Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 23).djvu/139



THE ROMANCE OF BRITANNIA BY.

is related that when Carlyle first came to London he visited the Mint in the company of a young German, who, gazing at the design for the new pence, halfpence, and farthings, observed that Britannia having acquired a helmet might now pass readily for Minerva's twin sister.

"That may weel be," retorted the cynical philosopher, who did not entertain a very high opinion of the wisdom of his countrymen, "but no when you hear them talk!"

Is it not curious that just such an unflattering remark was passed on the beauteous lady who first posed in this kingdom for the figure of Britannia, and whose likeness long represented Britannia on our coinage? "No woman," wrote one chronicler, ungallantly enough, "could have less wit and more beauty." Yet it is by no means certain that the character of the handsome Frances Stuart, Duchess of Richmond, has not been greatly maligned, or that one who was capable of inspiring so great a passion in so many bosoms was not really the possessor of admirable traits of mind as well as of person.

But the romance of Britannia begins long before the days of the Merrie Monarch and his Court. We must indeed go back to ancient Rome. When the Emperor Hadrian returned from his expedition to Britain, A.D. 121, in his train were several British maidens meet to grace his triumph. One of these, hailing from Wintona (Winchester), named Margia, so affected the managers of the ceremonies by her grace and beauty that she was properly chosen to symbolize the new Roman province in the far north. The story runs that the lovely Margia sat for her statue to the sculptor Critonius, who afterwards married her. But, although the statue has perished, during the same year a female figure appeared on a Roman coin bearing the legend “Britannia.” This figure is very similar, so far as pose and apparel go, with that on our copper coinage to-day. Such was the first Britannia. She appeared again on acoin of Antoninus