It may be that the excellence of the tuition given to the Princess Mary was rather due to Queen Catherine of Aragon, who procured, among other tutors for her daughter, a learned countryman of her own, Ludovicus Vives of Valencia. This preceptor succeeded to the post held by the first tutor of the princess, Dr. Lynacre, who died in 1524, when his pupil was six years old. During the short time she was under his care, he drew up a work for her on “The Rudiments of Grammar.” There are probably few princesses now who are handed over to men of scholarship and learning out of their nurses’ arms, as was the eldest daughter of Henry VIII. After the learned Spaniard had instructed the princess a short time, he returned to his own country, and the king then selected Dr. John Harman. The Princess Mary was specially proficient in Latin, for which she is commended by Erasmus, who, always ready to fall a victim to female charms, regarded learning as an extra embellishment. Speaking of this period, he says, “It is pretty enough that this sex should now at last betake itself to the ancient languages.” Mary wrote excellent Latin epistles, and in later years translated Erasmus’ Paraphrase on the Gospel of St. John. The preface to this work was written by the Master of Eton, Udall, who, after a courtly eulogy of the royal translator, speaks of her “over-painful study and labour of writing,” whereby she had “cast her weak body in a grievous and long sickness.” The work had apparently to be completed by other hands, as Queen Mary’s health was in so declining a condition. She also wrote prayers and meditations. Elizabeth shone more as a linguist. She is said to have been very conversant with Latin, French, and Italian; to have had some knowledge of Greek when quite a young girl; and at twelve years of age, to have translated a series of Prayers and Meditations from English into Latin, French, and Italian. Her first instructor was Lady Champernon, a lady noted for her accomplishments. With Roger Ascham, she read the classics; with Dr. Grindal, Professor of Divinity, she studied theology; and, after she came to the throne, pursued her studies with great diligence. Latin she both spoke and wrote with ease and grace. In Italian she was instructed by Signore Castiglioni. Greek and Latin she was accustomed to have read to her by Sir Henry Savil and Sir John Fortescue. She was a great student of Plato, Aristotle, and Xenophon; one of Xenophon’s Dialogues she translated and published, and translated two Orations of Isocrates from Greek into Latin. Lady Jane Grey is another notable example of learning and scholarship. Fox writes of her--