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 she never took such a liberty." The Duke of Somerset was, at the period of his marriage, just twenty, handsome, commanding in his person, and with many good qualities. Nothing appears to have interrupted this marriage, or its subsequent harmony. The period of the Duchess of Somerset's death is unrecorded. The Duke's marriage with his second wife took place in 1726. The Duchess of Somerset was Groom of the Stole to Queen Anne. She succeeded the Duchess of Marlborough in that office, and was hence-forward an object of dislike and vituperation to that power-loving duchess, who possessed in an eminent degree the quality so commended by Doctor Johnson, being "a good hater."

PERILLA. of the poet Ovid, and of his third wife, was very fond of poetry and literature, and devoted to her father. She accompanied him in his banishment, and is supposed to have survived him. She lived in the first century after Christ. It is the best example left by Ovid, that he encouraged his daughter in her literary tastes; and well did she repay his care in the cultivation of her mind, by her devoted attachment to him in his misfortunes.

PERPETUA, VIVIA, lady, about twenty-two years of age, suffered for her faith during the persecution of the Christians by Severus, Emperor of Rome. Her father, a pagan, who loved her tenderly, went to console her in her imprisonment, and attempted to persuade her to renounce Christianity. Perpetua, however, remained firm, which so incensed him, that he beat her severely, and did not visit her for some days. In the mean time she was baptized, having only been a catechumen before. On refusing to sacrifice to idols, she was confined in a dark dungeon and deprived of her infant. Her father again visited her, and in the most tender and affectionate manner entreated her, for his sake and that of her child, to renounce her faith; but she said, "God's will must be done."

After her condemnation, Perpetua and Felicitas, another Christian woman, were thrown to a mad bull, which wounded them severely, but did not kill them. Perpetua then caused her brother to be called, and, addressing herself to him and another Christian, she said, "Continue firm in the faith, love one another, and be not offended at our sufferings."

The people insisted on having the martyrs brought into the amphitheatre, that they might see them die. The beauty of Perpetua, and the weak state of Felicitas, who had just been confined, excited some compassion among the savage beholders. Perpetua fell into the hands of an unskilful gladiator, but she guided his trembling hand to her throat. She perished in 205.

PERSIANA, FANNY. Tacchinardi (the maiden name of this celebrated singer) was born at Rome, on the 4th. of October, 1812; her father was the well-known tenor of the above name, and her first public appearance as a singer was accidental, she having good-naturedly volunteered to take the place of a singer at Leghorn, who was incapacitated by illness from performing. So ably did she sustain her