The Heroines of history; . secret room of the Abbey. It has herdelicate features, broad forehead and high cheek-bones;and is dressed in her robes of crimson satin, profusely14* 322 ELIZABETH OF ENGLAND ornamented with pearls, rubies, emeralds, diamonds,fringe and ample ruffs, with a purple velvet mantle, er-mined and gold-laced; on the head is a light-red friz-zled wig, and on the small feet are high-heeled shoes—a fit emblem of her character. She was a learned, acute, brave and determinedwoman, but deceitful, jealous, vain, selfish and mali-cious. Her life was a long progress from all that is
The Heroines of history; . secret room of the Abbey. It has herdelicate features, broad forehead and high cheek-bones;and is dressed in her robes of crimson satin, profusely14* 322 ELIZABETH OF ENGLAND ornamented with pearls, rubies, emeralds, diamonds,fringe and ample ruffs, with a purple velvet mantle, er-mined and gold-laced; on the head is a light-red friz-zled wig, and on the small feet are high-heeled shoes—a fit emblem of her character. She was a learned, acute, brave and determinedwoman, but deceitful, jealous, vain, selfish and mali-cious. Her life was a long progress from all that ispromising and romantic to all that is pitiful and detes-table ; and her last years were a notable comment on theemptiness of pomp and power. In her reign, the greatstars of literature shone, and England, from a second-rate kingdom, began the splendid career by which, atthis hour, she boasts an eighth of the habitable globe,forty colonies, and a seventh of the worlds population,or one hundred and eighty million VII. ffiarij nf Irntlatit Viitue may be assailed, but never hurt;Surprised by unjust force, but not enthralled;Yet even that, which mischief meant most harm,Shall in the happy trial prove most glory.—Melton. The character of no woman, whose name figures inthe past, has excited more discussion than that of MaryQueen of Scots. From her day to this, countless vol-umes have been published, in bitter accusation or de-fence of her, or with a professed attempt at the long-entailed disputes of royal families, the un-forgiving pride of three great nations, and the endlessconflict of religious parties, have contributed to prolongthe agitation of this question, whether she was guilty,or not, of the iniquities charged upon her. But theworld has more generally taken a favorable view ofher character, in proportion as prejudices have wornaway, and the causes of controversy have been remov-ed. To exculpate her now, it is enough to know thatthere is no posi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectwomen, bookyear1851
