Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/793

Rh was printed at Altena in 1673, when she was with him. . was looked upon as a prodigy from her childhood; but her person was plain and deformed, which made her a subject of ridicule to the frivolous, though she was amiable, wise, and ingenious. She went very early to Paris, where by her assiduous application to the belles lettres, she made herself amends for the want of education, which the narrowness of her father's circumstances had not permitted. Her fine accomplishments gained her admittance into all assemblies of the wits, and even the learned caressed and were fond of her company; necessity first set her upon writing; and as the taste of that age was for romances, she turned her pen that way; but made a commendable alteration in that kind of writing, by giving more modesty to the heroines, and more tenderness to the heroes. Her books were eagerly bought up, and she was called the Sappho of the age.

The celebrated academy of the Ricovrati, at Padua, complimented her with a place in their society, and she succeeded the learned Helena Cornaro. Several great personages gave her marks of their esteem, by presents and other honours. The celebrated Boileau, who had