occupations she was not however diverted from conforming to the ceremonials of the catholic church, which she continued to observe with a rigorous austerity.

In the midst of her domestic duties and laudable cares, she was suddenly seized with a spiritual impulse; and, under the delusions of a heated imagination, abandoned the common affairs of life, with the duties and occupations of her sex and station, to deliver herself up to sublime chimeras. Quitting the situation in which, with tranquillity and reputation, she had hitherto resided in the bosom of her family, she repaired to Paris, where she formed an acquaintance with M. d'Aranthon, bishop of Geneva, by whom she was prevailed upon to go into his diocese, in order to perfect an establishment founded by him at Gex, for the reception of newly converted catholics. Having complied with the request of the bishop, she took with her to Gex her daughter, in 1681. The parents of madame de Guyon, some time afterwards, demanded of her a resignation of her office of guardian to her children, together with their fortunes, which amounted to 40,000 livres. She readily complied with this request, and, reserving for her own subsistence only a moderate pension, consigned over to her family the remainder of her property. The community of Gex, observing her liberality, intreated their bishop to propose to madame Guyon, that she should bestow a pension on their house, and thereby constitute herself its superior. Her rejection of this proposition, on a plea of disapprobation of the regulations of the community, gave offence to the sisterhood and their patron, by whom she was desired to quit the house.

Thus circumstanced, she retired to the Ursulines at Thonon, whence she proceeded to Turin, and thence to Grenoble : at length, by the invitation of the bishop, who venerated her piety, she retired to Verceil. After an absence of five years, she returned to Paris, in an ill state of health, in 1686, with a view of procuring medical aid. During her wanderings she had composed two tracts, "Le Moyen court et très facile de faire Oraison," and "Le Cantique des Cantiques de Solomon interpreté selon le Sens mystique." These productions were printed at Lyons, with a license of approbation. Her irreproachable conduct, added to the novelty and attraction of her doctrines, which, with a seductive refinement, recommended prayer,

contemplation, and divine love, as the sum and substance of religion, procured her many converts. The principles of madame Guyon, which savoured of the Platonic philosophy, diffused themselves daily, under the denomination of Quietism, through a city characterised by its love of novel speculation. Letters from the provinces in which she had resided, complaining of the spread and fascination of her doctrines, completed, by stimulating the curiosity of the multitude, the popular delusion. The church, alarmed by a heresy, which, striking at the root of ceremonial devotion, seemed to threaten its foundation, prepared to resist the adversary's attack. Father de la Combe, a Barnabite, and confessor to madame Guyon, was the first who suffered persecution. The foundress herself was the next victim. She was confined, by an order from the king, in January 1688, in the convent des Filles de la Visitation, where, having been strictly interrogated, she was detained by order of M. Harlai, archbishop of Paris, during eight months. Her deliverance was at length effected through the good offices of madame Miranion, the superior of the convent, who represented her case, and the hardships she had suffered, to madame de Maintenon, who pleaded her cause, with the king, and by whom she was afterwards patronized, and introduced at St. Cyr.*

Soon after her liberation from confinement, madame Guyon was introduced, by the Dutchess of Bethune, to the abbé Fenelon, the celebrated author of "Telemaque," who, captivated by the refinement of her doctrines, became her admirer, disciple, and friend. By the dukes de Chevreuse and Beauvilliers, men of merit and talents, she was also distinguished: while thus powerfully supported, her fame was diffused throughout the kingdom. Ladies of the first rank and distinction abandoned the pleasures of the court, to sit at the feet of this new prophetess; whose precepts were, by the graces of her person, and the insinuation of her manners, rendered peculiarly seductive and alluring.

The cry of heresy was again raised by the church, which,

* A convent erected by madame de Maintenon, for the education of the daughters of the poor nobility.

by its anathemas and alarm, gave importance to the sect which it sought to crush. Madame Guyon, thus critically situated,' was persuaded by her friends to submit her cause and her writings to the judgment of the bishop of Meaux; who, after perusing her pamphlets and papers, and holding with the author a conference on their contents, declared his satisfaction; in proof of which he communicated with her in the spirit of christian charity. The fury of the church was however not allayed; and an order was procured for the re-examination of the productions of madame Guyon; who in the mean time retired, at the request of the bishop, to the convent of Meaux. M. Bossuet was at the head of the examination, to whom was joined the bishop of Chalons (afterwards cardinal de Noailles), with M. Transon, superior of the society of St. Sulpice, and lastly, M. Fenelon. At the end of six months, thirty articles were drawn up by the commissioners, to which four were added by M. Fenelon, to prove the harmlessness of Quietism, and calm the fears of the church. The whole thirty-four articles were signed by all the examiners, March 10th, 1695. Madame Guyon also, at the instance of the bishop of Meaux, put her signature to the articles: she likewise signed a submission to a censure passed by the bishop, in the preceding April, against her printed tracts; by which she declared, that she had never meant to advance any thing contrary to the catholic, apostolic, and Roman church. To this the bishop subjoined an attestation, dated July 16th, 1695, purporting, that in consequence of these submissions, and the good testimony that had been given of madame Guyon, during a sixmonths' residence in the convent of St. Mary de Meaux, he was satisfied with her conduct, and had continued her in the participation of the holy sacrament, &c. Thus acquitted, she returned to Paris, in the hope of finding safety and repose.

But the rage of bigotry was not yet exhausted: madame Guyon became involved in the persecutions of the archbishop of Cambray; and, before the expiration of the year, was imprisoned in the castle of Vincennes, whence she was removed to the convent of Thomas à Girard, and afterwards thrown into the Bastile. Here she underwent many rigorous examinations, and continued a captive till the meeting of the general assembly of the clergy of France. In 1700, no evidence appearing against her, she was once more restored to liberty.

This was her last public appearance, after which she visited her children, and settled near them at Blois. The remaining twelve years of her life were passed in obscurity, and in the private indulgence of harmless reveries, to which opposition only had given importance. The walls of her chamber, the tables and furniture, were covered with her numerous verses, which, formed into a collection, were printed after her death, in five volumes, entitled "Cantiques Spirituels, ou d'Emblemes sur l'Amour divin." She also left twenty volumes of the Old and New Testament; with "Réflexions et Explications concernant la Vie intérieure;" "Discours Chretiens," in two volumes; letters to several persons, in four volumes; her Life, written by herself, in three volumes; a volume of Visitations, and two volumes of Opuscules. She died June 9th, 1717, having survived the archbishop of Cambray two years and a half.

Bayle's Historical Dictionary-Biographium Famineum, &c.

LADY ANNA HALKET.

ANNA, daughter of Mr. Robert Murray, a descendant of the family of the earl of Tullibarton, and of Jane Drummond, his wife (who was related to the earl of Perth), was born in London, January 4th, 1622. Her father was chosen by James I. as preceptor to his second son Charles, who, as a recompense for his cares and learning, afterwards made him provost of Eton college. On her mother, who was eminent for her virtues and accomplishments, the office of sub-governess to the duke of Gloucester and the princess Elizabeth, was (during the absence of the countess of Roxburgh with the princessroyal) conferred by the order of the king and queen. After the death of the countess, she succeeded to her post by warrant from the signet. Anna, under the superintendence of her parents, was instructed by the first masters in every branch of education.

Theology and physic appear to have been her favourite pursuits. She became a proficient in the theory of medicine, and a skilful practitioner in surgery. She was consulted for her medical knowledge by the first personages in the kingdom: the reputation of her skill was also diffused over Holland,

whence many persons came for her advice. She was a faithful royalist, and a sufferer in the cause of Charles.

March 2d, 1656, she gave her hand to sir James Halket, a worthy and amiable man, to whom she bore four children, one of which, Robert, her eldest son, only survived. During her first pregnancy she wrote, under the apprehension that she should not survive her delivery, a tract, containing excellent instructions, entitled "The Mother's Will to the Unborn Child."

She was fourteen years a wife, and twenty-eight a widow. She was an acute theologian and a profound student. Her learning, simplicity, unaffected piety, exemplary conduct, and sweetness of manners, conciliated universal respect and esteem. She left twenty-one volumes, principally on religious subjects, some in folio, and others in quarto, printed at Edinburgh in 1701. Also thirty-six stitched books, containing Meditations. She died April 22d, 1699.

The Female Worthies.

a gentleman possessing a large estate at Richmond, in the north riding of Yorkshire, was born in 1705. She received from her father, with whom she travelled over Europe, a learned education; and at his death inherited his estates. Her figure was graceful, and above the common height, and her face beautiful. She possessed, with uncommon powers of application, a superior capacity, while from the care and tenderness of her father her mind received a high degree of cultivation and polish. Her imagination was lively and fertile, her sentiments elevated, her heart pure, and her temper kind and benevolent. She encouraged industry among her tenants and neighbours; and administered to the necessities of the indigent and the sick. She was skilled in various languages, both ancient and modern, the Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, High Dutch, Sclavonian, and Latin, in each of which, it is said, she could converse with facility and correctness.

She remained abroad during nine years with her father,