Page:A cyclopaedia of female biography.djvu/197

 dissenting minister at Bath, whose circumstances made it necessary that she should be brought up to business, and she became a milliner.

She was observed from childhood to have a turn for poetry, often entertaining her companions with riddles in verse; and she was at that time of life, very fond of Herbert's poems. In her riper years she studied the best modern poets, and the ancient ones too as far as translations could assist her. Her poem upon the Bath was very popular, and she was particularly complimented for it by Pope, with whom she was acquainted. She had the misfortune to be deformed, which determined her to live single; though she had a sweet countenance, and was solicited to marry. She died September 11th., 1746, aged fifty-seven. 

CHAPONE, HESTER, the daughter of a Mr. Mulso, of Twywell, in Northamptonshire, and was born at that place in 1727. When only nine years old, she is said to have written a romance. Her mother, who seems to have been jealous of her daughter's talents, endeavoured to obstruct her studies. Hester Mulso, nevertheless, succeeded in making herself mistress of Italian and French. The story of "Fidelia," in the Adventurer, an "Ode to Peace," and some verses prefixed to her friend Miss Carter's Epictetus, were among her earliest printed efforts. In 1760 she married Mr. Chapone, who died in less than ten months afterwards. In 1770 she accompanied Mrs. Montague on a tour in Scotland; in 1773 she published her "Letters on the Improvement of the Mind," and in 1775 her "Miscellanies in Prose and Verse." After having lived tranquilly for many years, in the society of her devoted friends, her latter days were clouded by the loss of those friends and nearly all her relations; she was also a sufferer from impaired intellect and bodily debility. She died at Hadley, near Barnet, December 25th., 1801. Her verses were elegant, and her prose writings pure in style, and fraught with good sense and sound morality. With neither beauty, rank, nor fortune, this excellent lady, nevertheless, secured to herself the love and esteem of all with whom she became acquainted, and also the general admiration of those who read her works. 

CHARIXENA, learned Grecian lady, who composed many pieces in prose and verse. One of her poems is entitled "Otwnato." She is mentioned by Aristophanes. 

CHARLOTTE, PRINCESS OF WALES, of George the Fourth, and heir-apparent to the throne of Great Britain and Ireland, was born in 1795, and died November 6th., 1817, aged twenty-two. She was married to Leopold, Prince of Saxe-Cobourg. The untimely death of the princess and her infant, clothed the nation in mourning, and changed the succession of the throne. When informed of her child's death, shortly before her own, she said, "I feel it as a mother naturally should"—adding "It is the will of God! praise to him in all things!" She was a pious, intelligent, energetic, and benevolent princess, often personally visiting and relieving the poor; and her loss was deeply felt. Robert Hall preached a most eloquent sermon on her death. 