Craftsman, August 5, N° 630, and August 12, No 6310I

HE Comparifon of great Perfons having generally been well received, I flatter myfelf, that the Publick will not be difpleared with a Parallel between the Jace Queen MARY and Queen CAROLINE, of blefled and immortal Memories. But in all Comparifons, of this Kind, fome Allowances must be made for the different Circumftances of Times and Perfons, to which they relate. Thus, for Example, in the Cafe of these two Queens, who are the Subject of this Paper, there are feveral Particu lars, which will not fuit both, tho' in general they agree. One facrificed her natu ral Affection to the Caufe of Liberty and Religion. The Other refused an Imperial Diadem, on the fame Account One was a Qucen in her own Right, and gave the Crown to her Hasband. -The other was only Queen Confort, and was obliged to the King for her Crown- One adminifter'd the Government in Time of War, whilft her Royal Confort was defending the Liberties of Europe abroad. The other executed the fame Office, whilft his prefent Majefty was employing himself in peaceful Negociations and Treaties One was cut off in the full Prime of her Age, and had the Misfortune to leave no Iffue. The other lived to a much longer Term, and was blefs'd with a numerous Offspring; who, I hope, will for ever reign over us, with the Hearts and Affections of the People, upon which their Throne is establish'd But in other Refpects, they were fo much alike, that (if we may credit two reverend Authors, who have written their Characters) they seem to be almoft one and the fame Perfon Iwill therefore give the Reader fome Extracts from both, and leave him to judge of the Similitude between them.

An ESSAY on the Memory of the late
Queen MARY, by Bp BURNET.

I

Their BIRTH and WILL fay little either of her Rank

or of her Perfon. The Dignity of the one, and the Majesty of the other, were born with her. Her Sphere was great, and fhe was furnished with Advantages proportion'd to it. She maintained her Authority with fo becoming a Grace, and infpired fo particular a Refpect, that in this Regard only fhe was abfolute and defpotical, and could not be refifted.

Their NATURAL The Clearnefs of her Apprehenfion, the Prefence of her Mind, the Exactness of her Memory, the Solidity of her Judgment, the Correctness of her Expreffions, had fuch particular Diftinctions in them, that great Enlargements might be made on every one of thefe, if a Cloud of Witneffes did not make them lefs neceflary. None took Things fooner, or retained them longer. None judged truer, or spoke more exactly. She wrote clear and short, with a true Beauty and Force

An ESSAY towards the Character of her
Late Majefly Queen CAROLINE by the
Reverend Dr •
EDUCATION.

Clarke

17 be..

HEducation for the was of the Honfe
ER Majefty was great by Birth and

of Brandenburg, one of the moft antient
and illuftrious Families in Europe, and re-
ceived her Education from the lare Queen
of Pruffia, to whom he was indebted
for many of thofe Advantages, which o-
pened the Way to the Honours and Di-
Itinctions, that were afterwards paid to
her fingular Merit.
ABILITIES.

1

She had a ready and quick Apprehenfion, a lively and firing Imagination, with a large Compass of Thought. She excelled in an uncommon Turn for Conversation, affifted by a natural Vivacity, and very peculiar Talents for Mirth and Humour; and, by her Skill in feveral Languages, had an Art of compounding Words and Phrafes, that were more expreffive of her Ideas than any other, and a great Proof of the Power and Force of ber Genius.gular Ufe in her high Station - She had Her Memory was very good, and of finfo penetrating and fearching a Genius, and fo true an Understanding of the Nature and Manners of the World, that she fel dom failed of making a true Judgment of the Characters of thofe, who came within the Reach of her Obfervation In Matters of the higheft Moment the had fo intire a Command of herself, that whenever the pleafed, fhe feemed to enjoy even Trifles, as if the was quite unbent, and had nothing elfe to attend - She had a Strength of Understanding, and a Prefence of Mind, which accompany'd her in all her Actions, and fecured her against being furprized with fudden Events, or behaving unequally under them : of both which the

of Style. She difcovered a Superiority of Genius, even in the most trifling Matters, which were confidered by her only as Amusements, and fo gave no Occafion for deep Reflections. An Happiness of Imagination, and a Liveliness of Expreffion, appeared upon the commoneft Subjects, on the SUDDEN, and in the greatest Variety of Accidents.

bas dari Theirs ION An open and native Sincerity, which appear'd in genuine Characters, in a free and uncommon Manner, did eafity sperfuade thofe, who faw it, that all was of a Piece. A conftant, uniform Behaviour, when that which is within does not agree with the Appearances, feems to be a Strain Fabove our Pitch nor could any Perfon find any other Reafon to fuppofe that it was otherwife in this Inftance, but from the fecret Senfe that every Man hath of fome latent Corruption, and the ftolen Infinuations of Pride, that he feels within Chimfelf, which may make him conclude that the whole Race of Mankind is to brainted, that nothing can be intirely freed firmities which do fo naturally befet us

I am fure I fpeak the Senfe of every one who was admitted to any Degree of Confidence with her, in faying that what appeared to fome to be meer Art and the Addrefs of a Court flow'd from her natu ral Humour, and that there never was a Perfon of a more undisguised Temper in thefe Articles, or that was more of a Piece through all the Varieties of Life; for the fame Softnefs of Behaviour, and the fame Command of herfelf, that appeared in the Drawing-Room, went along with her into her private Apartments, and gladden'd every body, that was abou her, down to the meaneft Attendantsvent from thofe In th a bad one The late Dr. S. Clarke of St James's, not the prefent

Their DRESS.

Few of her Sex, not to fay of her Rank, ever gave lefs Time to Dreffing, or feem'd lefs curious about it. Thofe Parts of it, which required more Patience, were not given up intirely to it.

Their

At certain Hours, the gave herself up to the Amufement of a Court; but was fo totally void of all Concern for the Or naments of Drefs, that it could hardly be faid to take up any Portion of her Time. CHARITY.

Her Bounty and her Compaffion had great Matter given them to work upon; and how wide foever her Sphere may have been, she went in this rather be yond her Strength than kept within it.She would never limit any from laying proper Objects of Charity in her Way; nor confine that Care to the Minifters of her Almoury. She encouraged all, that were about her, or that had free Accefs to her, to acquaint her with the Necefiities, under which Perfons of true Merit might languifh; and fhe was never uneafy at Applications of that Kind; nor was her Hand ever fcanty, when the Perfon was deferving, or when the Extremity was pinching.

Her Charities were more numerous, and larger in Proportion, than most of thofe, that have been fo extravagantly celebrated thro' the World, and all ba Income, over and above the neceflary Expences of her Family, was laid out in em ploying great Numbers of the poorer Sort in Works of very different Kinds, or in relieving the various Distrelles of Life. To every Kind of Indigence, that had the leaft Plea of Merit join'd to it, her Hand and her Heart were always open; for fhe knew of no Value in Money, but what arifes from the prefent Use of it, and was never more obliged to any one than for a noble Occafion of exerting her Liberality.

Their Secrecy in beftowing But She was fo exact to the Rule of the Gospel, of managing it with deep Secrecy, that None knew what, or to whom She gave, but Thofe, whom he was forced to employ in it. When it was to fall on Perfons, who had Access to Her, her own Hand was the Conveyance. What went through other Hands, was charged on Them with an Injunction of Secrecy.

Alms and Bounties.

She avoided all Appearance of Show and Oftentation fo much, that many Perfons, who fubfifted by her Bounty, were wholly ignorant of their Benefactor; and he was fo liberal in her Charities, that her publick and private Lifts, with the occafional Sums expended on the fame Account, amounted to near a fifth Part of her whole Income.

But the Tenderness, which the Queen had for her Royal Offspring, together with all other Regards, were fwallow'd up in her CONJUGAL VIRTUES, and her Devoti on to the KING. Her Soul was entirely poffefs'd with her Duty, Affection, and Attachment to HIM; and fuch was her whole Conduct, that it was hardly poffible to distinguish, at any Time, whether fhe was confulting his Inclinations, or her own. She declared Herself under the higheft Obligations to Him, for having made Her the happiest Woman in the World; and that though her CHILDREN were entirely dear, They were not as a GRAIN OF SAND to Her, in Comparison of Him. For all her Thoughts were bent on promoting his SATISFACTIONS, and cafing the Cares of his ROYAL BREAST. All her Actions were directed with a View to HIS HONOUR, and all her Hours were given up to HIS DISPOSAL.

In her Character ordinary Things, how fingular foever he might be in them, muit be thrown into the Heap. She was a gentle Mistress, a kind Friend, (if this Word is too low for her State, it is not too low for her Humility,) and above all, The was fo tender and respectful a Wife, that fhe feem'd to go beyond the perfectelt Ideas, that Wit or Invention hh been able to rife to. The loweft Condition of Life, or the greatest Inequality of Fortune, hath not afforded fu perfect a Pattern. Tenderness and Complacency feem to ftrive which of them thould be the more eminent. She had no higher Satisfaction in the Profpect of Greatness, that was defcending on Her, than that it gave Her an Occafion of making HIM a Prefent worthy of Himfelf; nor had Crowns or Thrones any Charms in them, which were so pleafant to HER, as that they raised Him to a Greatnefs, which he fo well deferved, nd could fo well maintain. She was all Zeal and Rapture, when any Thing as to be done, that could either expiefs AFFECTION, or fhew RESPECT to. She obey'd with more Pleafure than the most ambitious could have, when. y command-This Subject is too hard to be well fet out, and fo it must be left greneral and langer Expreffions.

Their POLITICAL CAPACITIES.

This fovereignCommand of herThoughts, Words, and Actions, had its Foundation in an Heart always devoted to great and noble Defigns. Her Genius tower'd over all; for by many Circumstances it is evident that She had a Capacity for executing grand and Princely Schemes; and when his Majefty's Command required an Application of these high Qualities to the Government of a Kingdom, she join'd to them a Skill and Prudence, that would have adorn'd the Character of the most able and experienced Statesman.

Yet after all, This cannot be fo properly called a female Government. Tho Sovereignty was in Her, it was alfo in Another. Her Administration supply'd the Other's Abfence. Monarchy here feem'd to have lost its very Effence; it being a Government by One. But as the Adminiftration was only in One, at a Time; fo They were more One than either Espou fals, or a Joint-Tenure of the Throne, could make them. There was an Union of their Thoughts, as well as of their Perfons, and a concurring in the fame Defigns, as well as in the fame Interests. Both feem'd to have one Soul. They look'd like the different Faculties of the fame Mind. Each of them having peculiar Talents, They divided between them the different Parts of the Government, as if they had been ferveral Provinces. While He went abroad with the Sword in his Hand, She ftay'd at home with the Scepter in hers. He went as the Arbiter of Europe, to force a juft, as well as a general Peace. She ftay'd to maintain Peace and to do Justice at home. He was to conquer Enemies, and She was to gain Friends. He, as the Guardian of Christendom, was to diffufe Himfelf to All; while She contracted her Care chiefly to the Concerns of Religion and Virtue. While He had more Bufinefs, and She more Leifire, She prepared and fuggefted what He executed. The CAUTION It is true a Veil ought here to be drawn The Se over That, which is SACRED. crets of Government are fo; and must not break out till the proper Time comes of recording them, and of delivering them down to Pofterity; and then We know what a Figure her History muft make. SON, whofe Hiftory we hope is referved

of both Authors.

And it muft alfo be confider'd that fome of her most amiable Qualities can not be freely defcribed, nor reprefented in their proper Light, for Want of fuch Circumftances and Facts as belong'd to her private Life, and are too nearly intermix'd with the Concerns of that SACRED PER to a very diftant Period of Time.

Their Contempt of PRAISE and GLORY.

Moft of the diftinguish'd Characters in Hiftory owe their Ornaments and Graces to a Thirft of Fame, which was the probable Reafon of their moft celebrated Actions. But when the Virtues of this

Princefs come to be feen in their true Light, She will be found to have been fo void of this Paffion, that on the contrary The facrificed all her Interefts with the Great, and her Reputation with the Many, to her Dury to the King, her Love to her Children, and her Regard to the publick Welfare. She preferr'd the inward Ap probation of her own Mind to the ipplause of the World, and valued Things as they appear'd to Her in the Eye of Reajon, and not according to the Rate, that was fer upon them by Others.

In most Perfons, even Thofe of the trueft Merit, a ftudied Management will fometimes appear with a little too much Varnish, like a nocturnal Piece, that hath a Light caft thro' even the most faded Parts. Some Difpofition to fet one's felf out, and fome Satisfaction in being com mended, will at fome Time or other fhew icfelt, more or lefs. Here we appeal to great Multitudes, to All, who had the Honour to approach Her, and particularly to Thofe, who were admitted to the greatest Nearness and the most constant Attendance, if at any one Time any Thing of this Sort did ever difcover it felf.-So intire a Deadness to the Defire of Glory, which even the Philofophers acknowledged was the last Thing that a wife Man Put off, leem'd to be fomewhat above human Nature, and nearly refembling that State of abfolute Perfection, to which She hath now attain'd. The Detire of truc Glory is thought to be the nobleft Principle, that can be in Secreigns, which fets Them on, with the most conftant Zeal to procure the Good of Mankind. Many have thought that a zealous Purfuit of the one could not be duly animated and maintain'd without the other. It was a Part of & Felicity of our Times, that We have feen the most active Zeal for the Publick, and a conftant Delight in doing Good, join'd with fuch unaffected Humility, fo regardless of Applaufe of Praife, that the mit critical Obfervers could never fee Reafon to think that the fecret Flatteries of Fu Je, did work inwardly, or had any Power over Her.

Their Forefight and Contempt of DEATH.

From the general Turn of her Converfation, a few Months pafs'd, as well as fome remarkable Exprellions, that She ufed, and an uncommon Thoughtfulness, which, as it were ftole upon her Counte nance more frequently of late; it look'd as if She apprehended that her Life would not be of long Continuance; which evidently grew to be her fix'd Opinion, as her Illness increased upon Her, She did not manifeft the leaft Defire of Life, from the Beginning of her Confinement; but when She obferved the Anxiety of her Friends, fhe refolved to do That for their Sakes, which she could not be prevailed upon to was worth while to endeavour to preserve a Majefty, and his Royal Iffue.

She apprehended She felt, once or twice, fuch Indifpofitions upon Her, that She concluded Nature was working towards fome great Sicknefs; fo She fet Herfelf to take full and broad Views of Death, that from thence She might judge how the should be able to encounter it. But the felt fo quiet an Indifference, upon that Profpect, leaning rather towards a Defire of a Diffolution, that She faid, tho' She did not pray for Death, yet She could neither with nor pray against it. She left That before God, and referr'd Herself intirely to the Difpofel of Providence. If She did not wish for Death, yet She did not fear it. do for her own; and faid, She thought it Life, that She found was fo dear to his Their BEHAVIOUR She only was calm, when all was in a Her Calmness and Quietnefs of Spirit Storm about Her. The difmal Sighs of (the milder Beauties of her Character) reAll, that came near Her, could not dif- main'd the fame, through all the Changes compofe Her. She was riting fo far above of her Distemper, and enabled her, with Mortality, that even He, who was more the greatest Conftancy of Mind, and Comto Her than all the World befides, and to pofure of Behaviour, to discharge the Duall whofe Thoughts She had been, upon ties, that were nearest her Heart, whilst every other Occafion, intirely refign'd, every one around Her was transported could not now infpire Her with any De- with Agonies of Grief and Confufion. fires of returning back to Life. Her Mind feem'd to be disentangling itself trom her Body, and fo She rofe above that Tenderness, which went deeper in Her than all other earthly Things whatfoever. It feem'd all, that was mortal, was falling off, when That could give Her no Uneafiness.

during their Illness.

Their DEVOTIONS in their laft Moments.

Prayer was then her conftant Exercife, as oft as She was awake; and fo fenfible was the Refreshment, which her Mind found in it, She thought it did Her more Good, and even gave her Body more Eafe, than any Thing, that was done to Her. Nature funk apace. She refolved to furnish Herfelf with the great VIATI CUM of Chriftians, the laft Provifions for her Journey. She received the bleed Sacrament with a Devotion, that inflamed, as well as melted, all Those who faw it. After that great Act of Church Communion was over, She deliver'd Herself up fo intirely to Meditation, that She seem'd scarce to mind any Thing else.

Her Thoughts were frequently lifted up to Heaven; and She pour'd out her Soul feveral Times in a Day, in the most reasonable, devout, and affecting Terms. Her Prayers were generally pronounced in an audible Manner, and fhew'd fuch Clearness of Understanding, fuch Strength of Mind, and fuch Judicioufnefs in her Choice of Matter, that the feem'd to be wholly undisturb'd with her Pains, as if She had been quite at Eafe, and deliver'd from the Fetters of the Body.

The Affliction of their ROYAL CONSORTS, and the PEOPLE's Duty

upon fuch We are not quite abandoned, God doth still preserve HIM to Us, by whofe Means only, confidering our prefent Circumftances, We can hope either to be safe or happy. The Duty and Respect, which was before divided, does now center all in HIM. All, that We paid HER, does now devolve to HIM, by a Title, that becomes fo much the juster, because We have all feen (I wish We may not feel it !) ow deep a Wound this made on HIM, hofe Mind hath appeared hitherto inalnerable, and where Firmness feem'd to

be

Occafions.

But what fums up her Character, is the Royal Teftimony, that is borne to it by HIM, who for above thirty Years admir'd her Virtues, lived with Her in the ftrictest Ties of Affection and Friendship, and now confiders Himfelf as deprived of ONE, that really divided the Cares, and more than doubled the Joys of his Life.

His Heart fwells with every tender Image of her Perfections, which are perpetually before his Eyes. He takes every Opportunity of recounting her Virtues, and does it in a Manner, that thews his