a course of education, which was calculated to make her not only fit to be called a princess, bat also a housewife and a Christian, confided her religious training to the worthy chaplain, and caused her to be instructed in all domestic duties, even such as arc now called menial In some circles of society.
In 1548 she married the Elector August of Saxony, and became the mother of fifteen children, eleven of whom she buried before they had attained a mature age. Soon after her marriage, she devoted herself with all her energy to the mental and moral improvement of her subjects. On all occasions she set them an example of Christian faith, resignation, and patience, often sacrificing her own pleasures and comforts to the welfare and happiness of the people; and so fully were they aware of it, that they called her only the mother of the country.
But while she, unitedly with her husband, endeavoured to raise the standard of education, by multiplying schools, and that of morals, by increasing the number of the churches, she neglected not the principal condition of the people. Waste lands were cultivated by her directions, and on one occasion she headed the pioneers, with a spade in her hand, in order to encourage them in a task which was new, and apparently unpromising to them.
She devoted much of her time to the study of chemistry, natural philosophy, and botany; and endeavoured, on all occasions, to make her knowledge contribute to the happiness of her people, and the improvement of their lands. She aided her husband in welcoming and supporting the Dutch exiled cloth and cotton weavers, who had been driven from their homes by religious persecution; and they, in their turn, contributed to perfect their own manufacturers.
She accompanied her husband upon his travels, and then they were always provided with the best seed for raising fruit, which they distributed among the people. She induced her husband to pass a law, that every new-married couple must plant and graft two fruit trees during the first year of their marriage. Everywhere she established schools, apothecaries, and botanical gardens. She was also an exemplary housewife, who did not consider it beneath her to attend to the smallest matters in housekeeping.
She fell a victim to her benevolence and Christian duties, during the prevalence of the plague, and died on the 1st. of October, 1585. The lower classes of Saxony still speak of her only by the name of Mother Anna,
MOTTE, REBECCA,
Daughter of Robert Brewton, an English gentleman, who had emigrated to South Carolina, was born in 1738, in Charleston. When about twenty, she married Mr. Jacob Motte, who died soon after the commencement of the revolutionary war. Captain McPherson, of the British army, who was in command of the garrison at Fort Motte, had taken possession of the large new house of Mrs. Motte, and fortified it, so that it was almost impregnable. Mrs. Motte herself had been obliged to remove to an old farm-house In the vicinity. In order to dislodge the garrison before succours should arrive, Generals Marion and Lee, who were commanding the American forces there, could devise no means but burning the mansion. This they were very reluctant to do, but Mrs. Motte willingly assented to the proposal, and presented, herself,
