Source:
Memoirs of Christina, Queen of Sweden, volume 1, pages 185 to 188, by Henry Woodhead, 1863; original at the University of Michigan
The account:
Chanut, the French resident at Stockholm, gave his own Court a hint of the new Ambassador's favour and influence with the Queen, which was not lost upon the French ministers. Magnus was entertained splendidly with fêtes, dancing, and hunting parties, in all of which his graceful manners were particularly remarked. He used to speak of his Queen with such passionate devotion that the quick-witted Parisians naturally suspected the existence of other sentiments besides those of duty. Her admirable qualities were enthusiastically praised, however, by many who were certainly not lovers. Chanut says: "She speaks Latin, French, German and Dutch, and she understands Greek: every day she reads Tacitus, and explains his most difficult passages.
"She likes to hear subjects discussed by savans, and never gives her opinion until everyone has spoken, when she does it in a few words, with clearness and precision. She reflects much before speaking, especially on matters of business.
"When she is in the Council, her ministers can hardly discover to which side she is inclined until everyone has spoken. Her power in the Council is wonderful; she unites grace and argument with credit and liberality."
Vossius says: "It would be vain and foolish in me to attempt to describe her admirable qualities. No one can praise her without condemning other Princes: their highest aims end where hers begin."
She was familiar with the ancient philosophy and with the writings of the Fathers, especially of Augustin, Ambrose, Tertullian, Cyprian, and Gregory of Nazianzum. Sometimes, to the great disgust of her Lutheran divines, she detected them when they appropriated the works of these old authors. Vossius and Freinsheimius taught her Greek, although at that time it did not form part of an academic education. Her progress was unusually rapid. Vossius said she began to understand Greek in a shorter time than many others took to read the characters.
The second year she could read any author with ease; she translated long passages from Plato into good Latin, and frequently proposed emendations which learned men had only puzzled out after long study. At this period she valued learning as its true worth; she thought it good in so far as it made its votaries abler and better, and she hoped by its means to be more useful to the State.
Her studies did not interfere with business. She rose at four in the morning, and dedicated the first hours to study. The rest of the day was given to affairs of State. She was constant in her attendance at the sittings of the Council, and always took part in the deliberations. She used to let the councillors discuss a subject, and listened in silence to all that was said, after which she would give her own opinion, which was always sound and sagacious. She often astonished the assembled statesmen by the ease with which she comprehended intricate questions, and separated them from irrelevant subjects; still more were they surprised at the calm and decided way in which she sometimes supported her own opinion in opposition to men before whom all the sovereigns of Germany had trembled. Her ministers professed to give way from deference to her age, her sex, and her rank, but in reality they yielded to her superior genius.
Above: Kristina.
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