was accomplished, Madame Acarie appears to have turned her attention to reforming the monastic establishments of the country. In conjunction with the cardinal De Berulie, she established the new order of Reformed Carmelites, taking upon herself the erection of the first monastery of the order in the fauberg St. Jacques. Having a great reputation for piety she was enabled, by her influence, to assist in works of the like nature. When, in 1613, she became a widow, she entered the order which she had founded, by the name of Marie de l'incarnation; she was eventually elected superior of the order, but, with true humility, declined the dignity, and retired to the monastery of Pontois, also founded by her, where she died on the 18th. of April, 1618. She was the authoress of five religious works in French, and her life has been written by several persons. All these memoirs are more or less disfigured by details of miracles, which is to be regretted, as they cast a shade of doubt upon the real excellencies of her character, and the more veritable records of what appears to have been truly a well-spent life.
AXIOTHEA,
A female philosopher of the age of Plato, whose lectures she attended in male attire.
AYCARD, MARIE,
Is an authoress of France, whose reputation rests chiefly on a novel of considerable merit, entitled "Mademoiselle Clairvel." She is also distinguished as a contributor of agreeable tales to the periodicals.
AYESHA,
The Second, and most beloved of all Mahomet's wives, was the daughter of Abubeker, the first caliph, and the successor of Mahomet. She was the only one of all his wives who had never been married to any other man; but she was only nine when she was espoused by him. She had no children; but his affection for her continued till death, and he expired in her arms. After his death she was regarded with great veneration by the Mussulmen, as being filled with an extraordinary portion of Mahomet's spirit. They gave her the title of "Mother of the Faithful," and consulted her on important occasions. Ayesha entertained a strong aversion for the caliph Othman; and she had actually formed a plot to dethrone him, with the intention of placing in his stead her favourite Telha, when Othman was assassinated, by another enemy in a sedition.
The succession of All was strongly opposed by Ayesha. Joined by Telha and Zobier at Mecca, she raised a revolt, under pretence of avenging the murder of Othman; an army was levied, which marched towards Bassora, while Ayesha, at its head, was borne in a litter on a camel of great strength. On arriving at a village called Jowab, she was saluted with the loud barking of the dogs of the place, which reminding her of a prediction of the prophet, in which the dogs of Jowab were mentioned, so intimidated her that she declared her resolution not to advance a step; and it was not till a number of persons had been suborned to swear that the village had been wrongly named to her, and till the artifice had been employed of terrifying her with a report of Ali's being in
