, 1704. The following passage does
not appear--or I am much mistaken--to have attracted the attention of
Locke's biographers:--

"I was very sensibly touched with the news of Mr. Locke's death.
All the particulars I hear of it are that he retained his perfect
senses to the last, and spoke with the same composedness and
indifference on affairs as usual. His discourse was much on the
different views a dying man has of worldly things; and that nothing
gives him any satisfaction, but the reflection of what good he has
done in his life. Lady Masham went to his chamber to speak to him
on some, business; when he had answered in the same manner he was
accustomed to speak, he desired her to leave the room, and,
immediately after she was gone, turned about and died."

She records that, after the death of Locke, Lady Masham communicated
with Leibnitz, and Catharine is very indignant because a doubt had been
suggested as to whether the writer's thoughts and expressions were her
own. This was calculated to infuriate Catharine Trotter, who outpours in
forcible terms her just indignation:--

"Women are as capable of penetrating into the grounds of things,
and reasoning justly, as men are, who certainly have no advantage
of us, but in their opportunities of knowledge. As Lady Masham is
allowed by everybody to have great natural endowments, she has
taken pains to improve them; and no doubt profited much by a long
intimate society with so extraordinary a man as Mr. Locke. So that
I see no reason to suspect a woman of her character would pretend
to write anything that was not entirely her own. I pray, be more
equitable to her sex than the generality of your's are, who, when
anything is written by a woman that they cannot deny their
approbation to, are sure to rob us of the glory of it by
concluding 'tis not her own."

This is the real voice of Catharine Trotter, raised to defend her sex,
and conscious of the many intellectual indignities and disabilities
which they suffered.

The first draft of _The Revolution in Sweden_ being now completed, she
sent it to Congreve, who was living very quietly in lodgings in Arundell
Street. He allowed some time to go by before, on November 2nd, 1703, he
acknowledged it. His criticism, which is extremely kind, is also
penetrating and full. "I think the design in general," he says, "very
grea