Henry Woodhead on Kristina's association with foreign scholars and learned men and on their praise for her

Source:

Memoirs of Christina, Queen of Sweden, volume 1, pages 189 to 191, by Henry Woodhead, 1863; original at the University of Michigan

https://books.google.com/books?id=XI02AAAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=maria+euphrosyne&source=gbs_navlinks_s

The account:

She soon found how scanty was the knowledge of her native-born subjects, and she began to encourage scholars from France, Italy, and Holland. Her affability and courtesy pleased them even more than her munificence. Every Thursday she had an assembly of the most famous wits and scholars, when the evening was spent in conversation; she joined in it herself, heartily and joyously, without ever being petulant or dictatorial.

The learned world was quite fascinated with the young Queen. Gassendi said she had fulfilled Plato's wish that kings should be philosophers, or else philosophers should be kings.

The grave and virtuous Pascal paid his tribute to Christina. He wrote to her: — "You reign, incomparable Princess, in a manner hitherto unexampled. Your genius captivates all those who have not submitted to your arms. For my part, not having the blessing to be born under the first of your empires, I desire all mankind should know that I esteem it my glory to live under the second."

The learned Bochart relaxed from his erudite labours so far as to write an epigram, which compared Christina to the Queen of Sheba, and may be thus rendered: —

"Two queens, from furthest limits of the earth,

Illustrious both for learning, as for birth

And love of wisdom, shine through ages forth;

One ruled the South, the other sways the North.

"Of these, the greatest, if we wish to know,

'Tis needless that our verse should longer grow;

Wisdom to hear, came from the South one queen,

Wise men now seek the North, taught by Christine."

["Reginæ celebris longo memorantur in ævo

Vix duæ, et in mundi partibus oppositis:

Una Noti Regina, sacris pridem inclyta libris,

Altera in Arctoi cardine nata Poli.

"Quas si contuleris, quam sit præstantior Orbem

Quæ regit Arctoum, carmine disce brevi:

Illa docenda suis Salomonem invisit ab oris,

Undique ad hanc docti, quo doceantur, eunt."]

Heinsius boasts of having been born in the same age with Christina, as the first felicity of his life; the second was, that he had been known to her; but the third, the most decided happiness, and that which he desires all future ages to know, was, that he had not been altogether displeasing to her.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Pierre Gassendi.

Above: Blaise Pascal.

Above: Samuel Bochart.

Above: Nicolaus Heinsius.