her brother, George de Scuderi, also an eminent French writer, was living; and her wit and acquirements soon gained her admission into the best literary society of that day. Being obliged to support herself, she resolved to do so by her pen; and the taste of that age being for romances, she turned her attention that way, and succeeded wonderfully. Her books were eagerly sought, and her reputation became very great. She was chosen to succeed the learned Helena Comaro, by the celebrated academy of the Ricovrati at Padua. Several great personages gave her many marks of their regard; among others, Christina of Sweden often wrote to her, settled on her a pension, and sent her her picture; Cardinal Mazarin left her an annuity by his will; and, in 1683, Louis the Fourteenth, at the solicitation of Madame de Maintenon, settled a good pension on her.
Mademoiselle de Scuderi corresponded with many learned men; and her house at Paris was a kind of little court, to which all persons of genius, learning, or wit were accustomed to resort. At her death, two churches contended fiercely for the honour of possessing her remains. She was a very voluminous writer, and obtained the first prize of eloquence bestowed by the academy of Pans. Her principal romances were entitled "Almahide," "Clelia," "Artamenes," "Le Grand Cyrus," and "Ibrahim." She also wrote fables and poetry, and a work called "Conversations." Her narratives are tedious and prolix; but the praise of ingenuity, of elevated sentiment, and of purifying and ennobling the particular species of writing to which she devoted herself, cannot be denied to her. She was very plain in person, and this, joined with her wit, gained for her the name of Sappho. Mademoiselle Scuderi died in 1701, aged ninety-four.
SEDGWICK. CATHARINE MARIA,
Was born in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Her father, the Hon. Theodore Sedgwick, a citizen of high reputation, was at one time Speaker of the House of Representatives, afterwards senator in Congress, and, at the time of his death, filled the office, of judge of the supreme court of his state. Miss Sedgwick's first book, the "New England Tale," appeared in 1822. It was originally written for a religious tract; but as it gradually expanded into a work too large for such a purpose, she was prevailed on, with much difficulty, by her friends to give it to the world in its present form. It was received with such favour, that in 1827 the authoress was induced to publish her second work, a novel in two volumes, entitled "Redwood." This work met with great success, and was republished in England and translated into French and Italian. One of the characters in the book, Miss Debby Lennox, bears the stamp both of originality and truthfulness; and if it stood alone, would prove not only the extensive observation, but the great powers of invention possessed by its delineator. Miss Sedgwick's next work was "Hope Leslie, or Early Times in America," a novel in two volumes, published in 1827. This has continued to be her most popular tale; and, indeed, no novel written by an American, except, perhaps, the early works of Cooper, ever met with such success. In 1830, "Clarence, a Tale of our own Times," appeared; in 1832, "Le Bossu," one of the Tales of Glauber Spa; and in 1835, "The Linwoods, or Sixty Years Since, in America." During the same year
