LIFE of CHRISTINA Queen of Sweden. 1753. LIFE

and it is of the more confequence, as it may prevent a war upon the next election of a king of Poland, as well as upon the next election of an emperor of Germany; for I am of opinion, that no election either of the one or other can ever now happen without a war, unlefs very prudent meafures be previoufly taken for preventing it. Had he continued in the intereft of France until his death, and his fon had fet up upon the fame intereft to be chofen king of Poland, that election would certainly have occafioned a war; for neither the Auftrians nor the Ruffians will ever alpeacelow any one in that intereft to be ably established upon the throne of Poland: Whereas now he has again attached himself to the houfe of Auftria, they would both, in cafe of his death, fupport the election of his fon; and the French would then probably find themfelves as unable to oppofe the clection of the fon, as they were before to oppofe the election of the father; therefore they would rather peaceably fubmit, than engage in a war which, from experience they had learned, they could not carry on with fuccefs.

A

B

D

I hope, Sir, I have now given fuf-
Ecient reafons for thinking this treaty
one of the wifeft and moft ufeful we
ever made; but if I have failed in this
point: If there be fill any gentlemen
in this houfe, who do not approve of the
treaty, I hope they will concur with my
Hon. friend who spoke last, in approving
of the motion; for every one, I fup-
pofe, will join with him in thinking,
that it would be of the most dangerous
confequence to refufe enabling his ma-
jelty to fulfil a folemn engagement which E
he has already entered into. Such a re-
fufal would render it impoffible for his
majefty, or any fucceeding fovereign of
this kingdom, to conclude any treaty
that required a new expence; and as
fudden emergencies often require the
immediate conclufion of expenfive trea-
ties, the many fatal effects of fuch an
impoffibility, I am perfuaded, I need not
explain.

[This JOURNAL to be continued in our next.]

F

Extras from the LIFE and CHARACTER
of CHRISTINA, Queen of Sweden,
prefixed to the Tranflation of ber WORKS, G
lately published.

HRISTINA queen of Sweden, the
only furviving iffue of the great
Guftavus Adolphus, the fecond of that
name, was born Nov. 8, 1626.

19

Her father, who was the greatest prince
in his time, the chief pillar of the pro-
teftant religion, and the terror of France,
being killed at the battle of Lutfen near
Leipfick, in the year 1633, not without
violent fufpicion of treachery in thofe
that were about his perfon in that action,
queen of Sweden; and was the fift
fhe was foon after declared and crowned
female fovereign of that kingdom.

During her minority the profited fo
furprizingly by the inftructions of ex-
cellent tutors, as to become the pro-
At the years of eigh-
digy of the age.
teen he took the reins of government
into her own hands; and reigned glo-
At the end of which,
riously ten years.
to the world's great furprize, fhe re-
And
figned her crown and changed her re-
ligion, turning Roman Catholick.
after making tours into different parts
of Europe, during which the twice re-
vifited Sweden, the at length fixed her
refidence at Rome, where he died in
the year 1689, aged fixty-three years.

As to the fprings and motives of fo
extraordinary à ftep, very different o-
pinions have been given, and very dif-
ferent judgments paffed. Hear what,
Voltaire, in his Age of Lewis XIV.
Vol. I. p. 99, fays upon this aftonifh-
"She had drawn all thofe
ing event.
ingenious perfons of the age into Swe-
tribute to her own information (with
den, who could in any manner con
refpect to arts and fciences.) The cha-
grin of not finding any fuch among her
own fubjects, had given her a difguft
against reigning over a people who were
mere foldiers. She thought it better to
live with men who cultivated their ra-
those who were illiterate, and without
tional faculties, than to command over
genius. She had studied all the fciences
in a climate where they were then un-
known. Her defign was to retire into
the centre of them in Italy; and the
came into France only in her way thi-.
ther; for the arts had then made but
Her tafte de-
little progress among us.
termined her to fix at Rome; and, with
this defign, the quitted the Lutheran re-
ligion for the Catholick: She was indif-
ferent with regard to either, and made
no fcruple to conform, in appearance,
to the fentiments of the people with
whom the intended to pafs her life."

She Her genius was one of the vasten, and moft univerfal that ever was. understood, according to the publisher of her memoirs, eleven languages (Voltaire fays eight,) among which were Greek, and in that the was a critick; and Hebrew and Arabick. She wrote readily C 2

20 Character of CHRISTINA Queen of Sweden. Jan.

and elegantly in French, Italian, HighDutch and Latin, befides the Swedish, her mother tongue; the understood philofophy, biftory, antiquities, the mathematicks and chemistry. She was a good critick; he wrote verses extreme prettily And was a connoiticufe, as well as an admirer of the beaus arts.

She was the greatest encourager of arts and sciences, of learning and learned men, in proportion to her abilities, that ever lived. In that refpect he was generous and liberal to profufion.

She, with infinite expence, amassed a prodigious collection of books, manufcripts as well as printed; of paintings, ftatues, bas reliefs and medals.

At the fame time he was a princess of bufinefs; long-headed in the cabinet, and dexterous at negotiation.

B

To this the Tranfater adds the following Ex-
tras, tranfluted from a Latin LETTER
of Father MANNERSCHIED, a Jefuit, da-
ted at STOCKHOLM, Dec. 10, 1653, be-C
ing the fear before the refigned ber Crown.

d

I

but once a week; and fometimes only
once a fortnight. On Sundays the spends
half an hour in dreffing, on week days
fcarce a quarter. I have fometimes, when
I was difcourfing with her, feen her fmock
flained with many spots of ink, occafion-
ed by her writing much; and even fome-
A times torn. When the is advised to be-
ftow more pains in adorning her perfon,
The fays that it is an idle employment.
She allots three or four hours to fleep,
and never more. She goes to bed very
late and rifes early. I have known her
live in this manner conftantly for eighteen
months together. When the rifes in the
morning, the spends five hours in reading
various books. She thinks herself a mar-
tyr when he is obliged to eat in publick.
At other times fhe never fits above half
an hour at table; the drinks water only.
She hath never been heard to complain of
her victuals, whether they were well or
ill cooked. I have feen her often at meals,
and obferved the dishes the eat of; they
were always plain; the reft were fent off
untouched. I have heard her fay the ne-
ver was disturbed by any thing; that the
knows nothing fo important, fo cross or fo
noxious, that could rob her of her tranquil-
lity of mind. She fays that the regards
death no more than fleep. In the feverest
winter fhe goes out into the fields, in her
coach, in the dead of night, fometimes
four and fometimes fix hours together.
She allots her mornings to publick affairs,
and goes every day to the fenate, or ra-
ther to her council. I have known her
immediately after being let blood go to
the council and there remain five hours.
She was once in a feverish diforder for
28 days together; and yet never in all
that time omitted the management of
publick affairs. She fays that it is a du-
ty required of her by her Maker, to take
the best care the can of the concerns of
the kingdom; that he will do what in
her lies; that, if things fucceed not as
may be wished, the fhall have this com-
fort, that nothing hath been wanting on-
her part. She adminifters and finishes all
publick bufinefs herfelf. The ambaffadors
of potentates tranfact every thing with
her in perfon, and are remitted to no mi-
nifter or fecretary. When the gives pub-
lick audiences to ambaffadors, the alone
It is
makes all the answers to them.
fcarcely to be believed, but it is what I
fee every day, that thefe very Swedish ge-
nerals, whofe name and arms have fo long
made Germany tremble, in her prefence
ftand fpeechlefs, as if they were dumb,
and feem to be in the greatest confufion.
She was fcarce feven years old when the
loft her father: Who could believe that

AM confident I shall do you an agreeable office, if I write you fomething concerning the queen of Sweden, whom I daily fee, and reverence as the fingular miracle and prodigy of our age. I am an eye-witnefs of what I write of her. have had the honour of being often in her Ꭰ company; and of receiving coftly prefent from her, to wit, a golden chain, and her medal. She is low in itature ; her forehead is large; her eyes very full and bright, and withal very lovely. Her nofe is aquiline, her mouth middling wide and handfome. She hath nothing feminine about her but the fex. Her voice is mafculine, and fo is her manner of speak- E ing, her movement and gesture. Ifce her on horfeback almost every day; and tho' the fits in her faddle as ladies do, yet the hakes and bends her body in fuch a manner, as that one who is not very near her, would take her for a man. When the rides, the wears a hat, and a waistcoat after the Spanith fashion. Her skirts alone difcover her to be a woman. She keeps but one foot in the stirrup, and yet the rides fo hardily, that none are able to keep up with her. One would think her flying rather than running. Our mafter the king of Spain hath defired her picture, in a riding-pofture, to be fnt him. Her riding garb is fo tar from being coftly, that I fcarce believe it is G worth four or five ducats. At court the wears cloaths fo very plain, that I never law any gold or filver about her, but a fingle ring. She takes no manner of care in decking her perfon; the adjutts her hair

F

the

1

1753.

A LETTER of Madam de MAINTENON,

21 She

feems to be more than human.
feems to be ignorant of nothing, and to
forget nothing. She tires out daily I
know not how many fecretaries, to whom
the dictates; and corrects, turns over
and finishes every thing herself. She is
fo liberal, that if the exceeds due bounds
in any thing, it is in making presents.
She hath called into Sweden the most
learned men, and most excellent artificers
from Italy, France and Germany; and
difiiffes none without large gifts. She
is a most strict obferver of justice; the
fays herself that fhe very feldom pardon-
ed any criminal that deferved death; but
that none was executed by her orders

the daughter, at the age of 27, could fo
eftablish her power in a kingdom, the
conftitution whereof is pretty free, as to
rule alone, depend upon the wills and
councils of none, be under the influence
of none, but alone adminifter, conduct
and finish every thing? She is curious of
knowing every thing that relates to go- A
vernment. She reads all treaties concern-
ing ftate affairs, however tedious and pro-
lix. I knew, upon a certain occafion,
that when treaties were prefented to her,
containing 28 fheets, the read them over,
and rendered them in Latin, and explain-
ed them to an ambaffador in a very short
fpace of time. She loves all nations;
fne loves virtue in all, and nothing elfe. B
She fays there are but two different nati-
ons in the world; the one of good men,
the other of bad; that the hates the lat-
ter, and loves the former, without regard
to the names by which different countries
are diftinguished. She cannot bear the
mention of marriage; the fays he was
born free and will die free. In common
converfation fhe is fo familiar, that one
who is prefent would think her, I don't
fay not a queen, but not even a lady of
distinction; the touches thofe the talks to,
prompts them to difcourfe, laughs and
jokes freely, and yet to her own people
fhe is fo awful, that they ftand like infants
in her prefence. When he treats of fe-
rious affairs, when the gives audience to
ambaffadors, the affumes fuch ftate as
ftrikes fear in the boldeft perfons. She
hath noble ladies in her fervice at court,
but more for the fake of grandeur than
for ufe. She feems to defpife them, and
trufts all affairs to men only. Nothing is
hard to her; the fears neither cold, nor
rain, nor heat, nor watching, nor any E
thing else. If the were at war with any
nation, it is past doubt that the would
march against the enemy in perfon. She
understands ten or eleven languages, to
wit, Latin, Greek, French, Italian, Spa-
nith, High-Dutch, both the Swedish ton-
gues, the Finland, and, if I be not mif-
taken, the Danish. She can read likewife,
and in fome meafure underftands Hebrew
and Arabick. She hath read and under-
ftands all the ancient poets. The modern
poets, both Italian and French, he hath
almoft by heart. She hath dived into all
the ancient philofophers. She hath read
many of the ancient fathers--but com-
mends chiefly Nazianzen.-Her memory

for whom he did not fhed tears. Her civility is fo very extraordinary, that it must be owned not to fall fhort of her other virtues. All foreigners are witnesfes of this, who come to fee her court, and are there received in the most obliging and polite manner.

The following LETTER, which is one of the famous Madam de MAINTENŎN's to ber Brother, not only fhere the good Senfe of the Writer, but contains fuch moral Precepts, as ought to be remembered by many of this Age and Country *.

To M. D'AUBIGNE'.

DN fault. This thall always be my

O man is unhappy but by his own

text, and my anfwer to your lamentations. Think, my dear brother, on the voyage to America, on the misfortunes of your father, the miferies of our infancy, the wretchedness of our youthful days; and you will blefs Providence, instead of murmuring against fortune. Ten years ago we were both very diftant from the ftation we are now in: Our hopes were fo fmall, that we limited our defires to three thousand livres a year. We have at present four times as much; and ought we to wish for more? We enjoy that happy competency, which formerly you fo highly extolled. Let us be content. If riches increafe, let us receive them as from the hand of God; but let not our views be too vaft. We have the neceffaries and conveniences of life; all the rest is cupidity. All this thirst after grandeur arifes from the emptiness of an unquiet mind. All your debts are paid: You may live deliciously without contracting new ones. What else can you wish for?

*This letter was wrote fome time after she had bought the cftate called Maintenon, from which fee bad ber title, an eftate of about 12,000 livres a year, for which she paid 250,000 hores in little more than four years, after fire bad the care of Madam de Montefpan's children committed to her charge by Lewis XIV, from whence we may judge of the profits of her place,* for he was worth nothing when she entered into it, but, on the contrary, both her brother and fae feem to bare bɩen deeply in debt,

22

Another LETTER of Madam de MAINTENON. Jan.

for? Muft fchemes to grow rich and great
be pursued at the expence of your repofe
and your health? Read the life of St.
Lewis, and you will fee how little all
worldly grandeur is capable of fatisfying
the heart of man. None but God is ca-
pable of filling it. I repeat it, you are
unhappy only thro' your own fault. Your A
inquietudes impair your health, which
you should preferve, were it only that
love you. Work upon your humour; if
you can render it lefs bilious and gloomy,
it will be a great point gained. This is
not the work of reflection only; you
must add exercife, diverfions, an uniform
and regular life. You will never think

neys to Marli, "Thefe, faid he, are papers of very little confequence; no bad ufe can be made of them;" then, taking up another paper, he added, "Let us burn this, it might occafion great hatred and ftrife between thofe two minifters." He found a chaplet, which he gave me, faying, "Carry it about you, not as a relique, but to keep me always in remembrance." The cardinal de Rohan gave him the viaticum; after which he faid, "I have lived a great many years, but very few of them have been spent in God's fervicc." He fent for the royal family, and faid to them, "I recommend peace and unity to you." The 25th, tho'

well, whilft you are ill: When the body B he had no fever, he was exceffively thirsty:

is caft down, the foul has no vigour. Adieu. Write to me oftener, but in a lefs moanful file.

Sept. 5, 1715.

D

gave him drink three times. M. Fagon no longer doubted that the gangrene was got into his leg, he whispered me that it had penetrated to the bone, and that there were no more hopes: I passed the night by his bed's fide, and talked with him about his spiritual concerns: He told C me, that he had but three things to reproach himfelf with, and that God's mercies were still greater than his fins. The next day Marechal made two incifions. with a lancet; the king felt nothing, but fainted away. The phyficians seeing him fo refolute and unconcerned, confulted, about cutting off his leg; M. Fagon would not propofe it to him: I took upon me to do fo; upon which he said to them, "Do you think to fave my life by it ?" Marechal anfwered, that there was but little probability of it: "If so, faid the king, it is needlefs to put me to any pain." After which, turning to the other fide, where the marshal de Villeroy stood, he reached out his hand to him, and faid, "Adieu, my friend, we must part." The cardinal de Rohan and father le Tellier came in; he had a long conference with them; I withdrew to give free vent to my tears, and I heard only thefe words upon entering the room again," You will anfwer for it before God." The 27th, he bid the princes draw near him: He recommended the Dauphin to the duke of Orleans, and faid to the duke du Maine, "Take care of his education; be as ftrongly attached to him as you have been to me." He then defired the duke of Bourbon and the prince of Conti not to imitate their fathers. The Dauphin having drawn near, he gave him his blessing, and faid to him, "My fon, you are going to be a great king; be always a good chriftian; do not follow my example in regard to war; endeavour to live in peace with your neighbours: Render to God what you owe to him; follow always the moft moderate counfels; endeavour to re

E

N the evening of our return from Marli, the king was fo weak, it was with difficulty he crept from his clofet to his praying desk. Two days after he appeared to me fo far fpent, that I no longer doubted of his death: I talked to him of God; he readily liftened to me, and put me several times upon the fame topick. The 23d I entertained fome hopes; he eat and flept; and the next day dispatched fome bufinefs with M. Voifin. But whether application had fatigued him, or his diftemper was come to a critis, he fainted away; I was greatly alarmed at it, but kept myself in as good decorum as poffible: When recovered from his fainting, I propofed to him to receive the facraments; to which he anfwered, "It is rather too foon, I find myfelf well enough." I replied to him, that at all times it was a wife precaution; that we could never be too early in be- F feeching God to pardon our offences; putting him in mind of fome of his actions, which I had been eye-witnefs of, he faid to me, "You do me a piece of fervice, I thank you for it." He confeffed himself; and I ufed my utmost endeavours to put on that fortitude I fo much admired in him: My chief care was to refrain from weeping, and as often as I felt the tears ready to drop, I withdrew for a moment. He called for his casket, I brought it to him, and he searched it before me; finding fome lifts of the jour

duce