A WRITER of no ordinary powers has said that history is philosophy teaching by example; and this is more especially true of biography, the only legitimate object of which is to excite the living to virtue by a faithful delineation of those eminent persons, who in their day shone as lights of the world.

It is our duty this month to exhibit, as far as our feeble powers will permit, the sketch of an illustrious character, who for more than half a century has, by her influence, realized the nervous remark of one of our oldest poets, that “A virtuous court, a world to virtue draws." Her late Majesty, Sophia-Charlotte, was the youngest of the two daughters of Charles Lewis, Duke of Mirow, by Albertine-Elizabeth, daughter of Ernest Frederic, Duke of Saxe Hildburghausen. This prince, Charles Lewis, being the second son of the Duke of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, entered into the imperial service at an early age, and by his noble conduct soon attained the rank of Lieutenant-General. On his marriage he went to settle at Mirow, where all his children, consisting of four sons and two daughters, were born. He died in 1751, the very year that his present Majesty lost his father; and a few months afterwards, Adolphus Frederic, the third Duke of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, departed this life, when that title devolved upon the eldest son of Prince Charles Lewis, who, with his mother and all the family, removed in consequence from Mirow to Strelitz. Here the Princess Charlotte, then seven years old, received her education, under the direction of Madame de Grabow, a lady of high endowments and noble family, who, on account of her lyrical compositions, obtained the title of the German Sappho.

Besides Madame de Grabow, other persons of the first talent were employed in the instruction of her Serene Highness, who was the delight of the whole family for the sweetness of her temper, and the quickness of her genius. The principal of these tutors, Dr. Genzmer, a Lutheran divine of considerable learning, and particularly distinguished for his extensive knowledge in Natural History, was called from Stargard to Strelitz, where he resided at the palace, till the marriage of the Princess

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rendered his presence there no longer necessary. Under his instructions the Princess made a great progress in every polite and useful branch of knowledge. She acquired a thorough acquaintance with the French and Italian languages; while her own she wrote not only correctly, but elegantly. Of this, indeed, no stronger proof could be given than the letter which she sent to the great Frederic of Prussia, congratulating him on his victory at Torgau, over Marshal Daun, November 3, 1760, when she was (not, as some of the journalists have said, thirteen years, but) sixteen years and a half old. This pathetic letter, in which she painted in glowing colours the distressed state of Mecklenburgh through the ravages of the war, is inserted in our second volume, and therefore need not here be repeated. At this time, his present Majesty having just succeeded to the British throne on the demise of his grandfather, it was the natural concern of ministers to look out for a suitable matrimonial alliance. One had been already under consideration in the time of the late King, who wished very much to unite his grandson to a niece of the Prussian monarch, by whom that overture was most cheerfully received. The Princess-Dowager of Wales, however, was extremely averse to the connection, and the Prince incurred his grandfather's displeasure for giving a flat denial to the proposal. Much has been said of an attachment to Lady Sarah Lenox, which circumstance induced the King's mother and Lord Bute to send Colonel Græme abroad in search of a proper wife for the King. All this is romance, and a poor compliment to his Majesty's judgment. The fact is, the Princess-Dowager had no other fears than those arising from a Prussian alliance, which was her abhorrence. When, therefore, she read the letter of the Princess of Mecklenburgh, (copies of which were circulated in Germany,) she made enquiries into the character of that family, and at the same time put the letter into the hands of her son, who was so struck with it as to tell Lord Harcourt "that he had now found such a partner as he hoped to be happy with for life."

In a short time every thing was settled; and on the 8th of July, 1761, the

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While Lord Harcourt was on his route the Duchess-Dowager of Mecklenburg died, which retarded the ceremonial for some days; but on the 15th of August the marriage contract was duly signed, and two days afterwards her Serene Highness, accompanied by the reigning Duke, her youngest brother, and sister, left Strelitz, amidst the tears and blessings of the people, who erected a triumphal arch on the occasion. At Mirow the sisters parted; and the scene was described by those who saw it as remarkably affecting. After resting two days at the electoral seat of Ghorde, the bride elect entered Stade on the 22d, and remained there till the 24th, when she proceeded down the Elbe, and embarked on board the Royal Charlotte yacht, where she was received by Admiral Lord Anson, and the Duchesses of Ancaster and Hamilton, who at tempting to kneel, she raised them up and saluted them most affectionately, saying, she hoped friendship would take place of ceremony." On the 28th the squadron left the Elbe; and after a tempestuous voyage of ten days, during which the Princess was not sick more than half an hour, the royal yacht entered Harwich road, September the 6th; but as no preparations had been made there for her reception, she remained on board till the next day, when she set foot on English ground in the presence of thousands of spectators, who hailed her arrival with loud acclamations. Having rested a little, and received the compliments of the corporation, she proceeded on her journey through Colchester to Witham, the seat of Lord Abercorn, where she was elegantly entertained and slept that night. At noon on the following day she came to Rumford, where the King's coach and other carriages were in waiting. Having taken some refreshment, she entered the coach with the two Duchesses, and about five o'clock came to St. James's, where she was handed out at the garden gate by the Duke of York, who led her to his brother, then in the garden. On approaching his Majesty she was about to make her obeisance, when he caught her NEW MONTHLY MAG.--No. 59.

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in his arms, gave her a salute, and led her up the steps into the palace, where she received the congratulations of the Princess-dowager and all the royal family. At nine the same evening the marriage ceremony was performed in the great council-chamber, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Duke of Cumberland, his Majesty's uncle, giving away the bride. The coronation, which took place on the 22d, was more splendid than had hitherto been witnessed in England. Such was the eagerness of public curiosity to witness this interesting spectacle, that people of all ranks poured into the metropolis from every part of the British islands. Temporary erections were placed along the line of procession, capable of holding many hundreds of spectators, some of whom paid ten guineas for a single sitting. In the houses the prices were equally exorbitant; and one gentleman gave no less than one hundred and forty guineas for the use of a front room to accommodate his family.

On the ninth of November their Majesties visited the Lord Mayor, Sir Samuel Fludyer, at Guildhall; and previous to the arrival of the procession from Westminster, they and their suite remained at the house of Mr. David Barclay, opposite Bow church. As that family was of the society of Quakers, their Majesties dispensed with all the formality of a court, and received those who were introduced to them truly as friends, without the ceremony of kneeling. Nothing, indeed, could be more engaging than their entire behaviour on that day; and every person was charmed with the condescending manners and cheerfulness of the Queen.

In the same month Parliament settled upon her Majesty the same dowry as had been granted to the late Queennamely, one hundred thousand a year, with Richmond Park and Somerset House, though it is remarkable enough that neither lived to enjoy the legislative provision. The same year, indeed, his Majesty purchased of Sir Charles Sheffield, the house in St. James's park, which had been built by his father, the late Duke of Buckingham; and this mansion was afterwards settled upon the Queen, in exchange for her claims to Somerset House. On the 12th of August the following year, the heir-apparent of these realms was born-an event that diffused universal joy throuhgout the nation, and was rendered remarkable by its happening on the very day when the

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