eye might have become a dryad; but her brow denoted
intellect of a high order, and her mouth spoke inexorable resolution.
She was a woman of fixed opinions, and of firm and compact prejudices.
Brought up in an austere circle, where on all matters irrevocable
judgment had been passed, which enjoyed the advantages of knowing
exactly what was true in dogma, what just in conduct, and what correct
in manners, she had early acquired the convenient habit of decision,
while her studious mind employed its considerable energies in mastering
every writer who favoured those opinions which she had previously
determined were the right ones.

The duchess was deep in the divinity of the seventeenth century. In the
controversies between the two churches, she could have perplexed St.
Omers or Maynooth. Chillingworth might be found her boudoir. Not that
her Grace's reading was confined to divinity; on the contrary, it was
various and extensive. Puritan in religion, she was precisian in morals;
but in both she was sincere. She was so in all things. Her nature was
frank and simple; if she were inflexible, she at least wished to be
just; and though very conscious of the greatness of her position, she
was so sensible of its duties that there was scarcely any exertion which
she would evade, or any humility from which she would shrink, if she
believed she were doing her duty to her God or to her neighbour.

It will be seen, therefore, that the Duke of Bellamont found no obstacle
in his wife, who otherwise much influenced his conduct, to the plans
which he had pre-conceived for the conduct of his life after marriage.
The duchess shrank, with a feeling of haughty terror from that world of
fashion which would have so willingly greeted her. During the greater
part of the year, therefore, the Bellamonts resided in their magnificent
castle, in their distant county, occupied with all the business and
the pleasures of the provinces. While the duke, at the head of the
magistracy, in the management of his estates, and in the sports of which
he was fond, found ample occupation, his wife gave an impulse to the
charity of the county, founded schools, endowed churches, received
their neighbours, read her books, and amused herself in the creation of
beautiful gardens, for which she had a passion.

After Easter, Parliament requiring their presence, the courtyard of one
of the few palaces in London opened, and the world learnt that the Duke
and Duchess of Bel