LADY JANE GREY, Preliminary Remarks-Characters of Lady Jane, by contempo- IF from the study of History, general political know- ledge is to be acquired, it is from Biography that we are to learn the best practical lessons of domestic virtue. The subject, however, selected for the following pages, combines both these advantages; taking up that most important period in the history of our country-the Reformation, in addition to the picture that it draws B may operate both as an apology and example for those in more splendid stations,—as a lesson of liberality, and an excitement to emulation in the more humble and retired walks of life. The era also is fertile in opportunities of illustrating the infancy of modern elegance-of sketching the last shadows of departing feudal magnificence and manners -of filling up the faint outline of recollected old English customs-and of comparing all these with`" things as they are." But the most important point is to delineate the life of one, so placed as to be the most conspicuous mark for envy or prejudice, both political and religious; and yet of one, of whom not even contemporary historians have dared to speak ill, though to gratify a reigning rival. Protestant writers have, indeed, in general, spoken so highly of her, that some of the liberals of the present day have hinted, that "perhaps" she was rather glorified as a political martyr, than correctly described as an illustrious female. But it shall be our task to show, from the most authentic, and some yet untouched sources, that the most poetically animated descriptions of Lady Jane Grey are completely borne out by facts, on the concurrent testimony even of contending writers. That her praises have been so energetically expressed, as in some measure to justify doubt in this age of historical scepticism, cannot indeed be absolutely denied. -Different, however, was the opinion of no mean poet, who, in a volunteer prologue to Rowe's well known tragedy on this interesting subject, observes, that "Nobly to bear the changes of our state, But, of the more ancient writers, we may notice that Burton, speaking of her in his Additions to Leicestershire, calls her "that most noble and admired princess, Jane Grey; who being but young, at the age of seventeen years, as John Bale writeth, attained to such excellent learning, both in the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin tongues, and also in the study of divinity, by the instruction of Mr. Aylmer, as appeareth by her many writings, letters, &c. that, as Mr. Fox saith of her, had her fortune been answerable to her bringing up, undoubtedly she might have been compared to the house of Vespasians, Sempronians, and Cornelia, mother of the Gracchi in Rome; and, in these days, the chiefest men in the universities." Fox, in his character of her in his Acts and Monuments, also says that she had the innocency of childhood, the beauty of youth, the solidity of middle, the gravity of old age, and all at eighteen; the birth of a princess, the learning of a clerk, the life of a saint, yet the death of a malefactor for her parents' offences. He adds, "I confess I never read of any canonized saint of her name; a thing whereof some papists are so scrupulous, that they count it an unclean and unhallowed thing to be of a name whereof never any saint was—but let this worthy lady pass for a saint; and let all great ladies which bear her name imitate her virtues; to whom I wish her inward holiness, but far more outward happiness." Another writer states her to have had a perfection, noble, holy, and worthy all good men's imitation, with a strength matchless and invincible, especially remarkable in one of the softer sex. He calls her a Sheba that had so oft heard the wisdom of Solomon, that ten thousand of her contemporary Solomons might come to be instructed by this Sheba. In short, a lady in all goodness so perfect, that whosoever could gain but some part of her shadow, might have enough in latter days to boast, and rank themselves with the best that are called virtuous. He adds, that she was brought up in learning and religion with that prosperous and devout painfulness, that, as seed cast upon the best and most fruitful ground, she brought forth her increase in such abundance of infinites, that the least of her excellencies were impossible to be circumscribed. Old Fuller speaking of her, in his "Worthies of England," quaintly observes, that no lady which led so many pious, lived so few pleasant days; whose soul was never out of the nonage of afflictions, till death made her of full years to inherit happiness: so severe was her education. He adds, that to her, whilst a child, her father's house was a house of correction; nor did she write woman, sooner than she did subscribe wife, and in obedience to her parents, was unfortunately matched to the Lord Guilford Dudley; yet, says Fuller, he was a goodly, and (for aught I find to the contrary) a godly gentleman, whose worst fault was, that he was son to an ambitious father. In short we may exclaim, as in the established prologue to Rowe's tragedy— Oh! could our author's pencil justly paint Her general story is too well known for us to fear |