Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/352

338 She was truly and substantially learned, having studied the best ancient as well as modern authors. The confinement and persecutions of her youth afforded scope for the acquisition of eminent intellectual attainments. How well skilled she was in the Greek, was manifest from her writing a comment on Plato, and translating into Latin a Dialogue of Xenophon, two orations of Isocrates, and a play of Euripides. Into English she translated Plutarch de Curiositate. Her versions from Latin authors were, Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy, Sallust's Jugurthine War, and part of Horace's Art of Poetry. With her general learning, Elizabeth united an uncommon readiness in speaking the Latin language, a talent which some very good scholars do not possess, though it was more frequent in that age than the present, which she displayed in three orations; one delivered in the university of Cambridge, and two in Oxford. An extraordinary instance of her ability in this way, was exhibited in a rapid piece of eloquence with which she interrupted an insolent ambassador from Poland. "Having ended her oration, she, lion-like, rising," says the historian, "daunted the malapert orator no less with her stately port and majestic departure, than with the tartness of her princely chekes (reproofs); and, turning to the train of her attendants, said, "''God's death! my Lords! I have been forced this day scoure up my old Latin, that hath long laid rusting.''" By her cotemporaries, Elizabeth has been highly extolled for her poetry, but this must be set down to the flattery of the age—yet she had a capacity for Latin versification.

We leave it to the more copious narrator to take notice of her translations from the French, her prayers and