ried them, and acquired all the rights of princesses. In this respect, they all bear a great resemblance. Yet among all these instances, that of Bianca is the most uncommon, if not the only one of the kind. For all those who exchanged the title of the mistress of the prince for that of his wife, were favoured either by the love of the people, by part of the family of the sovereign, or were free at least from public and glaring defects.
In the history of Bianca we see the reverse of all this. She was universally hated, had the whole family of Medici against her, stood, in the estimation of many, convicted, and, in that of a still greater number, suspected of the most heinous crimes: and the very prince whom she afterwards married, had, in the most unaccountable manner, been deceived by her. It is astonishing indeed, that a young lady who, till her twentieth year, had lived sequestered from the world, in the bosom of her own family, should, after her elopement from Venice, form the most intricate plans hi a foreign country 5 exhibit the greatest skill in court intrigue, and place herself on the throne of its sovereign. It appears incomprehensible how she could execute, such a scheme, by the mere assistance of the affections of such a prince, and in spite of the universal detestation of the people. In the most important events of her life, she had no other guide, no other aid, but her good sense; and, in this point of view, she claims all our admiration. Inexhaustible iii ways and measures, she generally succeeded in whatever she attempted.
Both in political and family negociations, her discerning look, with one glance, distinguished the strong and weak sides of the persons concerned, and never failed to make the best use of their dispositions for
