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LATE FELLOW OF THE IMPERIAL SCHOOL OF CHARTERS. PARIS, AND
RESIDENT MEMBER OF THE IMPERIAL SOCIETY OF
ANTIQUARIES OF FRANCE.

LONDON

PRINTED FOR THE WARTON CLUB.

M.DCCC.LV.

PREFACE.

FEW personages in modern history have received more notice, have been invested with a greater attraction, or have been spoken of with more indulgent friendship or more partial hostility, than the queen of France and Scotland, the fair and unhappy Mary Stuart. The books relating specially to her have become numerous enough to form, if collected, a rather considerable library, and now, within the last few years, (I speak of France only), the publication of documents by Prince Labanoff, the Latin thesis. for the grade of doctor by M. Cheruel, who, we are informed, will soon resume more at large and in French the same subject, the in form rather historical romance of M. Dargaud, and the excellent history by M. Mignet, are proofs that the interest of the subject is not exhausted, and that it is always possible to awaken curiosity

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and sympathy by recalling to our memory one who, by her death at least, seems sanctified as a martyr, and of whom we may still say that in most hearts

"The memory is green."

But we leave this as without our scope; for our far more modest aim in this publication is not to renew and judge the inquiry, but only to print for the first time the contents of a small manuscript in the handwriting of the young Mary, the oldest, probably, of her productions which can be produced, and which will be a quite new, although but a small, stone added to the monument raised to her by posterity. Rather unimportant in the historical point of view, it is so singular an instance and so true a pearl in curiosity, that England, since she may not have the original, may perhaps be glad to receive an accurate copy of it, which being, from the limited number of the impression, conveniently reserved to the hands of some fit judges and friends, it may be said, will not go down in the open area and meet the great common light too strong for its harmless ingenuity. It is a delicate and superfluous ornament,

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