of the advantages which they derived from this circumftance, who have seen the effects of an oppofite fituation, in this very particu lar, illustrated so ftrikingly in the earlier period of the French revolution.

But, rapidity of progrefs feems, by the

very. laws of nature, to be precluded, where the benefit is to be radical and permanent, It was not, therefore, until our paffion for making war within the territory of France was cured, nor until we left off tearing the bowels of our own country in the diffenfions of the Yorkifts and Lancaftrians, after having, for near four hundred years, torn those of our neighbours; in a word, it was not until both foreign and civil fury began to cool, that in the reign of Henry VII. the people began to enjoy more real freedom, as the king enjoyed a more fettled dominion, and the interefts of peace and commerce fubftantially prevailed.--Without afcribing to this king virtues which he did not poffefs, the view of his reign, with all its faults, affords a kind of breathing

time, and fenfe of repofe. It is from this reign that the hiftory of the laws, and civil conftitution of England become interesting; as that of our ecclefiaftical constitution does from the fubfequent reign. A general ac quaintance with the antecedent part of our hiftory may fuffice for the royal pupil, but from these periods fhe cannot poffefs too detailed a knowledge of it.

СНАР.

CHAP. XII.

Queen Elizabeth.

IT is remarkable that in France, a nation in which women have always been held in the highest confideration, their genius has never been called to its loftieft exercise.. France is perhaps the only country which has never been governed by a woman. The mothers, however, of fome of her fovereigns, when minors, have, during their regencies, Blanche of Caftile* especially, discovered talents for government not inferior to those of most of her kings.

Anne of Austria has had her eulogists; but in her character there feems to have been more of intrigue than of genius, or at leaft, than of found sense; and her virtues were problematical. If her talents had fome fplendor, they had no folidity. They produced a kind of stage effect, which was impofing, but not efficient; and fhe was rather * Mother of Louis IX.

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an actress of royalty than a great queen. She was not happy in the choice of a friend. The fource of all Mazarin's greatness, she fupported him with inflexible attachment, and established him in more than regal power. In return, he treated her with respect as long as he stood in need of her protection, and fet her aside when her support was become no longer neceffary to his confirmed power.

The best queens have been moft remarkable for employing great men. Among thefe, Zenobia, Elizabeth, and Anne ftand foremoft. Those who wifh to derogate from the glories of a female reign, have never failed to urge, that they were owing to the wisdom of the minifters, and not to that of the queen; a censure which involves an eulogium. For, is not the choice of fagacious minifters the characteristic mark of a fagacious fovereign?Would, for instance, Mary di Medici have chofen a Walfingham; fhe who made it one of the first acts of her regency to banish Sully, and to employ Concini? Or,

did

did it ever enter into the mind of the first Mary of England to take into her councils that Cecil, who so much distinguished himfelf in the cabinet of her fifter?

Elizabeth's great natural capacity was, as has been before obferved, improved by an excellent education. Her native vigour of mind had been early called forth by a feries of uncommon trials. The circumspection fhe had been, from childhood, obliged to exercife, taught her prudence. The difficulties which befet her, accustomed her to felf-control. Can we, therefore, doubt that the fteadiness of purpose, and undaunted resolution which fhe manifefted on almost every occafion during her long reign, were greatly to be attributed to that youthful discipline? She would probably never have acquired fuch an afcendency over the mind of others, had fhe not early learned fo abfolute a command over her own.

On coming to the crown, fhe found herself furrounded with thofe obftacles which display great characters, but overset ordinary

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