The Diary Of John Evelyn Vol-2

JOHN EVELYN

determine to inflict, she bore the remainder of her sick-
ness with extraordinary patience and piety, and more
than ordinary resignation and blessed frame of mind.
She died the i4th, to our unspeakable sorrow and afflic-
tion, and not to our's only, but that of all who knew
her, who were many of the best quality, greatest and
most virtuous persons. The justness of her stature, person,
comeliness of countenance, gracefulness of motion, unaf-
fected, though more than ordinarily beautiful, were the
least of her ornaments compared with those of her mind.
Of early piety, singularly religious, spending a part of
every day in private devotion, reading, and other virtu-
ous exercises; she had collected and written out many of
the most useful and judicious periods of the books she
read in a kind of common-place, as out of Dr. Hammond
on the New Testament, and most of the best practical
treatises. She had read and digested a considerable deal
of history, and of places. The French tongue was as
familiar to her as English; she understood Italian, and
was able to render a laudable account of what she read
and observed, to which assisted a most faithful memory
and discernment; and she did make very prudent and
discreet reflections upon what she had observed of the
conversations among which she had at any time been,
which being continually of persons of the best quality,
she thereby improved. She had an excellent voice, to
which she played a thorough-bass on the harpsichord, in
both which she arrived to that perfection, that of the
scholars of those two famous masters, Signors Pietro and
Bartholomeo, she was esteemed the best; for the sweet-
ness of her voice and management of it added such an
agreeabloness to her countenance, without any constraint
or concern, that when she sung, it was as charming to
the eye as to the ear; this I rather note, because it was
a universal remark, and for which so many noble and
judicious persons in music desired to hear her, the last
being at Lord Arundel's, at Wardour.

What shall I say, or rather not say, of the cheerfulness
and agreeableness of her humor ? condescending to the
meanest servant in the family, or others, she still kept
up respect, without the least pride. She would often
read to them, examine, instruct, and pray with them if
they were sick, so as she was exceedingly beloved ofe of James II.,»