of Carolina, in his dedication to the letters, which passed through her hands, between himself and M. Leibnitz. "It is," says he, "with the highest pleasure and satisfaction, that the following papers, upon so important a subject as the foundations of natural religion, are laid before a princess who, to an inimitable sweetness of temper, candour, and affability towards all, has joined, not only an impartial love of truth, and a desire of promoting learning in general, but has herself likewise attained to a degree of knowledge very particular and uncommon, even in matters of the nicest and most abstract speculation."-"The learned M. Leibnitz well understood how great an honour and reputation it would be to him, to have his arguments approved of by a person of your royal highness's character: but the steady impartiality, and unalterable love of truth, the same constant readiness to hear, and to submit to reason, always so conspicuous, and shining forth so brightly in your royal highness's conduct, which justly made him desirous to exert in these papers his utmost skill in defending his opinions, was an equal encouragement to such as caught him in an error, to endeavour to prove that his opinions could not be defended."

A gentleman of honour and probity, who re

sided at Hampstead, and who was frequently admitted into the presence of the queen, who entertained for him a great esteem, declared that he had conversed with her upon various subjects, divinity, morals, ecclesiastical polity, commerce, &c. on all of which she displayed great knowledge, promptness, judgment, and acuteness. To an informed and cultivated understanding, she added fluency of expression and an elegant address: she reflected upon what she had read, and applied her principles to the regulation of her passions, and the practical philosophy of human life. studied human nature, and knew how to influence the mind, by an address to the affections. Theology and civil polity were her favourite studies; she distinguished between religion and its establishment, and acknowledged the foundations of government in the laws enacted by the chosen representatives of a free people.

She

In private life she was an example of the social and domestic virtues; she was sincerely attached to her husband, superintended the education of her children, cultivated their reason, and implanted in their minds the seeds of virtue. She encouraged the sciences, was the patroness of letters, and the benefactress and protector of the miserable and oppressed.

She expired, after an illness of twelve days, on the 20th of November, 1737, in the fifty-sixth year of her age, sincerely lamented by her husband and family, and regretted by the whole nation.

Biographium Famineum, &. c.

CATHERINE OF ARAGON.

THE daughters of Ferdinand of Aragon, the sixth king of Spain, and of Isabella queen of Castile, were distinguished for their learning and piety. Catherine, the youngest, was, in the eighteenth year of her age, November 14th, 1501, espoused to Arthur, prince of Wales, eldest son of Henry VII. with whom she lived four months and nineteen days. Arthur died April 2d, 1502. After his decease, his widow was contracted to his brother Henry, who was then but in the twelfth year of his age.

In his fifteenth year the prince publicly protested against the marriage; but, overpowered by the solicitations of his council, he at length agreed to ratify it, and gave his hand to Catherine, June 3d, immediately after his accession to the

throne. On the 25th of the same month, 1505, Henry and Catherine were crowned at Westminster, by Dr. Warham, archbishop of Canterbury.

The queen, by her sweetness of manners, good sense, and superior endowments, engaged the affections of her husband, and contrived to retain the heart of this fickle and capricious monarch for near twenty years. Catherine, devoted to literature, became the patroness of learned men: the celebrated Erasmus and Ludovicus Vives were more particularly distinguished by her favour. She engaged the latter to draw up instructions for the assistance of her daughter in the study of the Latin. This essay, written by her command, is dedicated to the queen, by an epistle, dated from Oxford, 1523, under the title of "DeRatione Studii Puerilis." The same year Ludovicus also addressed to his patroness a work entitled " De Institutione Femina Christiana, lib. 3." The queen was one of his auditors when he read the cardinal's lecture on humanity, in the hall at Christchurch college, which she had recently founded. Ludovicus Vives was also appointed by her Latin tutor to her daughter, the lady Mary. Several foreign authors have asserted that Catherine composed "Meditations upon the Psalms;" also a book entitled "The Lamentation of a Sinner:"

but this seems to be a mistake, these productions are ascribed, with better evidence, to Catherine Parr. In "Burnet's History of the Reformation," are two letters from Catherine of Aragon to her husband; and, in "The Life of Henry V." by Livy, one addressed to the king, then in France, on a victory gained over the Scots, 1513; and another, requesting permission to see her daughter, the princess Mary.

Notwithstanding the deference paid before the Reformation to the papal authority, by which a dispensation had been granted for the marriage of Henry with the widow of his brother, the nuptials had not taken place without scruples, which respected the affinity of the parties the prejudices of the times were against it, even the late king proved his intention of annulling the contract, at a future opportunity, by having enjoined his son to enter a protest against fulfilling the engagement when he should come of age. On his death-bed, his last injunction to Henry was, to avoid completing a union liable to so many objections, from its singularity and opposition to the customs of the age. After the accession of the prince, the primate, with several members of the privy-council, though over-ruled. by the majority, were of the same opinion..