HENRIETTA MARIA OF FRANCE.

QUEEN OF CHARLES THE FIRST.

BY MRS. OCTAVIUS FREIRE OWEN.

THE observation of Rousseau, that "les faits changent de forme dans la tête de l'historien, ils se moulent sur ses intérêts, ils prennent la teinte de ses préjugés," is especially true as applied to those historical characters which have had (as it were) dissension born with them-have been through life the objects of extreme partiality, or the reverse, to large conflicting parties; hence their excellence must be decided rather upon the admission of hostile, than the pre-possession of friendly testimony; nor can justice reprehend their failings until it is clear that they derive no extenuation from the errors of early habit, the excitement of fortune, or the pressure of extraordinary trial. The powerful light of striking events falling upon the human portrait, displays at once with vividness the traits of virtue and the harsh lines of vice; should the features of the original be strongly marked, the detection in the copy is more harsh than in vitality itself: it is for the candid judgment, therefore, to exercise caution that the finer tints of colouring be not, from these circumstances, overpowered.

The fair and ill-fated consort of one of England's most unfortunate sovereigns is entitled, for the above reasons, to the utmost lenity. Not sixteen when called upon (in the onerous position of queen) to sway the agitation of parties already influenced by violent prejudice against each other, she found religion employed as a subterfuge for republicanism, and herself, from the nature of her creed, re