Sources:
Les Femmes célèbres de tous les pays: leurs vies et leurs portraits, pages 84 to 85, by Laure Junot, Duchess of Abrantès, and Joseph Straszewicz, 1834; original at the National Library of France (Bibliothèque nationale de France)
Memoirs of Celebrated Women of All Countries. With Portraits by the Most Eminent Masters, page 245, by Laure Junot, Duchess of Abrantès, and Joseph Straszewicz, translator anonymous, 1834; original at The British Library
The biography:
Dans ce voyage elle fut haranguée par le consul de je ne me rappelle plus quelle ville de France. Cet homme était protestant; son discours était bien; la reine le lui témoigna.
— Mais monsieur, lui dit-elle, vous n'avez parlé ni de mon abdication ni de ma conversion.
— Madame, lui répondit le consul, j'ai voulu faire votre éloge, et non pas votre histoire.
Christine sourit, et ne fut pas fâchée de la franchise de la réponse. On sait, au reste, qu'elle se fit catholique pour avoir plus de liberté en Italie; et c'est bien la même femme qui avait pris pour devise: FATA VIAM INVENIENT, «Les destins dirigeront ma route!...» Le fait est qu'elle n'était d'aucune religion [sic]. Les jésuites de Louvain lui promettant une place auprès de sainte Brigitte de Suède, elle leva les épaules, et répondit: — J'aime mieux une place parmi les sages. Un fait certain, c'est qu'en passant à Vienne en Dauphiné, elle reçut très mal le savant Boissac [sic], qui lui fit un discours sur les jugemens de Dieu. Elle fut à Rome; mais elle s'y déplut bientôt. Son esprit était sur une trop grande échelle pour comprendre les petitesses du clergé romain.
— Je le crois vraiment bien, disait-elle à Burnett, que l'Église est dirigée par le Saint-Esprit!.... Depuis que je suis à Rome, j'ai vu quatre papes, dont pas un n'avait le sens commun....
English translation (by anonymous translator):
During her journey, she was addressed by the consul of a town, the name of which I do not now remember. This functionary was a protestant; he made a very good speech, and the queen expressed her satisfaction.
"But, Sir", said she, "you have not mentioned my abdication, nor my conversion."
"Madam", the consul replied, "my object has been to eulogize you, not to trace your history."
Christina smiled, and was not displeased at the candour of the reply. It is well known that she embraced the Catholic religion merely to enjoy more freedom in Italy. Here, we find her the same woman who took for her motto: FATA VIAM INVENIENT — The fates shall direct my course. The fact is, she had no religion at all [sic]. When the Jesuits of Louvain promised her a place in heaven, next to St. Bridget of Sweden, she replied sneeringly:
"I prefer a place among the wise."
It is a well-known fact, that on passing through Vienne, in Dauphiny, she received with marked displeasure the learned Boissac [sic], who made her a speech upon God's judgments. Having taken up her abode at Rome, she soon grew weary of that city [sic]. Her mind was of too high a cast to sympathise with the narrow-mindedness of the Roman clergy.
"I do indeed, believe", she said one day to Burnet, "that the church is directed by the Holy Spirit; for since I have been at Rome I have seen four popes, and not one of them possessed of common sense."
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Above: Kristina.
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Above: Laure Junot, Duchess of Abrantès.
Notes: Kristina visited France for the first time in 1656, not 1655, and not before her first arrival in Italy and first stay in Rome.
Boissac = Pierre de Boissat (1603-1662), a French soldier, writer, poet and translator.
Burnet = Gilbert Burnet (1643-1715), a Scottish philosopher and historian, and Bishop of Salisbury. He was fluent in Dutch, French, Latin, Greek and Hebrew. He was always closely associated with the Whig party, and was one of the few close friends in whom King William III (formerly Willem of Orange; 1650-1702) confided.
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