ars they were never known to differ, nor even
spent more than a single day asunder.[91]

In her exceeding beauty and blameless reputation; her love for her
husband, and strong domestic affections; her pride of birth and rank;
her feminine gentleness of deportment; her firmness of temper; her
religious bigotry; her love of absolute power, and her upright and
conscientious administration of it, Blanche greatly resembled Maria
Theresa of Austria. She was, however, of a more cold and calculating
nature; and in proportion as she was less amiable as a woman, did she
rule more happily for herself and others. There cannot be a greater
contrast than between the acute understanding, the steady temper, and
the cool intriguing policy of Blanche, by which she succeeded in
disuniting and defeating the powers arrayed against her and her infant
son, and the rash confiding temper and susceptible imagination of
Constance, which rendered herself and her son easy victims to the fraud
or ambition of others. Blanche, during forty years, held in her hands
the destinies of the greater part of Europe, and is one of the most
celebrated names recorded in history--but in what does she survive to us
except in a name? Nor history, nor fame, though "trumpet-tongued," could
do for _her_ what Shakspeare and poetry have done for Constance. The
earthly reign of Blanche is over, her sceptre broken, and her power
departed. When will the reign of Constance cease? when will _her_ power
depart? Not while this world is a world, and there exists in it human
souls to kindle at the touch of genius, and human hearts to throb with
human sympathies!

* * * * *

There is no female character of any interest in the play of Richard II.
The Queen (Isabelle of France) enacts the same passive part in the drama
that she does in history.

The same remark applies to Henry IV. In this admirable play there is no
female character of any importance; but Lady Percy, the wife of Hotspur,
is a very lively and beautiful sketch: she is sprightly, feminine, and
fond; but without any thing energetic or profound, in mind or in
feeling. Her gayety and spirit in the first scenes, are the result of
youth and happiness, and nothing can be more natural than the utter
dejection and brokenness of heart which follow her husband's death: she
is no heroine for war or tragedy; she has no thought of revenging her
loss; and even her grief has something soft and quie