husband, whom she served so loyally and well. Their human interest lies in the picture of ambitious court splendors and crude methods of royal intrigue in her time. Their historic value centers in their shrewd pictures of the gorgeous court of Louis XIV. MEMOIRS OF SOPHIA, ELECTRESS OF HANOVER I As at the age which I have reached there can be no better occupation for me than that of recalling to memory my past life, I believe that I may indulge this inclination without risk of figuring in these writings (which are for myself alone) as the heroine of a tale, or of seeming desirous to imitate those romantic ladies whose lives have become celebrated by their extraordinary conduct. My object is merely to amuse myself during the absence of the Duke my husband, to avoid melancholy and to keep up my spirits; for I am convinced that cheerfulness preserves health as well as life, which is very dear to me. I was born, they tell me, October 14, 1630, and being the twelfth child of the King my father, and of the Queen my mother, I can well believe that my birth caused them but little satisfaction. They were even puzzled to find a name and god-parents for me, as all the kings and princes of consideration had already performed this office for the children that came before me. The plan was adopted of writing various names on slips of paper and casting lots for the one which I should bear; thus chance bestowed on me the name of Sophia. To procure godmothers of this name for me the King chose the Princess Palatine de Birckenfeld, Countess of Hohenlohe, the Countess of Culenbourg, and Mme. de Brederode, Countess of Nassau; and for godfathers the Estates of Friesland. No sooner was I strong enough to be moved than the Queen my mother sent me to Leyden, which is but three days' 1 Frederick V., Elector Palatine 1610, King of Bohemia 1619. Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of James I. of England. Sophia, daughter of Charles I., Count Palatine of Birkenfeld, wife of Count Crato of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein, died 1676. Sophia Hedwig, daughter of Duke Henry Julius of Braunschweig, wife of Count Ernest Casimir of Nassau-Dietz. journey from the Hague, and where her Majesty had her whole family brought up apart from herself, preferring the sight of her monkeys and dogs to that of her children. At Leyden we had a court quite in the German style. Our hours as well as our curtsies were all laid down by rule. My governess, whose name was Mme. de Ples, had held the same post with my father when he was a child, and from this fact her probable age may be guessed. She was, however, assisted in her duties by two daughters, who looked older than their mother. Their conduct was equally upright towards God and man. I believe that they prayed to God, and never disturbed man, for their appearance was frightful enough to terrify little children. They taught me to love God and fear the Devil, and brought me up strictly according to the good doctrine of Calvin. I learned the Heidelberg catechism in German, and knew it by heart, without understanding a word of it. I rose at seven in the morning, and was obliged to go every day en déshabillé to Mlle. Marie de Quat, one of the ladies before mentioned, who made me pray and read the Bible. She then set me to learn the "Quadrains de Pebrac," while she employed the time in brushing her teeth; her grimaces during this performance are more firmly fixed in my memory than the lessons which she tried to teach. I was then dressed and prepared by half-past eight to endure the regular succession of teacher after teacher. They kept me busy until ten o'clock, except when, to my comfort, kind Providence sent them a cold in the head. At ten o'clock the dancing-master was always welcome, for he gave me exercise till eleven, which was the dinner hour. This meal always took place with great ceremony at a long table. On entering the dining-room I found all my brothers drawn up in front, with their governors and gentlemen posted behind in the same order side by side. I was obliged by rule to make first a very low curtsy to the princes, a slighter one to the others, another low one on placing myself opposite to them, then another slight one to my governess, who on entering the room with her daughters curtsied very low to me. 'Gui de Faur Pibrac, born about 1529, died 1584, author of Fifty Quatrains, containing useful Precepts for the Guidance of Man. I was obliged to curtsy again on handing over my gloves to their custody, then again on placing myself opposite to my brothers, again when the gentlemen brought me a large basin in which to wash my hands, again after grace was said, and for the last and ninth time on seating myself at table. Everything was so arranged that we knew on each day of the week what we were to eat, as is the case in convents. On Sundays and Wednesdays two divines or two professors were always invited to dine with us. They believed that I should turn out a prodigy of learning because I was so quick, but my only object in applying myself was to give up study when I had acquired all that was necessary, and be no longer forced to endure the weariness of learning. After dinner I rested till two o'clock, when my teachers returned to the charge. At six I supped, and at half-past eight went to bed, having said my prayers and read some chapters in the Bible. I led this life up to the age of nine or ten years. I pass over in silence the tricks that I used to play on my governess, now become blind from old age, fearing lest my history might resemble that of the Tormes (?) family. Suffice it to say that, as my brothers and sisters grew up, the Queen withdrew them from Leyden. The princes she sent to travel, and kept the princesses to live with herself at the Hague. I had been left at Leyden with a little brother, a year younger than myself, who died at eight years of age. The sad news of my father's death was brought to the Queen my mother at the time of his birth. The poor child suffered from the first, and one might say as of him in the Gospel, "Had this man sinned or his parents?" that he was born so sickly! Still he was very handsome, and I can remember one afternoon, when the Queen had sent for us to the Hague to show us, as one would a stud of horses, to her cousin, the Princess of Nassau, that Mme. Gorin said, looking at us both, "He is very handsome, but she is thin and ugly; I hope that she does not understand English." To my vexation I understood but too well, and was deeply distressed, believing that my ill-fortune was past all remedy; yet it was not so great Gustav, Jan. 13, 1632; Jan. 9, 1641. as that of my poor little brother, who died soon afterwards in such terrible suffering that one shudders to think of it. His death (January 9, 1641) broke up our court at Leyden, for to my great joy it was not thought advisable to leave me there quite alone; still I felt regret at parting from my good old friends, who were no longer able to change their home and habits. I loved them from custom and gratitude, for sympathy rarely exists between youth and age. They were respected by every one for their goodness; and having lived as saints they died as they had lived. I was between nine and ten years of age when I came to live at my mother's court at the Hague, and I was lost in an ignorant admiration of all that I beheld. To me it was as the joy of Paradise to see such varying kinds of life, and so many people; above all to behold my teachers no more. I was not at all abashed by meeting with three elder sisters, all handsomer and more accomplished than myself, but felt quite pleased that my gayety and wild spirits should serve to amuse them. Even the Queen took pleasure in me, and liked to see me teased, so that I might sharpen my wits in my own defense. I made it my business to tease every one. Clever people enjoyed the sport, while to others I was an object of terror. Among the latter was the Prince of Tarentum," who, not having wit to defend himself, fled from me as if I had been the plague. Among the former were M. de Zulestem and M. Marigné. M. Zulestem, being a Dutchman, was not always very refined in his wit; Marigné, a Frenchman, had more wit and better manners. In order to amuse the Queen, he wrote a letter in the name of all her Majesty's monkeys, electing me to be their queen. This letter was handed to me in a large company, to see how I would take it. I was too much amused to be angry, so laughed with the rest. 8 They tried to play me another trick about a son of the Venetian ambassador named Contarini, who was very handsome and often played with me. An Englishman called Vain (Vane?), who was always being teased for his long chin, wrote a letter in the little Venetian's name after his departure; 8 Henri Charles de la Trémouille, Prince de Tarente. Zuylichem, natural son of Frederick Henry of Orange. this letter he brought to me in hopes of eliciting some answer about which he might tease me afterwards. I saw through his purpose, and wishing to pay him in his own coin, gave him secretly a small box, which, I said, contained a ring, accompanying it with a letter for the little Venetian. In the box I put a crust of the dog's bread; in the letter was written: Pour M. le Confident Je lui donne ce présent; So many jokes of a similar nature, but quite unworthy of remembrance, took place at this time, that I prefer to turn my thoughts to a period somewhat later, when I began to grow rather more rational. The Queen generally retired in summer to a hunting lodge called Rhenen. On one occasion when her Majesty was there, my sisters proposed to act the play of "Medea" to amuse her. They told me that I was to have no part because I could not learn so many verses by heart. This remark piqued me so much that I learned the whole play, though the part of Nérine was all that I required to know. The Queen was quite satisfied with my performance. The dressmakers had arranged my costume, and an actress had taught me the proper gesticulations, for I understood none of the verses that I repeated, in which, indeed, my youth was sufficient excuse, seeing that I was but eleven years old. Some time after our play the Queen returned to the Hague, where the Queen of England 10 arrived with Mlle. Marie,11 her daughter, who was betrothed to the Prince of Orange. The Queen my mother went to meet her at Houslardick,12 and I was chosen from among my sisters as being the fittest companion for the young princess, who was but little younger than myself. This little present I intend 'Tis long, and what he finds within 10 Henrietta Maria. |