every law, and taking the drefs and
manner of man, has been guilty of many cruel ho-
micides; and, in order to abuse the weak minds
of the people, has made them understand that
she was a messenger from God, and was privy
to his divine secrets, and has entertained several
other opinions contrary to our catholic faith, and
scandalous and dangerous to our mother church.
That while she was in hostile act againft us and our
people, she was taken before the walls of Com-
piegne by some of our loyal subjects, and brought
prisoner to our town of Rouen. And whereas she
has been strongly and universally suspected of fu-
perfedition, false doctrine, and other crimes againft
our holy church, we have been earnestly sollicited
by the reverend father in God and faithful counsel

lor

218

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

lor the bifhop of Beauvais, right eccleſiastical judge
of the ſaid Jane, as taken in his diocezs, and alſo
entreated by our deareſt and moſt beloved daugh-
ter the univerſity of Paris, to give up and deliver
our ſaid prifoner to be examined and tried by the
ſaid bifhop, for the crimes of which ſhe ſtands ſuſ-
peſted and accuſed; and to proceed againſt her
according to the ordinances and diſpoſitions of the
divine and canon laws, in that caſe made and pro-
vided. And as we are willing, in reverence and
honour to God, the defence and dignity of our
holy church and catholic faith, devoutly to obey,
as a true and humble ſon of the holy church, the
desires and demands of our daughter the univer-
ſity of Paris, we order and deſire by theſe preſents,
our officers and magiſtrates of Rouen, to deliver
up and bring before the reverend father in God
the bifhop of Beauvais, the ſaid Jane Taré, to be
tried and proceeded againſt according to God, to
reafon, and to the divine and holy canons. Given
at Rouen this third day of January, year of grace
one thouſand four hundred and thirty one, and of
our reign the third."

The Bifhop, impowered by this warrant, and
having communicated the accuſation to the in-
quiſitor general of the faith, he aſſembled in the
royal chapel of the caſtle of Rouen, Giles Abbot
of Feſcamp, John Beauſere, John de Chatiffon,
James le Tiffier, Nicholas Midy, Guerard Fueijlet,
William Heſton, Thomas de Courſelles, and
Richard Proty, to affiſt him at the tryal of the
ſaid Jane.

John

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

John Eftivet, named proctor for this tryal by the bishop, moved his lordship that the prifoner should be brought into court and examined according to law, which was granted; and the prifoner having defired leave to hear mafs, his lordship faid that he had taken advice on that head from ſeveral perſons of learning and wifdom, whose opinion it was, that, confidering the great crimes of which ſhe ſtood ſuſpected, and having infamouſly put on men's apparel, her requeſt ought not to be granted; and that therefore he overruled it.

His lordship then acquainted Jane, that ſhe be-
ing taken prifoner in his diocefe, and being pub-
lickly accuſed of ſeveral crimes which were againſt
the faith, not only in France but in every other
kingdom, ſhe was delivered up to him to be tried
in matters of faith. After which the proctor mo-
ved that the prifoner ſhould be ſworn to anſwer
the truth to all ſuch queſtions as he ſhould aſk her;
which was agreed to by the bishop and his affiſt-
antſ.

His lordship then addreſſing himſelf to Jane, in
a mild and charitable manner, begged ſhe would
make true and faithful anſwers to every particu-
lar, as well to ſhorten the trial as for the diſcharge
of her own confcience, without any mental refer-
vation or evaſion whatsoever.

To which Jane anſwered, “I do not know
“what queſtions you intend to aſk me; perhaps
“you may aſk ſome that I will not chufe to an-
“ſwer.”

The

220 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

The bishop said she must answer every question relative to the catholic faith, and every thing else she knew.

Jane replied, that she was willing to communicate to the court every circumstance she knew about her birth, her parentage, and her arrival in France, as also every thing she did since; but as to the revelations which she had from God, that she never told them but to Charles, whom she called her king; and that she would never disclose them to any other, though her silence should coft her head.

She added, that she was ordered from heaven to keep these revelations secret; but that in eight days she would be able to determine whether she could declare the purport of them.

The bishop then exhorted her to tell truth in matters of faith; Jane then kneeling, placed both her hands on the mass-book, andfwore that she would declare the truth in every thing relative to her faith; but would not disclose what God had revealed to her, to any person whatsoever.

The same day the court asked her several questions relative to her parents, the place of her birth, and her age.

On her next appearance in court she complained that irons had been put on her legs: on which the bishop reminded her that she often attempted to escape from prison; so that the jailor was obliged to keep her in irons and close confinement.

Jane owned that some time before she did strive to get away, as it was natural and lawful for every prisoner to do; and added, that even if she had

made

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

made her escape, she could not be accused of a breach of promise therein, as she had made none to any body.

Upon this answer the bishop immediately ordered John Ris, John Bernet, and William Talbot, in whose hands she was then entrusted, to watch her narrowly; and not allow any body to speak to her, without a special order signed by him.

She was then asked, if she had ever learned any art or trade?

She answered, that her mother had taught her to few; and she added, that she did not believe there was a woman in the city of Rouen who could teach her any thing. She said that she had left her parent's house partly through fear of the duke of Burgundy's army; that she went to Neufchattel with a woman named La Roufe, where she remained a fortnight; that she was there in quality of maid-fervant, and did not go to the fields to take care of sheep or other cattle during that time.

Being asked if she confessed every year?

She answered, she did, to her parish priest, except when he happened to be busy, and then she confessed to another priest with his leave; that she had confessed two or three times to a mendicant friar; and that she received the body of our Saviour every year at Easter.

Being asked whether she received the body of our Saviour at other festivals besides Easter?

She made no answer; but said, that from the age of thirteen she heard the voice of our Saviour, which directed her how to behave; that the first time she heard the voice she was in very great fear;

that

222

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

that she heard it about mid-day, in summer time,
in her father's garden, it being that day a faft; that
the voice seemed to come from the right, where
the neighbouring church was situated; that she
perceived a certain brightneſs which accompanied
the voice; that when she had heard it the third
time, she knew it to be a heavenly voice; that it
has taken care of her ſince that time.

Being asked what information she received from
the voice, for the safety of her foul ?

She anſwered, that it ſhewed how to conduct
herself in life; that it recommended to her to fre-
quent church and other devout exerciſes; after-
wards it told her it was neceſſary ſhe ſhould go to
France, which it repeated twice or thrice a week
till ſhe departed: it deſired her to make haſte,
and go away unknown to her parents; that ſhe was
to raſe the ſiege of Orleans; that ſhe ſhould go to
Robert de Baudricourt, who would give her guides
to conduct her; that ſhe then ſaid to the voice,
that ſhe was but a poor country girl, and entirely
ignorant of the art of war; that ſhe went ſoon af-
ter to her uncle's houſe, where ſhe ſtaid a week;
that her uncle carried her to Robert de Baudricourt;
that the voice had taught her to diſtinguish this
gentleman, though ſhe had never ſeen him before;
that he twice reſuſed to grant her deſire; but at
laſt he was prevailed on to have her conducted
to France; that ſhe then aſſumed man's apparel,
and wore a ſword which Robert de Baudricourt gave
her a little before ſhe departed; that ſhe was ac-
companied by a knight and four other men; that
ſhe often heard the voice on her road to France.

Being

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

Being asked, who advifed her to put on man's
apparel?

She anſwered, that the voice inſtructed her ſo
to do; and that ſhe accuſed no other perſon of it:
that on her departure from Robert de Baudricourt,
he ſaid to her, “You may depart, let what will
“happen.” She alſo added that it was abſo-
lutely neceſſary ſhe ſhould change her drefs.
Some time after ſhe ſaid that ſhe was ſure the duke
of Orleans was much beloved by God; that there
was not a man in France, except the king, of whom
ſhe had ſo many revelations as of the duke of
Orleans.

Being asked, what letters ſhe ſent to the Englifh,
and what was the purport of them?

She anſwered, that ſhe addreſſed ſome letters to
the Englifh who were before Orleans, defiring
them to part from thence; and that they would
absolutely be obliged to raife the ſiege: that ſhe
has been told that ſome words had been altered in
her letters, where ſhe defired the French territories
ſhould be given up to Charles, the lawful king.
In the place of which have been inſerted, as ſhe
was informed, that they ſhould be given up to
Jane the Maiden: that ſhe did not call herſelf a
warrior in theſe letters, as it was ſaid, had been
ſince added to them.

She then related, that ſhe arrived without any
difficulty at Chinon, where the king reſided; that
ſhe arrived about noon, lodged at an inn, and after
dinner waited on his majesty, whom ſhe immedi-
ately diſtinguifhed from his attendants, by the in-
ftructions of the voice; that ſhe told him ſhe

was

224

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

was resolved to go fight againft the English. Being
afked whether, when the voice pointed out the
king to her, there was any fhining light over the
king? ſhe would make no anſwer.

Being asked, whether ſhe ſaw any angel over the
king's head?

She made no anſwer; but ſaid, that before his
majesty employed her, ſhe had many fine vifions
and revelations.

Being asked what revelations ?

She anſwered, “I will not tell you as yet; but
“you may go to the king and he will inform you.”
She added, that the voice told her that ſoon after
her arrival his majesty would accept the offer of
her ſervices; that thofe of her own party were
confident the voice came from God; that they ſaw
and heard the voice; that ſhe knew it very well;
that the king and ſeveral of his council had heard
and ſeen the voice coming towards her; and
among the reſt Charles duke of Bourbon; that
the only thing ſhe ever aſked of the voice was,
the ſalvation of her ſoul; that it deſired her to ſtay
at St. Dennis in France, where ſhe would have re-
mained, but that the lords would not let her, as
ſhe was wounded; and that otherwife ſhe would
not have left it; that ſhe had been wounded in the
trenches of Paris, and cured in five days; that
ſhe commanded at a confiderable attack near Paris.

Being asked, 'if it was a holiday when that ſkir-
mish happened ?

She anſwered ſhe believed it was.

Being asked, if it was proper to make an affault
on a feſtival ?

She

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

She made no answer.

The court adjourned to consider matters, and
being met again, the bishop of Beauvais exhorted
and desired the prisoner to swear absolutely, and
without reserve to tell the truth of every thing
the court would ask her.

On which she desired his lordship's leave to
speak, and it being granted, said, "It is possible
" you may ask me questions which I certainly
" will not answer, especially relative to revelations;
" perhaps you would infest on my informing you
" of what I alreadyfwore, I would not mention;
" that would be perjury, and you ought not to
" desire me to perjure myself. Take care, my lord
" bishop, what you are about; you pretend you
" have jurisdiction over me; you will have a great
" deal to answer for if you do not prove an up-
" right judge to me." She added, that she thought
it enough to havefwore twice.

Being asked a second time, if she would not swear
simply and absolutely?

She answered, that they might do without it, as
she had already fwore twice; that all the clergy
of Rouen should not oblige her to tell every thing;
that she could not tell all in eight days; that she
would communicate every circumstance of her ar-
rival in France, but not every thing else.

Being desired a third time to swear without re-
serve, and informed that her refusal would render
her suspected to the court, she made the same an-
swer as before, and added, that she was come from
God; that she had nothing to do in that court,

Nº. 3.

Q

and

226 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

and desired they might send her back to God,
whose messenger she was.

Being again exhorted and advised to swear as
before required, under pain of being found guilty
of the crimes of which she was accufed,

She answered, “I have sworn enough, proceed.”

Being once more fully and strongly admonisbed
to tell the whole truth relative to her case, let-
ting her know the danger she put herself in by a
refusal, she said she was ready to tell every thing
concerning her case, but not every thing she knew;
and then she fwere.

Being asked by John Beaupere, when before had
she eat or drank?

She answered, that afternoon.

Being then asked, when had she heard the
voice?

She answered, “Yesterday and to-day.”

Being asked what she was doing the day before
when she heard the voice?

She answered, that she was asleep, and that it
awaked her.

Being asked, whether it yet remained in her
chamber?

She answered, not that she knew.

Being asked, if she thanked the voice, and wher-
ther she went on her knees?

She answered, that she thanked it as she fat up
in her bed; her hands joined, and begged it might
direct her what she had to do; and that the voice
desired her, to answer stoutly.

Being

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

Being asked what the voice said to her when she
was awake?

She answered, that it desired her to ask advice
from our Saviour.

The prisoner then said again to the bishop,
"You say you are my judge; take great care of
"what you do, for I certainly am come from God,
"and you put yourself in great danger."

Being asked if the voice had ever varied in its
instructions or commands?

She answered, that she never found it so.

Being asked if it was an angel directly from
God without the intervention of any Saint?

She answered, "It comes from God, I will not
tell you all I know on that subject; I am more
"uneasy, left I should say any thing at which it
"might be displeased, than I am about answering
"you; and therefore relative to this question, I
desire delay."

Being asked whether she thought that God would
be offended at truth's being told?

She answered, she thought he would not; but
that what the voice revealed to her, she was to
tell Charles the Seventh, king of France, and not
to the bishop of Beauvais. She then added, that
the night before the voice said several things to her
for the service of his majesty, which she wished he
was informed of.

Upon which the court desired to know whether
she could not prevail on the voice to go deliver a
message from her to Charles with these tidings?

She answered, she did not know whether it would
obey her, unless such was the desire of God, and

Q 2

that

228. THE LADY's MUSEUM.

that our Saviour conſented to it; and if it was the
will of God, he might very well reveal it himself
to the king.

After many interrogatories, and the examination
of ſeveral witneſſes, ſhe was condemned to be
burned, and confumed as a heretic; and was ac-
cordingly brought to the old market-place of Rouen,
and there, after a long exhortation, the ſentence
pronounced againſt her was put in execution;
which was a great loſs to the king of France, who
was then unable to affiſt her: but when he re-
covered Rouen, he cauſed her trial to be brought
before the judges, who declared her innocent of the
crimes for which ſhe ſo unjuſtly ſuffered.

PHI-

[ 229 ]

PHILOSOPHY

FOR THE

LADIES

CONTINUED.

Of the Metamorphoses of ANIMALS, and the several
Changes observable in ANIMAL LIFE.

THERE scarcely ever perhaps was any fyl-
tem, doctrine, or opinion broach'd with more
assurance, or that, for the time of its vogue, met
with a greater and more universal approbation, than
that which urg'd the idea of a metempfychoſis, or
transmigration of the ſoul, the ſpring or ſource of
action, into various organized bodies, in which it
had opportunities of exerting itſelf in different
manners, and of producing different effects. Py-
thagoras, who was perhaps the wiser as well as the
moſt humane of all the heathen philofophers, was,
if not the firſt, at leaſt the moſt confiderable
amongſt all thofe who gave any ſanction to a prin-
ciple, which, however productive of the moſt de-
firable effects, has nevertheless appeared extremely
abſurd; and, consequently, in ages more enlight-
ened

Q 3

ened

230

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

end in philosophical, tho' perhaps lefs so in the more
advantageous branches of real knowledge, has
been rejected as entirely diffonant to experimental
conviction; and therefore, without trial, judge, or
jury, deferving to be caft afide by thoſe who think
they can know nothing unleſs they are maſters of
every thing; and would almoſt renounce an inter-
course with the Lord of nature, unleſs they thought
themselves able to dive into every motive of his
actions.

Notwithstanding, however, this universal rejec-
tion of a ſystem once was univerſally received, ſome
of the more calm and rational devotees of philosophy
have with great juſtice imagined, that an opinion
advanced with ſo much politiſenefs, and accepted
with ſo much zeal; inculcated by a man who could
not impoſe on himſelf, and followed by a ſet of
people who ſcarcely could be impoſed upon, muſt
have more in it than at firſt ſight it appears to con-
vey. Some of theſe, therefore, have endeavoured
to ſolve it, by ſuppoſing a hidden meaning, and
others by imagining a conceal'd intention to be
veiled under a principle which, in its literal ſenſe,
was ſo repugnant both to the innate conviction of
the learned, and the hourly obſervation of the vul-
gar. The firſt clasſ of theſe rationaliſts imagined
the impulſe of a benevolent mind to have been the
only motive that urg'd that great philofopher to
advance a doctrine, which would terrify mankind
from the deſtruction of animals, either in general
or in particular, by the ſuppoſition of a poſſibility
that, in taking away the life of any animal, how-
ever indifferent or even hurtful it might be to them

for

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

for other reasons, the animated part, perhaps, of
some dear relation, or renowned ancestor, might not
only be disturbed, but even be exil'd from the spot
of its immediate residence, and not improbably
transplanted into some state more painful and op-
posite to its natural biafs and inclination, and still
more contrary to our own ideas of happiness and
satisfaction.

Another set again, calling to their assistance the
mysterious investigations of the cabala, have en-
deavoured to prove that Pythagoras having study'd
very closely the Egyptian mythology, which per-
petually dealt in mystery and hieroglyphics, some
conceal'd meaning was still conveyed in every part
of his philosophy: and that, like the parables and
fables of the eastern teachers, every thing he
preach'd was merely allegorical, only to be under-
stood by those whom he chose peculiarly to en-
lighten, that is to say, by the disciples of his own
school; whilst to the vulgar an external shew of
somewhat was set forth, which, from his ipse dixit
alone, they were bound implicitly to obey.

Now it is by no means impossible that both of these
suppositions may in some measure be right: that is
to say, that the amiable sage we have mentioned
might, from a perfect knowledge of the power of
superstition on the mind of uninfructed men, make
use of a maxim so well adapted for the purpose, to put
a check to that unlimited destruction of animal life,
which luxury and sportive cruelty had introduced
into the world; and also that he might at the same
time, under the veil of a like fable, convey to
those who were his more immediate pupils, the idea

Q. 4

of

232

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

of that incorruptibility of the human soul, which,
from a want of those advantages that revelation has
bestowed on us, he might imagine necessary to
find some employment and distinction for; and by
ordaining such distinction in one period of its ex-
istence, to be pointed out and determined by the in-
clination shewn by it in the preceding one, he
might fuppofe, and no doubt his fuppoſition met
with confirmation from experience, that his dif-
ciples would be likely to model their actions ac-
cording as they were influenced by the hope of re-
ward or dread of punishment,

Thus far, therefore, may the fuggestions which
have been advanced in the Pythagorean philosophy
be well grounded. Yet there seems to be one moſt
palpable observation, which has flipp'd all the com-
mentators on, and ſolvers of this doctrine I have
hitherto met with; and that is, from whence the
first idea of such an opinion derived its original
idea? No remembrance, no conception of a pre-
existent ſtate, continued in the mind of man to give
it credit, and the affurance of the perfect corrupti-
bility of all animals after death, concurred in ſome
meaſure to contradict it: whereon, then, ſhould
theſe great men found the baſis of a doctrine
which, however aided forwards, and adorned by
fable to confirm its power, muſt have needed at
least the appearance of probability, ſomething
more than mere ipſe dixit, to eſtablish its firſt be-
lief in the minds of the vulgar, which, little ca-
pable of philosophical reaſonings, or theoretical in-
vestigations, muſt have their ideas fixt by ſome
connection and analogy between what their ſenſes

3

are

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

are capable of discerning, and what their minds are
to be taught to believe ?

This being premised, from whence could be
derived the doctrine of the Metemplichofis, or
transmigration of the soul; but from a similar tranſ-
migration of the more viſible soul; that is to ſay,
of animal life, diſtinguishable from the ſlighteſt
obſervation of Nature's works, and hourly perform-
ed under our very eyes ? Of theſe changes there
are many varieties; of which it is impoſsible that
the ancient philofophers, who were perhaps cloſer
and more accurate obſervers than the moderns,
could have been ignorant of in their fulleſt extent:
and as even the very huſbandman and labourer muſt
also be well informed of ſeveral of them, it is not
in the leaſt improbable that an advantageous uſe
might be made of theſe ſo well-known circum-
ftances, for the ilſtrating and enforcing opinions,
which it was neceſſary to inculcate the moſt forcibly
in thoſe minds which were the leaſt capable of ſpe-
culative or hypothetical theology.

Here, however, let us drop this conjecture,
which I have rather introduced with a view of cor-
roborating the principle which I firſt fet out with
in defence of the ſtudy of philofophy, viz. that the
observations we cannot avoid making in the courſe
of it, may be employed with great propriety towards
humanizing the heart, and producing the moſt
amiable effects in the general oeconomy of life and
government. Was I to expatiate farther on the
very ſubject before us, it might not perhaps be
difficult to evince that theſe changes, even of the
very loweſt clafs of animals, that is to ſay, of the
inſect

234

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

infect tribe, might be rendered not unfserviceable
even in the present more enlightened period, when
chri
the labyrinths of doubt and fupp
the plainer and unwinding paths of more affu
truth; yet fwill, I fay, thefe changes might form to
us, by analogy, the idea of a future and more ex-
alted ftate; and convince us, that whilft we fee the
very minuteft animals undergoing amazing alter-
ations and metamorphofes, rifing from the gro-
velling ftate of a grub or water-worm, to range the
wide expanse of air, before they fubmit to the uni-
verfal law of annihilation, it muft be impoffible that
the Lord of them all, for whofe ufe, amufement,
or inftruction, they have all been created, fhould
only pafs through a feries of years, for the moft
part miſerable ones, even with thofe who poffeſs
the happieſt lot on earth, in little more than meer
animal exiſtence, and then fink down into the grave
in common with them all, without enjoying ſome
more exalted privilege; and, in proportion to the
rank he here poffeſs'd, becoming leſs encumber'd
and fit to travel through and fully reliſh thofe other
works of the Creator, of which even now, before

We have fhaken off this mortal coil,

The very idea dazzles our imagination, and con-
found's our faculties; and of which we fee juſt e-
nough of to ad mire his power, but know not ſu-
ficiently to comprehend his wisdom.

From theſe reflections, however, let us proceed
to relate to our fair readers what theſe changes are,
of which we have here been ſpeaking, and of which
theſe reſſectional uſes may be made.

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

They are of many different kinds, and proceed,
as all nature's works do, in a regular gradation;
forming an ascent, the steps of which are scarcely
visible; and yet the height, when we have reached
it, most obvious and amazing.

Those kinds of animals which are viviparous,
or produce their young alive, and apparently in a
complete state, undergo the flight of alterations of
any; yet some even they have. Growth itself, the
diffusion of parts, and increase of bulk, may be
looked on as the lowest steps of this ladder, and these
all animals have in common, man not excepted;
who, lordly as he is, when in his more perfect growth,
is not only the most helpless and imperfect at his
birth, but longer continues in that situation, than
any other member of the animal world. — Excepting
this incrementive change, however, he undergoes no other alteration in this life, but the addition of some excremental parts, such as teeth,
hair, &c.

Next to him, in stability of condition, we must
place the quadrupeds, who, beside these additions,
seem to be annually changed by the lofs and renovation
of their external covering, which almost all
of them suffer, by what we call casting their coats.
This change however is very gradual, and almost
invisible, the fame sublances, and bearing the very
fame marks and colours, succeeding to their predecessors,
so as to leave the animal in appearance the
very fame he was at first. One exception however
there is to this, in those which undergo this alteration
twice within the course of the year, as do the bears,
foxes, hares, &c. in Greenland and other cold countries,

236 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

tries, whose furs in the winter season intirely drop those colours which would render them more conspicuous to their respective enemies, by standing contrasted to the whiteness of the snow with which the whole ground is covered, and affuse a pure white; which again quits them as the warmth of summer, by restoring the rest of nature to its original appearance, renders such a refuge unnecessary to them.

One class however of the viviparous animals undergo a more immediate and visible alteration, and that is the serpent kind, who, having no hair or furr to lose more gradually, cast their whole covering at once in certain periods; and are so dexterous in the doing this, although devoid of the affixture of feet or claws, that the whole skins of them will frequently be found entire, without even so much as the cornea, or outward case of the eyes, which is affixed to the rest of the exuvium, being at all broken. From this renovation, which was well known to the ancients, and which is even attended by an additional brilliancy of colouring, a fresh glow of beauty, and a renewal of that strength and vigour which is constantly abated some little time before the change is brought about, it was that the ancient writers considered the snake as an emblem of health; as may be seen in its being made the symbol of Esculapius, the God of physic, and a representation of time and eternity, ever destroyed and ever renewing, as we find from many of their coins; in which this animal, holding his tail in his mouth, is constantly attended with some legend or device expressive of duration.

Next

THE LADY's MUSEUM.

Next to these are the oviparous animals, or those
who make their first appearance in a state of intire
inaction, and devoid of any sign of life, but that of
some kind of vital warmth; but yet afterwards,
either by the natural heat of the tender parent,
by the warmth of the surrounding atmosphere, or
by the more intense rays of the sun, are, as it were,
ripened by degrees; and being secured, through
the period of infantile inactivity, in a cell wherein
food, raiment, and lodging are dispensed within
themselves, they at length burst forth, some in
their fully complete state, as the lizards, spiders,
crabs, lobsters, &c. and in general all the species
of fish; and others, amongst which are all the bird-
clans, requiring the same degree of perfecting that
the viviparous ones do, by the addiction of their
excrementitious parts, such as feathers, &c.--And
of these creatures almost every species that we are
acquainted with stands in need besides of those ad-
ditional alterations we have mentioned in the vivi-
parous classes. The birds of all sorts moult their
feathers at certain periods, and even change the
colour of them in the winter seasons of the cold
countries, as we have described the quadrupeds to
do by their furs. The lizard kind drop their skins
like the snakes, (which they the nearest resemble in
substance, and even in figure, excepting the addition
of four very short feet) and some of them, particu-
larly the water-newt, so frequently as once in every
fortnight or three weeks; and all the spider, crab,
and lobster kind, whose outward coverings are
cruftaceous, and therefore incapable of diffention,
and so connected as not to be gradually dropt like
hair

238 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

hair or feathers, cast their shells entire at certain
times of the year, when nature kindly provides
them with such supplimentary juices as, by a fort
of exudation from their pores, form a new shell
beneath.

Now, however, let us proceed to those whose
metamorphoses are more complete and distinct; and
which, being first allodged by the parent in one ele-
ment, or appearing fully poached of animal life
under one figure, do afterwards assume another
and very different form, and find their food, their bu-
finest, and their pleasure in another and very diffe-
rent element.

Of these some live their first period in the earth,
others in the water. The inhabitants of this laft
named element content themselves with making
earth their residence in their completer state;
whilst those who first creep on the earth, when be-
come more perfect, usually find the air the region
where their more improved form is enabled to ex-
ert its abilities.

As we do not propose to enter here into a partic-
cular natural history, but only to treat of a general
property, we need only mention a single example
of each kind. The frog is the most universally
known instance of the first fort; the egg of which,
being laid and nourished in the water, produces a
small, but lively animal, which we call a tadpole.
Its body is almost globular, and seems furnished
with no other limbs but a thin filmy tail, which
ferves to heat and move its body very briskly in
the water, to which its residence is entirely confined,
during its continuance in this form; yet, after a

certain

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

certain space of time, small legs and feet begin to be discernible under the loofened skin of this little creature, which gradually bursting their way thro' it, first one, then a second, and so to the number of four, and lastly, dropping the finney tail which had hitherto been so very useful and necessary to it, it now, as if it disdained the element it had first been bred in, leaps on shore, and springing over large tracts of land, becomes changed from a fish to a perfect terrestrial quadruped, and ranges at large over that very ground on which during its former state it would have been death for it to have been cast.

Of the other part of metamorphosis of these states, viz. from the earth to the air, we shall mention at present only the beetle clafs, and more particularly the cock-chaffer, or jeffry cock, as an perfect universally known. The female of this animal lays her eggs in the earth, where, by means of an instrument, which nature has purposely provided her with, she is able to deposit them at some depth below the surface. Each of these, after a due time, is hatched into a soft white jointed grub, with fix short clawed feet, and armed about the head, which is of a dark-brown colour, with a flelly coat, and two or three pair of very strong fangs orforcipes, by which means it is most amply furnished with the means of forcing its way in the mold where it was lodged, and of cutting and tearing to pieces for its nourishment the roots not only of the tenderer herbage, but even those fibres which the stronger roots of trees push forth to form a furer hold in the ground, to both which these voracious

animals

240 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

animals frequently do very great mischief. After
continuing however in this situation, with no dif-
ference but increase of bulk, for two whole years,
a felly covering forms over its soft body; a pair of
fine and filmy wings grow from the top of his
back, to preserve which from danger, when unne-
ceffary for use, a pair of cruftaceous coverings are
provided, and now forcing his way thro' the surface
of the ground, he comes forth a lively inhabitant
of the air; and soaring at will wherever he pleafes,
feems, by a buzzing fong, to proclaim his satisfac-
tion at being able now with equal greediness to de-
vour the leaves and fruits, as he had before done
the roots and fibres of whatever plant or tree he
chufes to fix upon.

[To be continued.]

THE
LADY'S MUSEUM.

The TRIFLER.

[NUMBER IV.]

MADAM,

I AM one of your readers, and bear you that fort of good will which we naturally feel for persons who contribute to our amusements. I have done what very few friends do; I have spoke well of you behind your back, and have not scrupled to declare in all companies, that Mrs. Penelope Spindle's attack upon your reputation is extremely unjuft.

She denies that you are lineally defcended from the ancient family of the Triflers; and confidently afferts that you have taken a province which you cannot fill; but unfortunately for her, the arguments she brings in fupport of this opinion, are those which may be moft fuccefsfully urged against it.

NUMB. IV.

R it.

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

242

it. Are love and courtship, the fays, proper sub-
jects for a trifler? Moft certainly; for in this polite
age, love and courtship are meer trifles; marriage
is a trifle; virtue is an egregious trifle; wisdom,
morality, religion, all are trifles; and there is no-
thing serious but cards. I maintain that hitherto
the subjects of your paper have been confident with
your title. You have knowledge enough of life to
perceive that cards is the sole business of it: and
tho' there are many other serious affairs, such as
balls, operas, concerts, masquerades, and the like,
which claim the attention of persons of rank and
fortune, yet all these must yield to cards.

As a trifler therefore, you have wisely avoided
entering upon so great and important a matter:
you have confined yourself to such topics, as moft
of your readers will readily allow to be trifles; and
when you talk of wit, learning, economy; when
you recommend refervedneſs, and a contempt for
fashionable amusements, there is not a fine lady in
town who does not acknowledge the propriety of
your title, and declare that you are an intolerable
trifler.

Mrs. Spindle fays, it is common for periodical
authors to forget their titles; that the Tatler often
talks with the moſt solemn auſterity of wifdom;
and that the Guardian deviates into many topicks,
with which, as a guardian, he has no concern. I
wifh, for the fake of your reputation as a writer,
that you would follow their example, and ſome-
times forget your title. If you hope to have your
paper read with general approbation, do not dwell
ſo much upon exploded trifles, unworthy the at-
tention

tention

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

tention of persons of polite education, Raife your
thoughts to things solid and rational; shew us
the strength of your reasoning, in a dissertation on
whift; and the subtilty of your wit, by leading us
through all the mazes of quadril: if you have any
genius for poetry, write a panegyric on loo; and if
you dare venture on so sublime a subject, let your
mufe record the daring flights of brag.

I shall judge by the use you make of these hints
whether you merit the farther correspondence of,
Madam,

Your Humble Servant,

MARIA.

R 2

TO

[ 244 ]

TO THE

Author of the LADY'S MUSEUM.

MADAM,

THE gaiety with which you let out in your first paper, and the agreeable manner in which you acknowledge your fondness for administration, perfuaded several of your readers, that the character under which you appeared was not affected, but a real one: however, I am much mistaken if the Trifler is not written by the same moral pen that has given us so beautiful a picture of female virtue, in the history of Henrietta.

In full confidence therefore of your being no coquet, I dare solicit you to let loose all your fatire againft coquetry. Confider it not as folly, but as vice, and do not treat it with railery, but with sharp rebuke.

Oh that I had a pen like yours! and that I could think with equal force, and express those thoughts with equal elegance. That inordinate desire of being admired, which prevails only among the least deserving of our sex, should be displayed in its true colours, and lose the soft name of coquetry under which it is difguised for that of libertinism which is its real characteristic.

Wonder not at my vehemence, madam: my peace and happiness have been sacrificed to that detestable vanity,

[ 246 ]

THE
HISTORY
OF
HARRIOT AND SOPHIA
CONTINUED.

AS soon as Mr Herbert went away, Harriot, who had been listening, and had heard all that passed, entered the room. The virtue and strength of mind her fitter threw in the design she had formed of flying from Sir Charles Stanley excited her envy; and she would have joined with her mother in endeavouring to prevail upon her to stay, to prevent the superiority such conduct gave her, had not that envy found a more sensible gratification in the thought that Sophia would no longer receive the adorations of the young baronet; and that all her towering hopes would be changed to disappointment and grief.

The discontinuance of those presents which Sir Charles so liberally beftowed on them, evidently on Sophia's account, and which had hitherto enabled them to live in affluence, affected her but little; for vanity is a more powerful passion than interest in the heart of a coquet; and the pleasure of seeing her fitter mortified and deferted by her lover outweighed

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

weighed all other considerations: besides, she was not without hopes that when Sophia was out of the way, her charms would regain all their former influence over the heart of Sir Charles.

She came prepared therefore to support her in her resolution of going into the country; but Mrs. Darnley, who did not enter into her views, and who had no other attention but to secure to herself that ease and affluence she at present enjoyed, expected Harriot would use her utmost efforts to prevent her fitter from disobliging a man whose liberality was the source of their happiness.

She complained to her in a tender manner of Sophia's unkindness; she exaggerated the ill consequences that might be apprehended from the affront she put on Sir Charles, by thus avowing the most injurious suspicions of him; and declared she expected nothing less than to be reduced by the loss of her pension to that state of misery from which he had formerly relieved her.

Sophia melted into tears at these words; but a moment's reflection convinced her, that her mother's apprehensions were altogether groundless: Sir Charles was not capable of so mean a revenge; and Sophia, on this occasion, defended him with so much ardor, that Mifs Darnley could not help indulging her malice, by throwing out some severe farcafs upon the violence of her affection for a man whom she affected to despise.

Sophia blushed; but answered calmly, “Well, fitter, if I love Sir Charles Stanley, I have the more “merit in leaving him.”

R 4

Oh,

248

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

"Oh, not a bit the more for that, replied Harriet; for, as I read in one of your books just now, *Virtue would not go so far, if pride did not bear her company.*"

"Sister, said Sophia, no woman is envious of another's virtue who is conscious of her own."

This retort threw Harriot into so violent a rage, that Sophia who knew what exceeds she was capable of, left the room, and retired to pack up her cloaths, that she might be ready when Mr. Herbert called for her.

In this employment Mrs. Darnley gave her no interruption; for Harriot having quitted her mother in a huff, because she did not join with her against Sophia, she was left at liberty to pursue her own reflections. After long doubt and perplexity in what manner to act, she resolved to consent that Sophia should depart; for she saw plainly that it would not be in her power to prevent it, and she was willing to derive some merit from the necessity she was under of complying. She considered that if Sir Charles really loved her daughter, her flight on such motives would rather increase than lessen his passion; and that all his resentment for being deprived of her fight would fall upon Mr. Herbert, who was alone in fault.

Mrs. Darnley, as has been before observed, was not of a temper to anticipate misfortunes, or to give herself much unease about evils in futurity: she always hoped the best, not because she had any well-grounded reasons for it, but because it was much more pleasing to hope than to fear.

So-

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

249

Sophia, when she saw her next, found her surprisingly altered: she not only no longer opposed her going, but even seemed defirous of it; and this she thought a master-piece of cunning which could not fail of gaining Mr. Herbert's good opinion; never once reflecting that her former opposition deprived her of all the merit of a voluntary compliance.

This change in Mrs. Darnley left Sophia no more difficulties to encounter but what she found in her own heart. Induſtrious to deceive herself, she had imputed all the uneafy emotions there to the grief of leaving her mother contrary to her inclination: she had now her free consent to go, yet still those perturbations remained. She thanked her mother for her indulgence: she took her hand, and tenderly preſſed it to her lips, tears at the fame time flowing faſt from her eyes.

Mrs. Darnley was cruel enough to ſhow that she underſtood the cause of this ſudden paffion.

“ What, said she, to the poor bluſhing Sophia,

“ after all the clutter you have made about leaving

“ Sir Charles, does your heart fail you, now you

“ come to the trial?”

Sophia, abaſhed and filent, hid her glowing face with her handkerchief; and having with ſome difficulty repreſt another guſh of tears, affumed compoſure enough to tell her mother that she hoped she ſhould never want fortitude to do her duty.

“ To be ſure, replied Mrs. Darnely, with a ſneer, “ one ſo wife as you can never miſtake your duty.”

“ Sophia however underſtood hers ſo well that “ she did not offer to recriminate upon this occaſion;

250

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

fion; for Mrs. Darnley was but a shallow politician,
and was thrown so much off her guard by the vex-
ation she felt, that an affair on which she built such
great hopes had taken so different a turn, that she
gave plain indications of her displeasure, and that
her consent to her daughter's going was indeed ex-
torted from her.

Sophia had many of these affaults to fuftain, as
well from Harriot as Mrs. Darnley, during the re-
mainder of that day; but they were of ſervice to her.
Her pride was concerned to prevent giving a real
caufe for such farcaſms as her ſifter in particular
threw out: oppofition kept up her ſpirits, and pre-
ferved her mind from yielding to that tender grief
which the idea of parting for ever from Sir Charles
excited.

When Mr. Herbert came the next morning,
Mrs. Darnley, who had no better part to play,
had recourse again to diffimulation, and expreſſed
great willingneſs to ſend her daughter away; but
the good man, who ſaw the ſeint in her overaſted
ſatisfaction, ſuffered her to imagine that ſhe had
effectually impoſed upon him.

Sophia wept when she took leave of her mother,
and returned the cold salute her ſifter gave her
with an affectionate embrace. She ſighed deeply
as Mr. Herbert helped her into the poſt-chaife; and
continued penſive and ſilent for ſeveral minutes,
not daring to raife her eyes up to her kind conduc-
tor, left he ſhould read in them what paſſed in her
heart.

Mr. Herbert, who gueſſed what she felt upon this
occasion, was ſenſibly affected with that ſoft melan-
choly,

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

choly, so easy to be discovered in her countenance,
notwithstanding all her endeavours to conceal it.
He wished to comfort her, but the subject was too
delicate to be mentioned: kind and indulgent as he
was, he began to think his admired Sophia carried
her concern on this occasion too far; so true it is,
that the case of tried virtue is harder than that of
untried: we require from it as debts continual ex-
ertions of its power, and if we are at any time dif-
appointed in our expectations, we blame with re-
sentment as if we had been deceived.

Sophia's sensibility, however, was very excusable;
in flying from Sir Charles she had done all that
the most rigid virtue could demand; for as yet she
had only suspicions against him; and this man, whose
generous gift she had returned with silent scorn,
whom she had avoided as an enemy, had hitherto
behaved to her with all the tendernefs of a lover,
and all the benevolence of a friend. It was under
that amiable idea that he now prefented himself to
her imagination; her pride and her resentment were
appeased by the sacrifice she had made in her abrupt
departure, and every unkind thought of him was
changed to tender regret for his lofs.

Mr. Herbert, by not attempting to divert the
course of her reflections, soon drew her out of her
revery: his silence and reserve first intimated to her
the impropriety of her behaviour. She immediately
assumed her usual compofure, and during the re-
mainder of their little journey, she appeared as
chearful and serene as if nothing extraordinary had
happened.

The

252

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

The good curate with whom she was to lodge
having rode out to meet his friend and his fair
guest, joined them when they had come within
three miles of his house. Mr. Herbert, who had
described him at a little distance, shewed him to So-
phia: " There, my dear, said he, is a man who
" with more piety and learning than would serve
" to make ten bishops obliged to hire himself
" out at the rate of sixty pounds a year, to do the
" duty of the parish-church, the rector of which
" enjoys three lucrative benefices, without praying
" or preaching above five times in a twelvemonth."

Mr. Lawfon, for that was the curate's name, had
now gallop'd up to the chaife, which Mr. Herbert
had ordered the post-boy to stop, and many kind
salutations passed between the two friends.

Sophia was particularly pleased with the candor
and benevolence which appeared in the looks and
behaviour of the good clergyman; who gazed on
her attentively, and found the good opinion he had
entertained of her from Mr. Herbert's reprefen-
tations fully confirmed. The bewitching sweetneſs
in her voice and eyes, the ſpirit that animated her
looks, and the peculiar elegance of her addreſs,
produced their ufual effects, and filled Mr. Lawfon's
heart with ſentiments of tenderneſs, efteem, and
reſpect for her.

Mrs. Lawfon and her two daughters received
her with that true politeneſs which is founded on
good fenſe and good nature. Both the young wo-
men were extremely agreeable in their perſons, and
Sophia contemplated with admiration the neat ſim-


I

pli-

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

plicity of their drefs, their artlesfs beauty, and native
sweetnefs of manners. Health died their cheeks with
blushes more beautiful than thofe the fine lady bor-
rows from paint; innocence and chearfulnefs lighted
up ſmiles in their faces, as powerful as thofe of the
moſt ſinilhed coquet; and good humour and a ſin-
cere defire of obliging, gave graces to their beha-
vior which ceremony but poorly imitates.

These were Sophia's observations to Mr. Her-
bert, who ſeized the firſt opportunity of ſpeaking
to her apart, to aſk her opinion of her new compa-
nions. He was rejoiced to hear her exprefs great
ſatisfaction in her new ſituation, and not doubting
but time and abſence, affiſted by her own good
ſenſe and virtue, would baniſh Sir Charles Stan-
ley entirely from her remembrance; he ſcrupled
not to leave her at the end of three days, after hav-
ing tenderly recommended her to the care of this
little worthy family, every individual of which
already loved her with extreme affection.

Sophia was indeed ſo much delighted with the
new ſcene of life ſhe had entered upon, and her
fancy was at firſt ſo ſtruck with the novelty of all
the objects ſhe beheld, that the continual diffipa-
tion of her thoughts left no room for the idea of
the baronet: but this deceitful calm laſted not
long. She ſoon found by experience, that the ſi-
lence and ſolitude of the country were more pro-
per to nouriſh love than to deſtroy it; and that
groves and meads, the nightingale's ſong, and the
rivulet's murmur, were food for tender melan-
choly.

Mr.

254

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

Mr. Lawfon's house was most romanticly situated on the borders of a spacious park; from whose opulent owner he rented a small farm, which supplied his family with almost all the necessaries of life. Mrs. Lawfon his wife, brought him a very small fortune, but a great stock of virtue, good sense, and prudence. She had seen enough of the world to polish her manners without corrupting her heart; and having lived most part of her time in the country, she understood rural affairs perfectly well, and superintended all the businesses of their little farm. Their two daughters were at once the best house-wifes, and the most accomplished young women in that part of the country. Mr. Lawfon took upon himself the delightful task of improving their minds, and giving them a tafe for useful knowledge: and their mother, besides instructing them in all the economical duties suitable to their humble fortunes, formed them to those decencies of manners and propriety of behaviour, which she had acquired by a genteel education, and the conversation of persons of rank. In the affairs of the family, each of the young women had their particular province assigned them. Dolly, the eldest, prefided in the dairy; and Fanny, so was the youngest called, affixed in the management of the house. Sophia soon entertained a friendship for them both; but a powerful inclination attached her particularly to Dolly. There was in the countenance of this young woman a certain sweetness and sensibility that pleased Sophia extremely; and though she had all that chearful-nefs which youth, health, and innocence inspire,

yet

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

yet the penfivenefs that would sometimes fteal over
her fweet features, the gentle fighs that would
now and then eſcape her, excited a partial tender-
neſs for her in the heart of Sophia.

She took pleasure in affifting her in her little
employments. Dolly inſenſibly loft that care
which the preſence of the fair Londoner firſt inſpir-
ed, and repaid her tenderneſs with all that warmth
of affection which only young and innocent minds
are capable of feeling.

Sophia, inſtructed by her own experience, ſoon
discovered that her young friend was in love; but
neither of them diſcloſed the ſecret of their hearts
to each other. Dolly was with-held by baſhful
timidity, Sophia by delicate reſerve. Fond as they
were of each other's company, yet the want of
this mutual confidence made them ſometimes chufe
to be alone. Sophia having one evening ſtrayed
in the wood, wholly abſorbed in melancholy
thoughts, loft her way, and was in ſome perplexity
how to recover the path that led to Mr. Lawſon's
houſe; when looking anxiously around her, ſhe
ſaw Dolly at a diſtance, ſitting under a tree. Over-
joyed to meet her ſo luckily, ſhe was running up to
her, but ſtopped upon the appearance of a young
man, who, ſeeing Dolly, flew towards her with the
utmoſt eagerneſs, and with ſuch an expreſſion of
joyful ſurprize in his countenance as perſuaded her
this meeting was accidental.

Sophia, not willing to interrupt their converſa-
tion, paſſed on softly behind the trees, unobſerved
by Dolly, who continued in the fame penſive atti-
tude;

256 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

tude; but being now nearer to her, she perceived
she was weeping excessively.

Sophia, who was greatly affected at this fight,
could not help accompanying her tears with some
of her own; and not daring to stir a step farther for
fear of being seen by the youth, she resolved to
take advantage of her situation, to know the occa-
sion of Dolly's extraordinary affliction.

The poor girl was so wrapt in thought, that
she neither saw nor heard the approach of her lover,
who called to her in the tenderest accent imagin-
able, "My dear Dolly, is it you? Won't you look at
me? Won't you speak to me? What have I done
to make you angry, my love? Don't go (for
upon hearing his voice she started from her seat,
and seemed defirous to avoid him) don't go,
my dear Dolly, said he, following her (and she
went flowly enough) don't drive me to despair."

"What would you have me do, Mr. William,
said she, stopping and turning gently towards
him, you know my father has forbid me to speak
to you, and I would die rather than disoblige
him: you may thank your proud rich aunt for all
this. Pray let me go, purfued she, making some
faint efforts to withdraw her hand, which he had
seized and held fast in his, you must forget me,
William, as I have resolved to forget you," added
she fighting, and turning away her head left he
should see the tears that fell from her eyes.

Cruel as these words founded in the ears of the
passionate William, yet he found something in her
voice and actions that comforted him; "No, my dear
Dolly, said he, endeavouring to look in her averted

face,

THE LADY's MUSEUM.

face, I will not believe that you have resolved to
forget me; you can no more forget me than I can
you, and I shall love you as long as I live—I
know you fay this only to grieve me; you do not
mean it.”

“Yes I do mean it, replied Dolly, in a peevish
accent, vexed that he had seen her tears. I know
my duty, and you shall find that I can obey my
father.” While she spoke this, she struggled so
much in earnest to free her hand from his, that
fearing to offend her, he dropped it with a sub-
missive air.

Dolly having now no pretence for staying any
longer, bid him farewell in a faltering voice, and
went on, tho' with a slow pace, towards her father's
house. The youth continued for a moment motion-
les as a statue, with a countenance as pale as death,
and his eyes, which were suffused with tears, fixed
on the parting virgin.

“What, cried he at last, in the most plaintive
tone imaginable, can you really leave me thus?
“go then, my dear unkind Dolly, I will trouble you
“no more with my hateful presence; I wish you
“happy, but if you hear that any strange mischief
“has befallen me, be assured you are the cause
“of it.”

He followed her as he spoke, and Dolly no longer
able to continue her assumed rigour, stopped when
he approached her, and burst into tears. The
lover felt all his hopes revive at this fight, and tak-
ing her hand, which he kissed a thousand times,
he uttered the tenderest vows of love and confiancy;
to which she listened in silence, only now and then

Nº. 4.

S

softly

258 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

softly fighting; at length she disengaged her hand,
and gently begged him to leave her, left he should
be seen by any of the family. The happy youth,
once more convinced of her affection for him,
obeyed without a murmur.

Dolly, as soon as he had quitted her, ran haftily
towards home; but he, as if every step was leading
him to his grave, moved flowly on, often looking
back, and often stopping: so that Sophia who was
afraid she would not be able to overtake her friend,
was obliged to hazard being seen by him, and fol-
lowed Dolly with all the speed she could.

As soon as she was near enough to be heard she
called out to her to stay. Dolly ftopt, but was in
so much confusion at the thought of having been
seen by Mifs Darnley, with her lover, that she had
not courage to go and meet her. " Ah Mifs Dolly,
" said Sophia smiling, I have made a discovery;
" but I do assure you it was as accidental as your
" meeting with that handsome youth, who I find is
" your lover."

"Yes, indeed, replied Dolly, whose face was
"covered with blushes, my meeting with that
"young man was not designed, at least on my part:
"but surely you jeft, Mifs Darnley, when you call
"him handsome: do you really think him hand-
"some?"

"Upon my word I do, said Sophia; he is one
"of the prettiest youths I ever saw; and if the pro-
"feffions of men may be relied on, added she,
"with a figh, he certainly loves you; but, my dear
"Dolly, by what I could learn from your conver-
"fation, he has not your father's confent to make

“ his

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

" his addressees to you; I was sorry to hear that,
" Dolly, because I perceive, my dear, that you like
" him."

Dolly now held down her head, and blushed more
than before, but continued silent. " Perhaps you
" will think me impertinent, resumed Sophia, for
" speaking so freely about your affairs; but I love
" you dearly, Miff's Dolly."—" And I, interrupted
" Dolly, throwing one of her arms about Sophia's
" neck, and kissing her cheek, love you, Miff's Darn-
" ley, better a thousand times than ever I loved
" any body, except my father and mother and sister."

" Well, well, said Sophia, I won't dispute that
" point with you now; but if you love me so much
" as you say, my dear Dolly, why have you made a
" secret of this affair ? friends do not use to be so
" reserved with each other."

" Perhaps, said Dolly, smiling a little archly,
" you have taught me to be reserved by your ex-
" ample; but indeed, added she, with a graver
" look and accent, I am not worthy to be your
" confidant; you are my superior in every thing :
" It would be presumption in me to defire to know
" your secrets."

" You shall know every thing that concerns me,
" interrupted Sophia, which can be of use to you,
" and add weight to that advice I shall take the
" liberty to give you upon this occasion: I am far
" from being happy, my dear Dolly, and I blush
" to say it; it has been in the power of a deceitful
" man greatly to disturb my peace."

Sophia here wiped her charming eyes, and Dolly
who wept sympathetically for her, and for herself,

S 2

ex-

[ 261 ]

TO THE

Author of the LADY'S MUSEUM.

MADAM,

I HAVE lately been at one of the most awful solemnities in this kingdom, or perhaps in any kingdom in the world; the trial of a peer of England for felony and murder. The more atrocious the crime, or the more dignified the criminal, the higher must curiosity be raised in every breast. Having a desire not to lose any circumstance of the behaviour of the several noble actors in this deep tragedy, I placed myself early on Wednesday morning in Westminister-hall, in a situation that at once might allow me a fight of the prisoner, his counsel, and particularly of his great and right honourable judges. I know full well the duty which I owe to the supreme court of judicature, at whose bar the prisoner ftood arraigned; nor shall I even by any iota, or much less by any inuendo, break in upon the privileges, which they so justly affume of making their own proceedings sacred and invulnerable to improper publications, and the licentiouſneſs of too bold, I will not venture to say too free a preſs; yet surely I may, nay, I must declare, that this high court of judicature did upon this, as in every other point, and upon

S 3

every

262 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

every other occasion, act like itself. All the spectators,
tors, who were splendidly numerous of both sexes,
faw, heard, and confessed that justice was conco-
mitant with mercy, enquiry was divested of rigour,
indulgence appeared without condescension, huma-
nity displayed itself without weakneſs, judgment
without partiality, and uprightneſs without ſeve-
rity.

About eleven o'clock in the morning, as soon as
the peers, with the lord high Steward * at their head,
were situated in their order, and rank of place, lord
Ferrers was brought to the bar. But what shall I
fay of this unfortunate nobleman? He had neither
dignity in his countenance, nor sufficient graceful-
neſs in his manner to draw compassion on his mi-
fery, or reverence to his person: down-caft eyes,
an unmeaning face, a low ftature, rather despi-
cable than a gentleman-like appearance, muſt in
all other circumftances and situations have drawn
a biaſs against him, and muſt have compelled his
beholders, on the firſt impreſſion, to have pro-
nounced him an ill-favoured disagreeable-looking
man.

Placed at the bar of Westminſter-hall, a miſera-
ble helpleſs prisoner, with all his crimes upon his
head, we naturally rejected the prejudices that
were arifing against his outward demeanour, and
joined with the clerk of the crown, in wifhing
that God might ſend him a good deliverance.

The ſeveral particulars of the atrocious crime
for which his lordſhip is to ſuffer, will appear in

* Lord Keeper Henley.

the

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

the printed trial; they will appear, I am afraid,
shocking and barbarous. The trials of the Old
Baily have scarce produced a parallel. It was a
murder planned, concerted, and executed with
deliberation, cruelty, and determined malice. Nei-
ther drunkenness nor madnesſs excited the imme-
diate execution of it. Several perſons were ſent
out of the way, on purpose to leave the wretched
viſtim beyond a poſſibility of aſſistance or ſeſcue.
The poor man was defenceleſs, without arms, and
even without the leaſt ſuſpicion of his fate. He
was locked into the parlour by the inhuman earl,
was compelled to kneel down on one knee, and in
that poſture was ſhot, the ball remaining in his body.
A glimpſe of repenting humanity then took place.
The earl firſt cauſed him to be carried and put into
a bed, and then ſent for a ſurgeon to aſſiſt him in
his agony. But ſoon after the arrival of the ſur-
geon, all humanity vaniſhed, a freeſh blaſt of ſury
aroſe, and it was with difficulty that his lordſhip
could be hindered from tearing the agonizing Mr.
Johnſon * out of bed, dragging him on the floor,
and putting the ſinſhing ſtroke to a life already
gaſping out its laſt painful moments. Here in-
deed was the excuſe of ebriety. The earl by this
time had dozed himſelf, by brandy, into all the
heat of rage and violence: from brandy he de-
fended to Port wine, and continued drinking till
nature was ſufficiently drowned by liquor to ſink
into a found ſleep, and a temporary oblivion of the

* His name was William Johnson; he had been many years
in the family.

S 4

horrid

264 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

horrid action which he had committed. Poor
Johnson, terrified to be under the roof of his mur-
derer, was by his earnest desire carried to his own
house, where, in a few hours, he expired, amidst
the tears and lamentations of his miserable family.

It was a most affecting part of the trial to see
Mifs Johnson, daughter of the deceased, dressed
in mourning, and giving testimony of her father's
catastrophe.

All compassion towards the earl is much curbed,
if not totally suppressed, when we consider the mi-
ferable situation into which this unhappy family is
thrown. Yet I must confess that I found myself
deeply moved when the earl gave in that paper of
his defence, which with great unease he urged
as the strongest, perhaps the only plea in his fa-
vour. " I am, said he, importuned, and indeed
" constrained, my lords, by my family, to plead
" to your lordships, by way of mitigation and ex-
" cuse of my crime, the unhappy state of mind
" under which I frequently labour, and with which
" I must have been particularly visited when I
" committed the crime that has been laid open to
" your lordships." Words to this purpose were
pronounced by him in the greatest perturbation of
spirit, in a confusion and uneasiness not to be de-
scribed, and with a difficulty of respiration that
evidently discovered the inward workings of his
foul. Unhappy man! could he have proved that
he had committed the murder which he was visited
by the greatest disease to which human nature is lia-
ble,

THE LADY's MUSEUM.

ble, death would not have been his portion. But even his own witnesses testified his intervals of sanity to have been too many, and too constant to admit of any such plea. The earl was indulged in producing any witnesses to the purpose he desired: two were heard, but the evening coming on, the trial was adjourned till next day.

On Thursday afternoon, the noble judges came into Westminister-hall. The earl purfued his plea of lunacy, and to that purport examined a fresh string of witnesses, nine, I think, in number, of which two were his own brothers. This seemed to me, and probably to most of the audience, a very shocking scene; a noble family exposed, persons long since in their graves conjured up, like ghouls, only to be proved lunatics; younger brothers, as an instance of the strongest fraternal affection, endeavouring to denounce their elder brother mad. Relations, acquaintance, and even servants, giving various instances of the earl's frenzy; wildness and distraction. Yet all to no purpose. None of these instances came up to the point.

The unfortunate prisoner might have been sometimes wild, sometimes frantic, but never totally deprived of sense. Johnson was killed in an hour of sanity. Johnson fell by malice prepense. A short speech concluded all the earl had to say: it was read by the clerk of the house of lords, and was evidently a composition as well put together as if the author of it had never, in the whole of his life-time, been visited by the least degree of mad-nefs.

266 THE LADY'S MUSEUM

neſſs. The counsel for the crown * then ſummed
up, and obſerved upon the whole evidence, and
ended as they began, in the moſt tender, clear, im-
partial, generous, but juſt manner, that nature
could demonſtrate, or human abilities diſplay.

The lords returned to the parliament-chamber,
and after ſome time came back to Westminfter-
Hall, where each of their lordſhips ſeverally, and
for himſelf, pronounced earl Ferrers, guilty of the
felony and murder of which he ſtood indicted.

The number of peers who gave their votes were
one hundred and ſixteen, twenty one bifhops, and
four temporal lords being absent at the time when
lord Ferrers received his doom. The number of
ſpiritual and temporal lords who attended the firſt
day, were one hundred and forty one. The num-
ber happened to be exacſtly the fame as had attend-
ed lord Lovat's trial. The prifoner was then
ſummoned to the bar, the judgment of the lords
was declared to him, and as he was to receive ſen-
tence of death the next day, he was immediately
remanded to the Tower.

The lords came into Westminſter-Hall about
noon on Friday, and Laurence earl Ferrers was
aſked, according to the uſual form, *Why judgment
of death ſhould not paſs upon him, according to law?
His lordſhip produced a written ſpeech, which was
read by the clerk, and was drawn up in a moſt
proper decent mannaer, ſtill regretting the plea he

* The attorney and ſollicitor general; the former had opened the nature of the evidence, the latter concluded it.

had

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

had been forced to offer of lunacy, and submitting entirely to the judgment of the house of peers.

The lord high steward then pronounced his sentence, having introduced it by a most proper exordium. The sentence was, that earl Ferrers should be hanged till he was dead, and his body should be delivered to the surgeons to be anatomized. When he heard the sentence of hanging pronounced, he said, in a low voice, God's will be done; but when he heard he was to be anatomized, he said, with great emotion, God forbid; however, both parts of the sentence must be absolutely fulfilled. The law that enacts it passed no longer ago than the year 1752, and has no respect of persons; not even the king can commute the sentence. His majesty may re-prieve from time to time, or he may pardon, but his majesty cannot alter the letter of the law. All the indulgence within the power of the lords in their legislative capacity was shewn to the prisoner; without that indulgence he must have been hanged on Monday the twenty-first instant, and till his execution, must have been sustained solely by bread and water, nor could any person be permitted to converse with him: instead of these severities (by a power vested in the judges of the court where the felon is tried) his death is postponed to the fifth of May, and his diet and manner of custody are entirely left to the discretion of the noble lord who prefides * over the prisoners in the Tower, to their great happiness, and to his own great honour.

* Charles, earl Cornwallis.

Thus

268 THE LADY's MUSEUM.

Thus concluded the trial of Lawrence earl Fer-
rers, who drew upon himsself his own difmal cata-
ftrophe. Here let us cloſe the ſcene, but not
without remembring, that the laſt trial of any peer
for murder was in the year 1699, above threeſcore
years ago, when Edward, earl of Warwick and
Holland, and Charles lord Mohun, were each ſe-
verally tried for the murder of Richard Coote, Eſq;
Lord Warwick was found guilty of manſlaughter;
lord Mohun was entirely acquitted. Lord War-
wick claimed and received the benefit of his pee-
rage, upon the ſtatute of Edward VI. Lord Mo-
hun (who in the year 1692 had been tried and ac-
quitted, for the murder of Mr. Mountford the
player) towards the latter part of queen Anne's
reign, ended his life in a duel with the duke of Ha-
milton in Hyde-park.

I am, madam,

Your moſt obedient,

humble ſervant,

April 21, 1760.

A. B.

TO

[ 269 ]

TO THE

Author of the LADY'S MUSEUM.

MADAM,

WHEN I sent you an account of the trial and condemnation of Lawrence, late earl Ferrers, I did not imagine that I should have been enabled to add to it an account of his execution; but my curiosity having conquered all other sensations, I was present at the catastrophe of that nobleman.

The particulars of his lordship's behaviour from the Tower to the place of execution, are published by order or permission of the sheriffs. To repeat those particulars would be needles; but give me leave, madam, by way of postscript to my last letter, to animadvert upon some passages of the earl's appearance and demeanour, which, except in one instance, drew pity and compassion from all the spectators. The instance I hint at, was his lordship's dres, of which he himself took notice to Mr. fheriff Vaillant. You may perhaps, Sir, faid the earl, think it strange to see me in this dres, but I have my particular reasons for it. Mr. Vaillant preft not to know those particular reasons, and they seemingly died with the noble criminal.

But the people, ever busy and inquisitive to fathom the deepest secrets, and to expofe to light the most inward receffes of the foul, have loudly and unanimously declared, that the clothes which the eari wore,

270 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

wore, light cloth embroidered with silver, was the
suit in which he was married, and that his lordship
dated the source of his misfortunes from the day of
his marriage. Unhappy wretched man! filled with
whim, error, suspicions, malevolence, and a kind
of insult, by no means to be excused, except as
proceeding from a depraved imagination. At his
trial, he had brought in his plea of lunacy. By his
dreds, he appeared to continue on that plea at the gal-
lows. He forgave the executioner, he forgave all
the world, but as he seems to have been a kind of
fatalist, he forgave not his fate, which, according
to his own wild imagination, led him by a suit of
clothes to his ruin.

How erroneously do the thoughts stray, and how
irregular and tempestuous are the passions, when
the feat of sense and judgment is ever so little dif-
located? or when the cool calm dictates of the
Christian religion are thrown aside or trampled
upon?

The printed account continues to say, that his
lordship asked the sheriff, if he had ever seen so great a
concourse of people before? and upon his answering that
he had not; I suppose, said his lordship, it is because
they never saw a lord hanged before. It is certain
that no lord within the memory of the present age,
had undergone the fame catastrophe as was allotted
to Earl Ferrers. The executions of noblemen,
during a great length of time, had been always per-
formed by beheading, sometimes within the Tower
gates, sometimes upon Tower-hill. In the reign
of queen Mary the first, a lord was hanged at Sa-
lisbury. One peer only had ever preceded lord
Ferrers at Tyburn, and as he was executed above

four

THE LADY'S MUSEUM

271

four hundred years ago, his lordship was almost forgotten, although very particularly mentioned by moft, if not all of our English historians. They inform us, that Roger Mortimer, earl of March, was treated with the utmost rigour; his impeachment, says Rapin, was brought before the parliament. By the expression, *brought before the parliament*, I presume the author means, that the commons had brought up an impeachment against him to the bar of the house of lords. The earl of March's crimes had long been so notorious and arbitrary, that he was condemned to die without any evidence being called to witnesses against him. It must have appeared therefore that the articles of his impeachment were universally known and acknowledged to be true, and the weight of them supplied every other evidence that could be wanted. How different were those times from these? Now, the meanest subject in the kingdom knows that when he is tried for his life, he cannot be tried but by the strictest, the fairest, and the minutest rules of equity, law, and justice. Then, the highest peer in the realm might be hurried and perfecuted to his death, without any other legal authority than the outcry of the people, and the violence of an enraged parliament. Roger Mortimer, earl of March, was hanged on the common gallows at Tyburn, November 29, 1330, in the reign of Edward the third. The place of execution was then called Elms, his body continued hanging two days and two nights; a spectacle probably intended for the populace, who had justly held him in the utmost degree of abhorrence.

As

272

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

As the unfortunate earl Ferrers has not only paid
the debt of nature, but of the law, humanity ought
to dispense us to believe his lordship's affeveration,
that he had not entertained the least malice against
Mr. Johnson, whom he murdered. The reasons
which he gave, support his lordship's assertion.
I was, said the earl, under particular circumstances,
I had met with so many crosses and vexations that I
scarcely knew what I did. Where vexations and dis-
appointments, joined to a lunatic disposition, affect
the mind they often pervert the temper from chear-
fulnes to melancholy, from freedom to suspicions,
from calmness to rage, acrimony, and revenge.
The blood becomes black and bilious, strange
thoughts arise, continual uneasiness succeeds, raf-
actions follow, cruelties, murders, and suicide.
Ah! wretched human kind! more wretched than
the beafts of the field, more despicable than the
reptiles of the earth; if deprived of reason, subject
to lunacy, and visited by returning fits of madnes.

Here let me close the scene, and only add that
earl Ferrers died a Christian without knowing that
he was such. He devoutly repeated the Lord's
Prayer, and his last words to the executioner were,
I freely forgive you as I do all mankind, and hope my-
self to be forgiven. He would have died an hero,
had he expired in a virtuous cause; for, according
to the sheriff's paper, From the time of his lordship's
ascending the scaffold until his execution, his countenance
did not change nor his tongue faulter. The prospect of
death did not at all shake the composition of his mind.

I am, Madam,

Your most humble servant,

A. B.

[ 273 ]

ESSAY

ON THE

Original Inhabitants of GREAT BRITAIN

CONTINUED.

FROM this time may be dated the subjection
of our island to the Roman emperors, or,
more properly perhaps, to their legates, and pro-
prætors. It is true, that the greater part of the
island yet remained unconquered; but the defeat
of Caractacus, and the conitant torrent of successes
with which the Romans bore down all who re-
flicted them, had at least ftruck an universal con-
fternation, if not a terror, throughout the whole
nation. The averfion which every British prince
bore to his neighbours was often greater than the
love which he bore to his country: the paflion of
hatred being in general more violent, and of longer
duration, than the paflion of love. Thus Carif-
mantua betrayed Caractacus, not so much from
the motives of fear or treachery, as from a defire
of gaining the protection and affistance of the
Romans againft her husband Venutius and his
whole family, whom ſhe held in the utmoſt detef-
tation.

Nº. 4.

T

The

274 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

The behaviour of Caractacus at Rome, when led in triumph, and as a public spectacle, was truly great. He appeared before the emperor with a decent, manly, composed countenance; and if we are to believe Cornelius Tacitus, he made a speech to this purpose:

> If in my prosperity, the moderation of my conduct had been equivalent to my birth and fortune, I should have come into this city, not as a captive, but as a friend: nor would you, Cæsar, have disdained to have entered into an alliance with a man born of illustrious ancestors, and powerful in the command of many colonies. My present fate is to me dishonourable: to you magnificently glorious. I once had horses; I once had men; I once had arms; I once had riches. Can you wonder, if I have lost all these unwillingly? although, as Romans, you may aim at the conquest of all mankind, it does not follow, that all mankind must submit to be your slaves. If I had immediately yielded without resistance, neither the pervertences of my fortune, nor the glory of your triumph had been so remarkable. Punish me with death, and I shall be forgotten. Suffer me to live, and I shall remain an eternal example of your clemency.

Much struck and awakened by the appearance of such a prisoner, the emperor ordered the chains of Caractacus and his family to be taken off; and Agrippina, who was more than an equal associate in the empire, not only received the captive Britons with great marks of kindness and compassion, but confirmed to them the enjoyment of their present liberty.

During

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

275

During the remainder of Claudius Cæsar's reign, the Romans and the Britons went on in the same offensive and defensive manner, which they had practised for some years past. Skirmish succeeded skirmish. The victories were alternate; but the advantages were generally more on the Roman, than on the British side.

Nero, the son of Agrippina, by her second husband Caius Domitius Ænobarbus, succeeded Claudius, and ascended the imperial throne. In the beginning of Nero's reign, the government of our island was conducted in the same way that had been pursued for some years past. Legate was sent after legate: procurator followed procurator, and as the wealth of the island increased, each governor became more tyrannical and rapacious.

At the landing of the first Cæsar, the Britons were a people without riches, without commerce, without agriculture. At the accesion of Nero, they were sufficiently rich to pay the tributes imposed upon them by the Romans: their present opulency arose from the number of their herds, from their experience in agriculture, and from the produce of their wool. Their herds of cattle were always numerous, and are mentioned as much by Cæsar. Their improvements in agriculture were acquired by their intercourse with the continent; and their wool was reckoned of so fine a texture, that it was much esteemed, and fought after by foreigners. Our wool remains in the same degree of repute at this day.

From the defeat of Caractacus, the Britons were no longer looked upon as allies, but as tributary

T 2

pro-

276 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

provincials to the empire of Rome: they were permitted indeed, in all controversies and rights, as were purely relative to themselves, to be determined by their own laws, and to be governed by their own princes; but in all public affections, in levies for the army, and in many other instances, both the princes and the people, as far as the Roman arms had yet prevailed in the island, were equally subject to their conquerors. Their situation was particularly unhappy under Nero's government. The vices of that emperor soon grew to such a height, that the riches of the whole earth were insufficient to answer his demands. Every kingdom, every province in the world was taxed with great rigour; but the taxations imposed upon the Britons were more sensibly grievous and opprefive. Their state of bondage grew so very intolerable, that in the fifth year of Nero's reign, the Iceni, whose queen Boadicea and her two daughters had been treated in a most vicious, cruel, and ignominious manner, resolved to rise up in arms against the Romans. The Iceni were joined by the Trinobantes; and both these colonies put themselves under the command of the injured and outrageous Boadicea. Dio and Tacitus make the British army amount to an incredible number. There is no doubt that their forces were more numerous than had ever yet been assembled in Britain: and they judiciously chose to make this bold effort for their laws and liberty, at a time when Paulinus Suetonius, the Roman governor of Britain, was engaged in an attempt upon

Mona

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

Mona*, and had withdrawn all his forces into that island.

Boadicea, and her army were, at first successful; but alas! how very intoxicating qualities has success! The British heroine and her followers threw aside every sentiment of compassion, and became more inhumanly savage than their ancestors in the time of Julius Caesar. Their actions, as related by Dionysius, are too shocking to be related. Let us pass over them in silence, and if possible bury them in eternal oblivion.

Paulinus Suetonius, upon the alarm of such a sudden and extraordinary infurrection, reimbarked his troops; and, without the least loss of time, marched to London, which was then only inhabited by merchants; but, as Tacitus informs us, was a city remarkably well supplied with all kinds of provisions. Suetonius prefied forward with unwearied expedition, fully resolved to take the earliest opportunity of forcing the enemy to a general battle. The exact spot where the battle was fought is not known; but we are told, that Suetonius, by choosing a very advantageous piece of ground, and by drawing up his men with all the military conduct of an experienced commander, gained so compleat a victory, that Tacitus equals it to any of the glorious conquests obtained by the antient Romans.

Boadicea, as Dio represents her, was of a masculine preference, of a masculine countenance, tall in feature, with yellow hair.

* The isle of Anglesey, in North Wales.

T 3

This

278 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

This unfortunate Thalestris seems to have been
a woman of a most intrepid spirit, and of a peculiar
pride and fiercests, amounting even to barbarity.
It is certain that she had received great injuries,
such as might have provoked a milder dispoſition:
but she had shewn herself so utterly void of pity,
and had put in practice such cruelties against the
Romans, that she drew upon her own ſubjects in
some degree an equal portion of revenge. Not a
Briton received quarter: not even the women*,
who had attended their husbands to the battle.
Boadicea could not bear the thoughts of ſubmiſ-
fion: as soon as the victory was determined, she
put an end to her life by poison; and this, I be-
lieve, was the firſt instance, in which the Romans
saw themselves imitated in ſuicide by a Briton;
would to God it had been the laſt!

The Britons were now again subjected to the
government, the dispoſal, and the tyranny of Rome.
They remained so during the reign of Nero, with-
out any material alteration, except the unhappy
conſequence taken notice of by Tacitus, who in his
life of Agricola, says, “ Even theſe barbarians
“ began to reliſh now the ſoftneſs of vice.”

What a bewitching power must luxury poffeſs
when it becomes too mighty, not only for the
greatest fortitude, but the greatest fiercests of
mind?

* The Britons were so confident of victory, that they carried with them their wives, in waggons, which were placed on the outward borders of the field.

The

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

The Roman emperors who alternatively succeeded Nero, were Galba, Otho, and Vitellius. Their reigns were short, and during that space of time scarce any alteration happened in the government of Britain.

To Vespasian and his son Titus was reserved the glory of making a greater progreſs towards the entire conquelt of the whole island than had been hitherto made by any of his predecessors. Wife princes chuse wife minifters. Vespasian appointed Petilius Cerealis, Julius Frontinus, and Cnaeus Julius Agricola, ſuccesſively, to the government of Britain. They were three Romans of remarkable eminence, in dignity and reputation. The character of Agricola is drawn by his ſon in law Cornelius Tacitus. It is the moſt maſterly performance of that hiftorian's pencil. The picture is painted in the liveliest and the ſtrongest colours, the attitudes are beautiful, and the outlines are juſt.

Agricola refided near eight years in Britain. He was eſtablished in that government by three ſuccesſive emperors, Vespasian, and his two ſons Titus and Domitian *.

The political conduct of Agricola was not in the least inferior to his military prowefs. He found the Britons already yielding to the temptations of luxury. He artfully encreafed thofe temptations.

* Vespasian died in about a twelvemonth after he had appointed Agricola governor of Britain. Titus did only outlive his father three years, and was ſucceeded by his brother Domitian.

T 4

He

280 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

He introduced the Sciences of eloquence and architecture; and the islanders were so enchanted by the manners and customs of their enemies, that they not only applied themselves to learn the Roman language, but many of them even wore the Roman dress. It was a fortunate circumstance to Agricola, that in the very earliest part of his life, he had served in Britain under the command of some of the most eminent Roman governors, particularly Paulinus Suetonius, and Petilius Cerealis, by both of whom he was personally esteemed and distinguished: nor was it less fortunate, that he had dedicated that part of his youth to speculative knowledge, and had diligently studied the genius and disposition of our forefathers. He had already observed, from experience, that the Britons were much more difficult to be forced than to be induced to yield. Generosity drew them into friendship and compliance; severity drove them into obtninacy and rebellion. They were extremely apt to imbibe and to imitate the manners of foreign nations. Those who were nearest to Gaul assumed the Gallic fashions and behaviour: and as the Romans were still a politer people, their national customs and elegancies were again more acceptable to the Britons; so that in some few years after Agricola's arrival as governor, he had the pride and satisfaction of seeing the Roman porticos, their baths and other buildings of magnificence imitated, and in a manner transferred into various parts of Britain. Tacitus makes a very true observation upon these improvements. He says, "The ignorant looked upon this as the bestinning

THE LADY'S MUSEUM

281

" ginning of humanity; the wife knew it to be
" one of the chief roots of slavery."

But Agricola was, by no means, absolutely de-
voted to the arts of peace. He made use of policy
only at those seasons, and in those places, where he
could not exert his military conduct. He knew
that the natural fiersceness of the nation was too
great, and too universal to be entirely reduced by
any arts but arms. He began, although he had
landed very late in the summer*, by conquering
the Ordovices, and as he had remembered them a
perverse, mutinous, ungovernable people, he al-
most destroyed the whole colony: and then pro-
ceeded to Mona, with a resolution fully to com-
plete the conquest of that island. This was a
work which had been intended by Paulinus Sue-
tonius, but it was left unfinished, upon account
of Boadicea's infurrection.

Mona was originally inhabited by the Druids,
and consequently was held in a most idolatrous
veneration by the rest of the Britons. It is sepa-
rated from the greater island by a very narrow
channel. Suetonius had invaded it with some de-
gree of success. He had landed his soldiers in
flat-bottom boats, and had utterly destroyed the
temples, groves, and other places of worship,
which the Druids had dedicated to religious mur-
ders, and to sacrifices of human victims. These
holy feers, who, unfortunately for mankind, pro-
fessed the art of divination, consulted the myste-
rious decrees of heaven, from the entrails of such

* A. U. C. 830.

ill.

282 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

ill-fated strangers, who by shipwreck, or any other accident, had been thrown upon their island; and from these impious rites, the British nation in general, was characterized as cruelly inhospitable to strangers.

The reduction of Mona was no very difficult task. The Roman soldiers swam over the river Mæne, a fight that struck such terror into the inhabitants *, that they surrendered the island without the least attempt towards an opposition.

The winter was employed by Agricola in an administration of justice, throughout the several provinces which he had conquered. He began by a strict reformation in his own household and dependents. He proceeded to as strict a disquifition into the conduct and discipline of the army. He excused faults, but he never failed to punish crimes. He was severe, but he was not cruel. He rather required than exacted taxes. He regulated the inequality of affeffments, and by preventing all kinds of corruption, he suffered no iniquitous impositions to take place. He chose the obedience flowing from devotion, not the submiffion arising from fear. In veneration of such virtues, a real attachment to his person, and an humble imitation of his conduct, universally prevailed. His common soldiers became modeft and regular: his chief officers generous and humane. The Britons found themselves happy under his government.

* The inhabitants now confiſted not only of Druids, but of the Ordovices, and other neighbouring colonies, who, from time to time, had eſcaped from the pursuit of the Romans, and had taken refuge within the island.

He

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

He was their maſter, not their tyrant; and they
ſo far complied with his private advice and encou-
ragement, eſpecially as he pretended no command
over their particular ceconomy, that they began,
as has been already hinted, to build houſes, ereſt
temples, and exhibit various edifices of public
reſort.

The winter and the spring paffed in works of
this kind. Early in the ſummer, Agricola took
the field. He made a farther progreſs into the
iſland than had been attempted by any of his pre-
deceſſors. He marched northward, and con-
quered the Brigantes and the Ottodini.

When he returned to his winter-quarters, he re-
fumed his former plan of politics, and endea-
voured to reconcile the ancient Britons, not only
to the laws, the intereſt, and the power of the
Roman Empire, but to the ſeveral refinements
which the Romans had made in the more polite,
or in truth, the more luxurious branches of their
ſtate.

The ensuing ſummer produced freeſh laurels to
Agricola. He penetrated into Scotland, and he
advanced as far as the Frith * of Jay ‡. In his
march he did not meet with any oppoſition; but
was ſo entirely unmoleſted, that he had ſufficient
leisure to build forts in the moſt advantageous
ſituations. Tacitus ſays, that not one of the forts
which had been ereſted by Agricola was ever

* A Frith signifies the mouth of a river.

‡ The Jay is one of the chief rivers in Scotland: it iſſues
out of Loch Jay in Broadalbin, and running ſouth-weſt, falls
into the sea at Dundee.

taken,

284 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

taken, furrendered, or abandoned to the enemy. Such was the strength and perfection of these buildings.

The fourth year of Agricola's government, and the last of the reign of Titus, was passed in securing from invasions the most southern parts of Scotland, or what we may call the most northern parts of England.

The fifth summer was employed differently from any of the former. Agricola got fail with his army, not so much with an intention of conquering new nations, as of viewing the coasts and ports of Scotland, and of visiting the several little islands that lie dispersed in the Atlantic and Caledonian seas. In this expedition he had a view of Ireland; an island, fays Tacitus, which in the foil and temperature of the air, and in the dispersions and fashions of the people, bears a near resemblance to Britain.

Agricola looked upon the conquest of Ireland as a step of importance to the Roman Empire. He represented it as such in his letters to Rome: and he positively intended a future descent upon that kingdom; but all his great designs were frustrated: Domitian reigned.

The remaining years of Agricola's government were passed very much in the same manner with the former. Skirmishes by land, and expeditions by sea, in summer; buildings and administration of justice during the other seasons. In most places, as soon as Agricola appeared he conquered. His reputation, and his high name, seem to have been as effectual as his arms; and indeed the records of history have scarce produced a greater man.

Domitian

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

Domitian was of a moſt envious ſuſpicious tem-
per. He grew jealous of his proprætor’s charac-
ter: but the timidity and hypocrisy of his nature
hindered him from an open, or an immediate de-
claration of his ſpleen. He ſuffered Agricola to
hold the government till the year of Rome 837,
and then he appointed Saluſtius Lucullus governor
in his ſtead.

In this place our hiftory becomes very obscure.
The anecdotes of the ſtate are almoſt as fabulous
as the anecdotes of the church: but as we may be
tolerably certain of the exact bounds of the Ro-
man conqueſts in England and Scotland, they are
a point worthy of remembrance.

A line or wall of fortifications was conſtruſted
by Agricola from the mouth of the river Forth to
the mouth of the river Clyde. The ſeveral colo-
nies on the ſouth of that line had been entirely ſub-
dued, and were within the Roman pale: all the
land beyond that line remained in a ſtate of free-
dom, and was called Caledonia.

Domitian died in the year of Rome, 848. He
was the laſt of the family of Vespafian, and of that
ſet of emperors who were looked upon as moſt
nearly allied in affinity to Julius Cæsar. It is ſcarce
worth while to take a retroſpect of our ancesſors
at this particular period. The ſpace of time indeed
ſince the firſt invaſion by the Romans amounts to
near a century and a half; but the improvements
of the Britons in literature are, by no means, equal
to that interval. Their chief, and perhaps their
only characteriſtic, was courage. Tacitus indeed
lets drop one ſentence that ſeems to reflect ſome
little

286 THE LADY's MUSEUM.

little degree of honour upon the genius of the na-
tives: he says, “Agricola took care, that the
“young British princes should be instructed in the
“liberal sciences; and in his own opinion, he pre-
ferred the natural faculties of the Britons to the
“acquired studies of the Gauls, as the former
“were now earneftly defirous to learn the art of
“eloquence, although they had lately shewn a
“diflike to the Roman language.” Or in other
words, “The Britons had long since wifhed to be
“taught, but till now they had detefted their
“teachers.”

A thirst of knowledge is always reputed com-
mendable; at least we are sure it is natural: but if
we reject prejudice and speak truth, must not we
own, that the arts and sciences are so many lead-
ing avenues to luxury? They inftruet and they de-
light, but they foften and they enervate. They
cannot conquer the caufes of vice: they can only
difguſe the effects. Nay, even if we SUPPOſe,
that they triumph over ſome paſſions; are they not
apt to raiſe others of a worſe tendency? Enquire
into the original inhabitants of any nation; the in-
habitants will be conſtantly and truly repreſented
as courageous and indefatigable, becauſe they
were bred in woods, and accuſtomed to hard-
ships. As soon as they were brought into cities;
as soon as they had taſted pleafures, their alertneſs
languifhed, and their courage melted away. This
was the fate of the antient Britons. Agricola had
fagaciouſly obſerved the errors of his predeceſſors,
and he was determined to win his enemies by me-
thods which no other governor had purſued. He

recol-

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

recollected the fable of the traveller, who, while
the wind bluftered, and blew violently, kept on his
cloak in defiance of Boreas, but when the fun ap-
peared, when he felt the rays of Phœbus, he not
only threw aside his cloak, but as the heat encreased,
divefted himfelf of every other garment. The fuc-
ceffors of Agricola acted the part of Boreas. They
were ftromy and boifterous, but not fucceſſul.
They afforded no funfhine.

The Caledonians, a brave and an unconquered
people, loft no opportunities of driving back the
Romans into the more southern parts of Britain.
They were led on by Galgacus, who was a north
Britain of great valour, and of high birth: he had
made a confiderable refiftance, even againſt Agri-
cola. It is a record for ever to the honour of the
Caledonians, that they were not in the leaſt infefcted
by the contagious habits which had been intro-
duced into South Britain. Their bravery was un-
daunted, and their manners were uncorrupted.
The force of numbers had lately compelled them
to take refuge amidſt the Grampian mountains *;
but as ſoon as Agricola was departed, they came
forward in all their native valour; and, by their
example and encouragement, animated the Britons
to ſume the ſpirit of their anceſtors, and to join
in the common cauſe of extirpating the Romans
out of the kingdom. To execute ſo great a work
could only be the effect of time. Roman colonies
had been planted; intermarriages had been made;

* Mountains, which run from east to west, from near Aberdeen to Cowal in Argyleshire.

I

for-

288 THE LADY'S MUSEUM

fortresses had been built; and what was the greatest impediment, luxury had been established, as so many preventive bulwarks against all efforts of liberty and national prerogative: yet if we can gather any degree of truth from the flight and incongruous accounts of these times, the Britons and the Caledonians, during the reigns of Nerva and Trajan, had made some important efforts towards the principal design for which they had associated. Their progreſs, if we may believe the Scotch historians, was considerable; and they must soon have freed themselves from the Roman yoke, if the Emperor Adrian * had not come over in person.

The Roman general, Lucius Antonius, had been dangerously wounded, and his troops had been repulsed in a battle against the Caledonians. This was a circumstance of sufficient consequence to haften Adrian to England: but neither the exact time of his arrival, nor his military actions in the island, can by any means be ascertained.

Two medals of this Emperor appear to be strong evidences, that he reduced the Britons to obedience.

On the reverse of one of the medals, is inscribed *Britannicus*. On the reverse of the other, *Reſtitutor Britannicæ*.

During the reigns of the ſucceſſive emperors, Antonius Pius, M. Aurelius, Commodus, Pertinax, and Didius Julianus. The few circumftances which are relative to Britain, differ only in

* The adopted son and ſucceſſor of Trajan. He was by birth a Spaniard, and began his reign in the 118th year of the Christian Era.

names

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

names, as they are sometimes called battles, sometimes skirmishes, sometimes inroads, sometimes invasions. They may be said to continue the chain of the history; but it is an iron chain continued by wisps of ftraw.

[To be continued.]

MADAM,

YOUR receiving and publishing the letters of other people, when without foreign affrontance your Museum would be much more to the pleasure of your readers, fhews that you resemble your predecessor, Mr. Bickerstaff, no les in candour than in wit; and now occasions this address to you, from an old maid, owes who no other favour to fortune than a noble birth, which, as it happened many years ago, entitled me to a good education; and produced me an agreeable reception for certain periods of time, among many families of my great relations; here as it was safest, I always preferred the character of a spectator only, in all domestic occurrences: this has enabled me to judge a little to what effect the first principles, either inculcated in young minds, or taken up by them have upon their manners and conduct in maturer years.

№. 4.

U

The

290

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

The letter in the month of May signed W. M.
after affirming that all women, and (for ought he
knows all men) think grandeur and happiness fyno-
nomous terms, remarks with more justice, that the
polite accomplishments are too promiscuously
aimed at by all degrees of people for their daugh-
ters; but does not assign (in my humble opinion)
the real, and more material reasons against it, but
turns back to his first proposition, and displays the
wide difference there is between riches, power, and
titles, and heart-felt satisfaction: where I shall
leave him at free liberty, to gather as many flowers
as he pleases, out of so well stocked a garden as he
has chosen to walk in; and only make some additional
observations on the education of young ladies.

It has been my misfortune to see quite the re-
verse of what that gentleman complains of; not in-
f significant girls taught too much, but great ladies
taught too little.

When I was about five and thirty, my cousin german, the countess of ——, desired me to come and pass a year with her, in which she proposed going to Spa; and as her daughters were too young, she said, to be any amusement to her, she would leave them behind her. My situation in life, and inclinations for travelling, made me very readily accept her offer: and I took leave of my good aunt, Mrs. Afhgrove, who was almost as much delighted as myself with what she saw pleased, and hoped might be of service to me.

When I came to town, I was very much sur-
prised to see two fine girls, the one about twelve,
and the other ten, that did not open their mouths
before

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

291

before their mother, and as I soon found very
seldom saw her. My cousin was a very fine lady,
dressed perfectly well, and gave the most elegant
entertainments; she frequented the drawing-room
every court-day, and generally preceded two af-
femblies, by a play, or opera, in the evening. My
day was far advanced before hers began, who gave
me an opportunity to see more of my young rela-
tions than she did. I observed they had about
them a very ordinary Swif's woman, who was
called their French governefs: she treated them
with insolence, and taught them a jargon no body
elfe could understand. Their only reading was
the news-papers, when the upper servants had done
with them; as for writing or dancing, it was thought
they were too young, and that their acquain-
tance with any of their own rank would only
make them impatient, and wish for more liberty
than their mother cared to give them. On talking
to them, I found they did not want understand-
ing; but was so perverted with the knowledge of
their birth, and feeling of their slavery, that they
were continually inflicting, or infulted by the do-
meftics they were obliged to converse with. The
eldeft had a great spirit, and was always saying,
that when she married she would keep her servants
in subjection, and no person should dare, tho'
ever so great, to be impertinent to her. She al-
ways liftened with great relish to any reflections
made on her mother's conduct, in regard to the
neglect of her children; which, to flatter the young
ladies, the lower people would sometimes throw
out, and treasured up a sufficient quantity of difo-

U 2

bedi-

292

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

bedience and contempt for her parents, whenever
she should have an opportunity of shewing it. The
youngest was of a gentler nature: she submitted to
her fate, and made court to her mother's woman,
whenever she wanted, or wished for a new cap,
or a new coat, and to the groom of the chambers
for lemonade and cakes, on those assembly nights
which she spent above stairs.

I could not but grieve to see two creatures, that
might have been the bleffing of the countess's
declining years, merely by her own fault, give such
dreadful indications of proving the contrary. I endeavoured all I could to perfuade her to carry them
with us to Spa, which I knew would break thro'
their present course of life, and force her to grow
a little more acquainted with them, and they to be
more informed what behaviour suited them: but
it was all in vain. They were aukward hoydening
things, she said, and so young, there was no making any thing of them.

Some years after, I heard that the eldest, being
left at her father's country-feat, while he and her
mother made a visit into a distant country, had
run away with, and married an officer that came
to raife recruits in the neighbourhood; and the
younger had the next year a child by the butler.

Now, madam, is it not obvious to you, I am
fure it was to me, that had both been better
taught, better they would have acted ? I must
add, this gay, this accomplished woman, had both
a sense of honour and chafity; and in a few
weeks after the last misfortune I mentioned happened in the family, died of a broken heart. Oh,
had

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

had she had religion enough to have taught it to
her daughters! both by example and precept,
might they not have repaid her ten fold, in grati-
tude and filial love? Had they learned their own
and other languages in proper books, how delight-
fully might their time have been employed, in
reading the stories of all ages and countries, where
truth and propriety of conduct is proved to be
our only happiness; and vice and folly, however
long they totter on, are sure to fall, from whence
they never can emerge again. Had she introduced
them properly into the world, and given them the
accomplishments suitable to the figure they ought
to have made in it, might she not, like my lady
Harvest (to whom I have the honour to stand in
the fame relation) have lived in continual thankful-
ness to the Almighty for preserving her, to find a
new spring of joy revive in the autumn of her
days, by seeing her children practise the prudent
and tender virtues of a wife, and mother, fill the
station of great ladies with dignity in themselves,
obliging and entertaining conversation with their
equals, kind and generous offices (without affected
confezion) to their lefs prosperous acquain-
tance, humanity to their servants, and universal
benevolence to all their fellow creatures.

Believe me, 'tis not ignorance, but knowledge,
that produces these characters in life.

I am, madam,

Your sincere admirer

And humble servant,

AGNES WOODBINE.

U3

The

[ 294 ]

[The following Treatise on the Education of Daughters is written by the celebrated Archbishop of Cambray, and translated by a Friend of the Author of the Museum.]

## CHAP. I.

### Of the Importance of the Education of Daughters.

NOTHING is more neglected than the education of daughters; custom, and the caprice of mothers, are for the most part absolutely decisive on that point. It is taken for granted, that a very little instruction is sufficient for the sex; whereas, the education of sons is looked upon as of principal concern to the public; and although there is fear of mismanagement in this than in the bringing up of daughters, nevertheless people are fully persuaded that no small degree of discernment is requisite to infuse success. How many masters do we see? how many colleges? what expence for impressions of books, for researches into the sciences, methods of learning languages, and choice of professors?

All these grand preparations have frequently more shew than solidity; however, they indicate the high notion people have of the education of boys. As for girls, say they, what necessity is their for them to be scholars; curiosity makes them vain and conceited; it is sufficient they learn in time how to govern their families, and to submit to their

huf-

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

husbands without debate: and here they are ready
to produce a number of known instances of women
grown ridiculous by pretence to scholarship; after
this they think themselves justified in blindly aban-
doning girls to the management of ignorant and
indiscreet mothers: it is true we ought to be very
cautious of making pedantick ladies. Women,
for the most part, have less strength of under-
standing than men, but more curiosity; wherefore
it is not proper to engage them in studies likely to
disturb their heads. It is not for them to govern
the state, direct the operations of war, or to interfere
in the administration of religious affairs. Thus they
may stand excused from those extensive articles of
knowledge relative to politics, the art military,
jurisprudence, theology: even the far greater part
of the mechanic arts are not suitable to them. They
are formed for gentler occupations: their bodies, as
their understanding, are less vigorous, less robust
than those of men; but nature, in compensation,
has appropriated to them industry, neatness, and
economy, and hence arises their tafte for the calm du-
ties of domestic life--But what are we to conclude
from the natural weaknesses of women? the weaker
they are, of the greater moment it is to give them
strength. Have they not duties to fulfil, nay, du-
ties on which the life of society depends? Is it not
by them that families are ruined or upheld? they,
who have the regulation of the whole train of do-
meestic affairs, who have a general influence upon
manners, and by consequence the way in what
most nearly affects all mankind.

U 4

A

296 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

A woman of judgment, application, and real piety, is the soul of a whole great family: she inspires that order, that prudence, and purity of manners which secure happiness here and hereafter. It is not in the power of men, tho' veiled with all public authority, by their deliberations, to make any establishments effectually good, unless women are aiding in the execution.

The world is not a phantome: it is an affemblage of families; and who can adjust the government of them with more exactness than the women? They, besides their natural authority, and affinity in their houses, have the further advantage of being born careful, minutely attentive, industrious, refinuing, and perfusive.

As for mankind, where else must they look for the comforts of life, if marriage, that closest of all alliances, shall be converted into bitternets? and children, who in their turn will be called mankind, what will become of them, if spoiled by their mothers from their infancy.

Observe the parts women have to act, they are not of less moment than those of the men; inasmuch as they have a house to regulate, a husband to make happy, children to bring up well; add that public virtue is no less necessary for the women than for the men. Without infesting the good or evil import they may be of to the world, they are half of the human species redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and destined to life eternal. Finally, to omit the good influence of women well brought up, let us consider the evils they are productive of, in defect of an education

in-

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

inspiring them with virtue. It is certain this defect in them is more mischievous than in men, because the irregularities of men frequently proceed from the bad education they have imbibed from their mothers, and from those passions other women have inspired them with in their riper years. What intrigues does history present to our view? What subversion of laws and morals? What bloody wars, innovations of religion, revolutions of state? all caused by the vices of women. These are proofs of the importance of a good education for girls. Let us next consider the means.

[To be continued.]

THE

[ 298 ]

THE
HISTORY

OF THE
COUNT DE COMMINGE

CONTINUED.

I passed the night in the utmost agitation, and after having formed a thousand different projects, all equally fruitless and impracticable, it came suddenly into my mind to burn the writings which were still in my possession, those now hated writings that proved our claim to the estates of the family of Luffan. I was astonished that I had not hit upon this expedient sooner, since it was the most effectual method I could take to put an end to a suit, the consequence of which I had so much dreaded.

It was not impossible but my father who had proceeded very far might be induced to terminate the affair amicably by my marriage with Adelaida; but although there should be no foundation for so pleasing a hope, yet I could not consent to furnish arms against what I loved. I reproached myself for having so long kept papers in my possession which ought to have been sooner sacrificed to my tender efforts.

The

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

The reflection of the injury I did my father
could not stop me a moment from the execution of
this design. This estate was entailed upon me, and
I inherited one left me by my mother's brother,
which I could resign to him to procure his pardon,
and which was much more considerable than that
I was the cause of his losing.

There needed no more arguments to convince a
man in love, and already determined. I went in-
stantly to my closet for the little box which con-
tained these papers. Never had I in my whole life
experienced so happy a moment, as that in which
I committed them to the flames. I was transport-
ed into rapture at the thoughts of so effectually fer-
ving the object of my passion.

If she loves me, said I, she shall one day know
the sacrifice I have made for her; but if I am not
so happy as to touch her heart, she shall always
remain in ignorance of it. Why should I make
her sensible of an obligation she would be sorry to
owe to me? I would have Adelaida love me, but
I would not have her think herself indebted to me.
I confess, however, that after this action, I found
myself imboldened to declare my sentiments to her,
and the freedom with which I visited at her mo-
ther's, gave me an opportunity that very day.

“ I am going to leave you, charming Adelaida,
“ said I, will you have the goodnews to think
“ f sometimes of a man whose happineſs, or whose
“ miſery you only can make ?” I had not power
to go on: ſhe seemed alarmed and confuſed, I
thought alſo that I ſaw grief in her eyes.

“ You

300 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

“ You have heard me, resumed I trembling;
“ give me some answer, I implore it of your com-
passion, speak one word to me.”

“ What would you have me say to you? replied
“ she, with visible emotion ; I ought not to have
“ heard you, and still less ought I to answer you.”

Scarce did she give herself time to pronounce
these words, she left me so suddenly. I stayed the
rest of the day there, but I found it impossible
again to speak to her alone. She avoided me care-
fully; she had an air of perplexity and confusion;
how lovely did she appear to me with that perplex-
ed air, and that sweet innocent confusion. My respect
for her was equal to my love; I could not look on
her without trembling, I dreaded left my preump-
tion had made her repent of her goodnefs towards
me.

I should longer have observed a conduct so con-
formable to my respect for her, and to the delicacy
of my own sentiments, if the necessity I was under
of leaving her had not forced me to speak. I was
willing to tell Adelaida my true name before I
went away; but I dreaded this declaration even
more than my former.

“ I perceive you avoid me, madam, said I to her.
“ Alas! what will you do when you know all my
“ crimes, or rather my misfortunes? I have impofed
“ upon you by a false name, I am not the person you
“ think me; I am, purified I, trembling, with the
“ violence of my apprehensions, the son of the
count de Comminge.”

“ The son of the count de Comminge! cried
“ Adelaida, with astonishment and grief in her face,
“ our

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

“ our enemy, our perfecutor ! do not you and
“ your father urge the ruin of mine ?”

“ Oh do not wound me with so cruel a thought !
“ interrupted I, tears in spite of myself, fstreaming
“ from my eyes ; in me, charming Adelaida, you
“ behold a lover ready to sacrifice all for you ;
“ my father will never injure yours ; my love fe-
“ cures him in your intereft.”

“ But why, replied Adelaida, recovering from
“ her furprize, why have you deceived me ? why
“ did you conceal your true name ? Had I known
“ it, purfued ſhe, softly fighting, it would have
“ warned me to fly from you.”

“ Oh, do not, madam, faid I, taking her hand
“ which I forcibly kiffed, do not repent of your
“ goodneſs towards me.”

“ Leave me, faid ſhe withdrawing her hand, the
“ more I fee you the more inevitable I render
“ thofe misfortunes I too juſtly apprehend.”

The latent meaning of theſe words filled me
with a transport that ſuffered nothing but hope to
appear. I flattered myſelf that I ſhould be able to
render my father favourable to my paſſion. This
belief ſo wholly poſſeſſed me, that I thought every
one ſhould think as I did. I ſpoke to Adelaida of
my projects like one who is ſecure of ſucceſs.

“ I know not, faid ſhe with a melancholy air,
“ why my heart refuſes to yield to the hopes you
“ endeavour to inſpire. I foreſee nothing but
“ miſery in the course of this affair; yet I find a
“ pleasure in feeling what I do for you : I have
“ not hid my ſentiments from you ; I am willing
“ you

302 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

“ you should know them, but remember that if
“ there is a necessity for it, I am capable of sacri-
“ ficing them to my duty.”

I had several conversations with Adelaida be-
fore my departure, and always found new cause to
congratulate myself on my good fortune; the pleasure of loving and knowing that I was beloved, filled
my whole heart; no suspicion, no fear for the
future could disturb the tender softness of our interviews. We were secure of each other's affection,
because esteem was the basis of it; and this certainty far from diminishing the ardour of our
passion, added to it all the tweets of hope, and all
the charms of confidence.

“ I should die with grief, said she to me, if I
“ bring upon you the displeasure of your father;
“ I would have you love me, but oh, I would
“ rather have you happy !”

I parted from her at length, full of the most
tender and most ardent passion that ever man felt,
and my whole soul intent upon the design of rendering my father favourable to it.

In the mean time he was informed of every thing
that had passed at the baths. The servant whom
he had put about me had secret orders to observe
my conduct; this man had left him ignorant of
nothing, neither of my love, nor my quarrel with
the chevalier de Saint Oden. Unfortunately the
chevalier was the only son of one of my father's
most intimate friends; this circumstance, and the
danger to which he was reduced by his wound,
turned every thing against me. The servant who

had

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

had given him such exact informations, represented
me to be much happier than I was. He described
madam and mademoiselle de Luffan as full of artifice
and deft, as having always known me for the
count de Comminge, and had spared no pains to
seduce me.

Thus prejudiced, my father, naturally severe and
passionate, treated me at my return with great
harshness: he reproached me with my passion as
with a crime of the blackest dye.

" You have been base enough, said he to me, to
" love my enemies, and without reflecting what
" you owed either to me or to yourself, you have
" entered into engagements with those I hate, and
" I know not, added he, whether you have not
" done something still more worthy of my resentment!"

" Yes, Sir, answered I, throwing myself at his
" feet, I am guilty, I confess, but I am so in spite
" of myself. At this very moment when I implore
" your pardon, I feel that no power on earth can
" tear from my heart that passion which offends
" you. Have pity on me, and oh! suffer me to
" say it, have pity on yourself, put an end to that
" hatred which disturbs the tranquillity of your
" life. The tenderness which the daughter of
" monsieur de Luffan and I felt for each other at
" first fight, seems a warning from heaven to you.
" Alas! my dear father, you have no other child
" but me! would you make me miserable and load
" me with misfortunes so much the more unforgivable
" as they will come from a hand I must
" ever

304 THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

“ ever love and revere ? Suffer yourself, my
“ dear father to be softened into forgiveness of a
“ son, who has offended you only by a fatality for
“ which he could not be answerable.”

My father, who had suffered me to continue
kneeling during the whole time I was speaking to
him, looked on me for a moment with mingled
fear and indignation.

“ I have, said he, heard you with a patience
“ I am myself astonished at: I will still pre-
“ serve compofure enough to tell you what is
“ the only favour you are to expect from me;
“ you must renounce your ill-placed passion, or
“ the quality of my son. Take your choice, and
“ this instant deliver me the writings you have
“ in your custody; you are no longer worthy of
“ my confidence.”

If my father had suffered himself to be moved by
my supplications, the demand he made of the
papers would have greatly distressed me: but his
harshness gave me courage.

“ Those writings, said I, rising, are no longer in
“ my possession, I have burned them: but the
“ estate I inherit of my uncle’s shall be yours, in-
“ instead of those they would have given you.”

I had scarce time to pronounce these few words.
My father, mad with rage, drew his sword, and
would doubtless have run me through, for I made
not the least effort to avoid him, if my mother had
not entered the room that instant, and threw her-
felf, half dead with terror, between us.

“ Ah! what would you do, said she, gasping with
“ the violence of her fears, is he not your son?

“ Then,

THE LADY'S MUSEUM.

" Then forcing me out of the room, she ordered
" me to expect her in her own apartment."

I waited there a long time before she appeared:
she came at length. I had no longer rage, exclamation,
and menaces to combat; but a tender mother,
who entered into all my griefs, and intreated
me with tears, to have compassion on the condition
to which I had reduced her.

"What, my son, said she to me, shall a miftrefls,
"and a miftrefls whom you have known so short a
time, be preferred to your mother? Alas! if your
"happineſs depended upon me, I would sacrifice
"every thing to secure it; but you have a father
"who will be obeyed. He is upon the point of
"taking the most violent resolutions against you.
"Oh, my son! if you would not make me mife-
"rable, SUPPREſS a passion that will render us all
"unhappy."

I remained some moments silent: how difficult
was it to refift such a plea, so tenderly urged by a
mother for whom I had the highest filial affection?
but love was still more powerful.

[To be continued.]

No. 4.

X

PHI-

[ 306 ]

PHILOSOPHY

FOR THE

LADIES

CONTINUED.

BUT the most complete, and at the same time
the most universal of all these metamorphoses
is that wherein the animal appears in four several
shapes: which is the case with much the greatest part
of the winged inhabitants of the air of the insect
tribe; some of which in their different states have
been by turns tenants of earth, air, and water. End-
les would it be to enumerate all the various genera
of insects who undergo these changes. We shall
therefore content ourselves, as in the last case, with
only mentioning one of each sort, viz. Of those
whose origin is water, and of those whose rise is
from the earth.

Of the first, let the common gnat be taken for
our example. This little delicate tender infect, which
the gentlest touch will destroy, the least breath of
wind

THE LADY'S MUSEUM. 307

wind waft upon its bosom, and the least drop of rain buries in its waves, yet first fees existence in that rough and turbulent element the water. There it is the parent lays her egg, which is hatched by some means we can little comprehend, (for heat can have no influence at the bottom of the water) comes out a little groveling worm, minute and unobservable; changing from this, however, it soon arises towards the surface of the water, where, hanging suspended on an air-bubble, no bad emblem of the general dependence of human affairs, it passes thro' a thousand fluctuations; now hurried onwards by the rapid power of tides, or the uncertain gust of winds varying at every moment, and now gliding smoothly on the calm even surface of a glassy stream, till at length seizing on the happy moment for deliverance from this suffocation, it drops the flough which now envelops it, and mounting into air, quits and disdains alike its helpless state of infancy, and its precarious anxious situation when brought to somewhat more apparent ripeneſs. Reflect on this, oh man, and think what art thou but a poor infidel, crushed before the moth!

As to the land metamorphoses of this completeſt kind, we need go no further to illustrate it, than to that useful animal the silk-worm, as he is perhaps the most perfect of this class of infameſs. His first state is, as that of all others of his kind, the egg. From this he issues a small black maggot, which, after having shifted many various coats, and increased his bulk to upwards of a thousand times its original size, weaves out of his own bowels a

X 2

filken