Maiden ladies, who spend their lives, in some re-
spects, alone, often become deeply imbued with a
kind and benevolent spirit, which seeks its gratifica-
tion in relieving the pains and promoting the happi-
ness of all around them. Conscious that the circum-
stances which have caused them to lead a single life
would secure for them the sincere sympathy and the



1560-80] PERSONAL CHARACTER 155

increased esteem of all who know them, if delicacy
and propriety allowed them to be expressed, they feel
a strong degree of self-respect, they live happily, and
are a continual means of comfort and joy to all around
them. This was not so, however, with Elizabeth.
She was jealous, petulant, irritable. She envied others
the love and the domestic enjoyments which ambition
forbade her ta share, and she seemed to take great
pleasure in thwarting and interfering with the plans
of others for securing this happiness.
One remarkable instance of this kind occurred. It
seems she was sometimes accustomed to ask the
young ladies of the court — her maids of honor— if
they ever thought about being married, and they, be-
ing cunning enough to know what sort of an answer
would please the queen, always promptly denied that
they did so. Oh no ! they never thought about being
married at all. There was one young lady, however,
artless and sincere, who, when questioned in this
way, answered, in her simplicity, that she often
thought of it, and that she should like to be married
very much, if her father would only consent to her
union with a certain gentleman whom she loved.
