him; but as in those days of political | as he was passing through the Abbey, to excitement in anticipation of the Civil secure at least an epitaph for the poet, by Wars, the subscription rather lagged, an giving a mason eighteenpence to cut on eccentric Oxfordshire squire, commonly the stone which covered the called Jack Young, took the opportunity, words, "O rare Ben Jonson!" grave the From the London Review. THE ROYAL LADIES OF ENGLAND.* THE great duty of a historian indisput- | upon their relations and general bearing. ably is, to narrate all the facts he can col- What constitutes the right of Herodotus lect as circumstantially as possible, and in to the title of "Father of History?" Those such terms and arrangement as may best very qualities, that guilelessness, that gartend to perspicuity. We do not want rulous innocence, those long-drawn imposfrom him theories, but facts unabridged sible stories, which procured for him from and unadulterated; being apt enough of the little philosopher, Vicesimus Knox, the ourselves to form deductions, to general- sobriquet of "Father of Lies." Much we ize, and come to conclusions more or less should have thanked the old Halicarnassagacious and impartial. The more valu- sean, at this enlightened date, for a view of ble the history, and the greater the his- the invariable causes of human action, with torian, the more minutely and lucidly re- facts to match, selected from the early hislated are the facts. Yet this, which is un- tory of Greece, with which we should assurdoubtedly the case, has, in the present age, edly have been regaled, had his task fallen been most woefully lost sight of. It is a to the lot of one of the so-called historians of common remark that, fertile as we are in the day. As it is, the old Ionian goes greatness of various kinds, we seem inca- rambling on-coherently enough, indeed; pable of producing a great historian. We for his great design, the history of the have essays upon history, reviews of pe-wars between the Greeks and the barba riods, theories of development, growths, laws of progress, harmonic philosophies, innumerable; but we have no history. We cannot find a man who will be content laboriously to investigate facts, and to narrate them plainly, without stringing them upon some theory of his own, and favoring us with generalizations which are often mere platitudes, and aphorisms which are often mere truisms. A true historian is an artist, and therefore deals with individual things, and ought to be very careful how he abstracts from his subject the life and action which can belong only to individual things, in his eagerness to unfold their principles, and give his own ideas rians, reäppears from time to time-looking with the same vivid interest on the wagon of the Scythian and the towertemple of the Babylonian, and then leaving them as he found them, until he has collected a mass of fact, detail, and anecdote, from which the intelligent students of all ages and nations have been able to draw their own conclusions, and derive their own instruction; and to this day we acknowledge that Herodotus is among the greatest historians, and that we owe nearly all we know of the remoter periods of antiquity to his unwearied industry and love of truth. It may be affirmed that the history of England is yet to be written. All the essays and dissertations so constantly produced, are comments upon an unedited text-the jostling opinions of lawyers upon an unreported case. The so-called "dig We should not have so much cause of complaint against the kind of writers in question, if they would proclaim themselves to be what they are. Their com their own way, reasonable in hypothesis, and eloquent in language. But when theory after theory is propounded, when studies of character and essays on influences innumerable are put forth by writers of repute in the name and form of history, not only is actual damage done-a good dissertation turned into a bad history-but the wrong fashion is set; and those who might be capable of doing something in real history, are drawn away from the proper and natural course. Why not call such compositions by their own names, and let them in propriâ personâ do good, according to the amount of truth they may severally contain? Meanwhile, let those who hold to the dignity of history, who despise little things, and who in the true German way, imagine that no individual fact can stand for itself, without being linked into some harmonic theory of explanation, take a lesson from a poet, that extreme may correct extreme. Says Keats: nity of history" is now exploded, more as | Annals of the reign of Tiberius, should be a phrase than in reality: for though we intolerable to the reader in comparison have a few writers who certainly are in- with the splendid achievements which it dustrious enough in collecting facts, and was in the power of the more ancient hisnot intentionally dishonest in narrating torian to describe. But Tacitus's love of them, yet so long as there is a theory in truth was greater than his love of admithe case, it is impossible but that facts ration; and he persevered in his irksome should be imperceptibly warped and col- task, omitting no dreary detail from fear ored, that prominence should be given to of the reader's weariness or his own; and favored coincidences, and that the author the result has been that his work is proshould step before his work. The real nounced universally to be the master-piece "dignity of history" consists in ascertaining of antiquity. truth; this is its function, in the discharge of which alone history can attain to its own peculiar perfection. And we ask, in which case is a man more likely to acquire this perfection and resultant dignity-positions are often extremely valuable in when he is writing in support of some scheme, philosophy, march, or development of his own imagination, and which must have its origin in some kind of vanity or when he is writing simply because he takes delight in truth, and wishes to present it to others with what accuracy he can. A great deal has been said by the defenders of theoretical history about composition, breadth, color, light and shadow, and grouping as indispensable to a historical tableau: the meaning of which is, that the historical writer, in order to make his pictures as effective as possible, is at liberty to suppress whatever he thinks may mar their effect, or be derogatory to their grandeur and beauty. Here we have the "dignity of history" again. It will be admitted by common consent, that the business of the historian is to relate the truth, not to compose pictures; that he is not to suppress, alter, or translate at will; and that the first quality desirable in him is a strong universal sympathy with human action, in whatever way manifested. Moreover, it may be affirmed, that the success of the historian in no way depends upon the scenic character of what he may have to relate: a tendency to select events of comparative magnitude for separate disquisition, is one of the worst consequences of the theorizing spirit. No man can judge of the effect of what he may himself consider to be of small moment, upon other minds; and no man has a right to suppress, in his course, the least thing that may possibly illustrate a phasis of human nature. Tacitus is a greater historian than Livy: and Tacitus himself expresses his apprehension lest the continued details of tedious and uniform prosecutions, which occupy the largest share in his immortal "The wars of Troy, towers smouldering o'er their blaze, Stiff holden shields, far-piercing spears, keen blades, Struggling, and blood, and shrieks-all dimly Into some backward corner of the brain. did fly About the great Athenian Admiral's mast? Amid her window flowers, sighing, weaning cient chronicles which she has so diligently consulted. As might be expected from a lady, the dress, deportment, and cerelean-monial of the various periods involved are much dilated upon, and form one of the most interesting features of the work. These minutia bring up before us the bygone splendors of English and European royalty, the dignified and majestic shapes of our magnificent Princes, their courtly looks and gestures, their chivalrous amusements, their lavish pageantry. Mrs. Green strictly adheres to her province, in confining herself as closely as possible to the personal history of her several heroines-of itself an interesting study, even without connection with other things; but rendered doubly so, when it is remembered that, during the periods which she describes, the influence of women, social and political, was greater and more extended than it ever had been in the former history of the world. For Mrs. Green commences her historical biographies from the Norman Conquest, and her work swells through the high day of chivalry; when the ladye's smile was the incentive to the noblest daring, and the ladye's bidding the signal for the sternest and most protracted exertion; when valor bowed in reverence to beauty, and beauty worthily acknowledged the homage, by assuming a character the most lovely, holy, void of caprice, and full of noble enthusiasm. The aptness of the beautiful passage from Keats, quot At a time when knitting-pins and toothpowders are invented on principle, and there is no penny newspaper can report an occurrence without saying, with a rhetorical flourish, “Behold the relation between this event and the deep-lying system which we alone have grasped;" it is refreshing to observe that there are indications that what has been stated is already recognized. Although no complete historian has yet arisen amongst us, yet there are a few who, in attempting the duty, have intuitively understood the proper mode to be followed; and, whilst unwearied in endeavoring to secure accuracy of detail, are content to let things speak for themselves; abstaining from theory and only indulging in moral and political reflections to that legitimate extent, which is sufficient really to instruct the reader, and assure him of the writer's sympathy with his subject. With these few we gladly rank the authoress of the volumes before us. Mrs. Green has brought to her tasked above, will be readily seen as applied some of the most valuable qualities of the historian-unwearied research, great mastery of detail, much power of identification with her subject, thorough conscientiousness, and strict modesty. It is evident that she has at heart the instruction and welfare of her reader, rather than popularity or any other advantage to herself. She scarcely even makes any connecting observations: much less does she advance any formal theory of her own. She indulges in no loftily-worded platitudes, as an excuse for ignorance or indolence; she shrouds no poverty of material under highsounding vagueness. Her work is exactly what it professes to be-a series of memoirs of the Princesses of England; stating fully and lucidly whatever is known of their history and character, and drawn up with all care and diligence from the somewhat miscellaneous records of them still extant. She seems to have taken a lesson of zealous and minute industry from the an VOL. XXXVII.-NO. IV. to the literary labors of Mrs. Green. All the characters she delineates are more or less admirable, and the greater number of them little known to the reader of history. "Many a sail of pride, and goldenkeeled," has she prevented from drifting away down the dark waters of forgetful ness. Of the Princesses commemorated in the former part of the work, the majority are of the true chivalric stamp; worthy daughters, wives, and mothers of the Kings, Dukes, and Knights with whose fame the world is yet ringing-the enthusiastic in purpose, yet the sage in council; the reckless in war, yet the skillful in administration; the champions of the Cross, yet the defenders of national religion against the encroachments of the Holy See. It might be expected that the personal and domestic life of our Princesses would offer little of interest to the general reader; but this is not the case. The characters of those high born-ladies were as various 29 Mrs. Green prefaces her researches by observing that the title of Princess, which is now conferred on the collateral branch as well as on the direct line of royalty, was originally used only to designate the heiress of the English throne. Mary, daughter of Henry VIII., was the first royal daughter acknowledged as next in succession; and, consequently, was the first upon whom the title of Princess was formally conferred; the royal maidens previously being merely styled "the Lady, daughter of the King," and "the Lady's Grace." "By these simple, yet not ungraceful, appellations," continues Mrs. Green, "were designated by far the greater number of those illustrious ladies whose memoirs are to be laid before the reader. To avoid confusion, however, we shall give, even to the daughters of our earlier sovereigns, the title which the courtesy of the present day has awarded to them.” as their fortunes. The gravity and seri-social state, the manners, the moral and ous disposition of some led them into the religious propensions, and the art of our cloister; and the mysteries of that old ancestors; at the same time selecting, for conventual life are to some extent unfold- particular notice, one or two of Mrs. ed before us. It is curious to observe, Green's memoirs, in order to render what that the habitually enthusiastic tempera- we fear will be imperfect justice to her ment, which could calmly devote a life to talents and industry. retirement, fasting and prayer, is not at all incompatible with a fair share of worldly prudence. We find these royal religieuses, whilst among the most devout of the sisterhood, fully capable of administering to the wants of the day, and ably managing the secular business of the convent. It certainly was not from lack of ability, that many of old chose the monastic life, any more than it was from motives of sensuality or sloth. On the other hand, by the nuptials of most of the Princesses, we are led into foreign courts, to France, Germany, Spain, Holland, Denmark, and invited to watch, from the oratory where the Queen prays, or the chamber where she muses, the whirling events in which her royal consort takes the most prominent part. It is pleasant thus to have a new presentment of what history has already made familiar. A considerable portion of the contents of Mrs. Green's volumes is certainly more antiquarian than strictly historical; and she seems purposely to have refrained from enlarging on the scenes of war and policy unfolded by her subject. But this treatment cannot but be considered prudent, since it enables her to present the larger amount of what, to most readers, is perfectly new; at the same time that it acquits the authoress of partisanship, and leaves the reader in the proper position for every reader of history, namely, free to form his own conclusions, and to derive whatever points of knowledge he may require from a copious store-house of unsophisticated facts. It is quite evident that equal care has been expended upon every one of the biographies undertaken, the length of each being determined solely by the abundance or scarcity of material. Since, then, with rare liberality, we are left by Mrs. Green to exercise our own intelligence in forming inductions which may be beneficial in general history; since we have no theory on the part of our authoress to unfold and remark upon, we shall endeavor to state few of the observations we have made in reading these volumes, and to indicate what assistance they give in gaining a just idea of the We have before observed, that the commencement of her work is nearly coïncident with the rise of the chivalrous sentiment towards women, from which has originated their present position in society. An idea of love and of the duties of women, utterly beyond the conception of the ancient world, may be traced far back into the first centuries of Christianity. It had its germ in the spirit of the northern nations, and was quickened into the life of chivalry by Christianity. Since the days of chivalry the influence of women has doubtless not declined, but the alterations in the conditions of general society have modified it very considerably. The vol umes before us comprise the biographies of the daughters of the English monarchs, from William the Conqueror down to Charles I., that is, from the origin of chivalry down to its latest glimmerings and final extinction. We shall find, in perusing them, many peculiar traits in the position, pursuits, and general character of women, both in this country and throughout Europe, during this heroic period, and some differences in these respects at different parts of it. From William down to Henry IV., a period which embraces the growth and full maturity of chivalry, we have the | fying, and had a copious torrent of lanlives of upwards of thirty Princesses, guage. He then launches out into strains nearly all distinguished for piety, virtue, and, what was equally valued in those brave days as an ingredient of female character, for valor. We find some of them forsaking the gayeties of the Court for the convents of Normandy, and there becoming exemplary for self-denial; others, the majority, drawn by marriage to preside over the different courts of Europe, and setting an example of a pure and innocent life. Many of these are reduced to situations of difficulty and danger, demanding the exercise of promptness, forethought, and administrative ability-valuable and rare qualities, which, however, they seldom fail to display in a remarkable degree. Some of them are found capable of governing kingdoms in the absence of their lords, at a time when government was no mere routine. Others boldly accompanied their adventurous warriors to "Painie," traversing unknown and savage lands, and enduring without shrinking the miseries of battle and siege against the Saracen. of extravagant admiration of her beauty, chastity, grace, and learning, declaring that he should never have ventured to present to her his humble song, had she not herself requested it, and graciously accepted his former verses. We will not vouch for the disinterestedness of this courtly monk; for, in his next Ode, after making a comparison between Adela and the moon, he goes on to remind her of a cape, most probably embroidered by her own fair fingers, which she had promised to give him, and which to him appears to be an affair of great importance. The simplicity with which, in the midst of his eulogiums of his royal mistress, he constantly reverts to the piece of monkish finery on which his heart is so intent, is ludicrous in the extreme; and, from his description of it, it must have been a present worth receiving; for it was to be "a cape set round with Phrygian gold, a cape decorating with gems the breast of the wearer, who, whenever he had it on, would constantly bear with him a remembrance of the giver !" Then follows a long dissertation on good deeds in general, and especially on the virtue of enriching the Church; and he concludes by bidding her "beware not to forget the fringe of the cape." Although Baldric probably only meant a piece of poet's flattery in his commendation of the perfections of the daughter of the Conqueror, yet she seems to have been, for courage, generosity, and piety, well worthy of a poet's lay. The magnificent cathedral of Chartres, perhaps the finest piece of Gothic architecture in the world, was built under her auspices; and she repaired and reëstablished the abbey of St. Martin de Valle, near Chartres. Many minor acts of pious munificence are also related of her, for which we commend the reader to Mrs. Green. Of these, perhaps the noblest and most perfect character is Adela, daughter of the Conqueror, wife of Stephen, or Henry, as he sometimes is called, Earl of Blois, and mother of Theobald the Great, Earl of Blois; than whom, says the rhyming chronicler, Benoit, there was "no handsomer nor more valorous lady in France, nor one that better loved our Lord." She is celebrated in the same manner by Baldric of Anjou, the courtly Abbot of Bourgueil, whom Mrs. Green calls "the Laureate of the Conqueror and his family." He says that Countess Adela equals her sire in courage, and would have borne arms herself, "did not custom forbid her tender limbs to be weighed down by armor." This is in a Latin Ode addressed to Adela; and, as it is curious to see in what strain the poet of that day sought to conciliate the favor of a high-born dame, The great event in the life of the Countwe shall extract the full account of it from ess was the breaking out of the First Mrs. Green. The poet adds that "in one Crusade in 1096. Her husband Stephen, respect she greatly excels her warlike together with her brother, Duke Robert sire; for she applauds verses, and knows of Normandy, was among the gallant how to discriminate their merits; nor," band of nobles who were the first to leave he slyly adds, "does she ever permit the house and land to follow the Cross. It is poet to go without his due reward." He peculiarly interesting to watch the prepasays, too, that not only was she able to rations of the Crusader for his departure. discriminate the comparative value of His chief care is religious. Stephen bepoets and their productions, but that she stows large benefactions upon the monasherself was a proficient in the art of versi-tery of Marmontier, that prayers may be |