Beacon Lights of History, Volume 07

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Beacon Lights of History, Volume 07

The Project Gutenberg eBook, Beacon Lights of History, Volume VII, by John Lord
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Title: Beacon Lights of History, Volume VII
Author: John Lord
Release Date: December 25, 2003 [eBook #10533]
Language: English
Character set encoding: iso-8859-1
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LORD'S LECTURES
BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY, VOLUME VII
GREAT WOMEN.
BY JOHN LORD, LL.D.,
AUTHOR OF "THE OLD ROMAN WORLD," "MODERN EUROPE," ETC., ETC.

CONTENTS.
H��LO?SE.
LOVE.
Love, the flower of Eden The two Venuses of Socrates The Venus Urania The memory of H��lo?se cherished Her birth and education Her extraordinary gifts Her aspirations Peter Ab��lard His wonderful genius His early scholastic triumphs Ab��lard at Paris His wit and flippancy His scepticism His successes His love for H��lo?se His mad infatuation Scandal of the intimacy Disinterestedness of H��lo?se Secret marriage of Ab��lard and H��lo?se Marriage discovered Retirement of H��lo?se and Ab��lard to separate convents His renewed labors His brilliant success Persecution of Ab��lard Letters to H��lo?se H��lo?se cannot conquer her love Her high social position Her blameless life Loves of H��lo?se and Ab��lard analyzed Greatness of sentiment Last days of Ab��lard His retreat to Cluny Peter the Venerable Grief of H��lo?se
JOAN OF ARC.
HEROIC WOMEN.
Heroic qualities of women in the Middle Ages Extraordinary appearance of Joan of Arc Her early days Her visions Critical state of France at this period Appreciated by Joan Who resolves to come to the rescue of her king and country Difficulties which surrounded her Her services finally accepted Her faith in her mission Her pure and religious life Joan sets out for the deliverance of Orleans Succeeds in entering the city Joan raises the siege of Orleans Admiration of the people for her Veneration for women among the Germanic nations Joan marches to the siege of Rheims Difficulty of the enterprise Hesitation of the king Rheims and other cities taken Coronation of Charles Mission of the Maid fulfilled Successive military mistakes Capture of Joan Indifference and ingratitude of the King Trial of Joan for heresy and witchcraft Cruelty of the English to her The diabolical persecution Martyrdom of Joan Tardy justice to her memory Effects of the martyrdom
SAINT THERESA.
RELIGIOUS ENTHUSIASM.
Pleasures of the body the aim of Paganism Aim of Christianity to elevate the soul Mistakes of monastic life The age of Saint Theresa Her birth and early training Mediaeval piety Theresa sent to a convent to be educated Her poor health Religious despotism of the Middle Ages Their gloom and repulsiveness Faith and repentance divorced Catholic theology Theresa becomes a nun Her serious illness Her religious experience The Confessions of Saint Augustine The religious emancipation of Theresa Her canticles Her religious rhapsodies Theresa seeks to found a convent Opposition to her Her discouragements Her final success Reformation of the Carmelite order Convent of St. Joseph Death of Saint Theresa Writings of Saint Theresa Her submission to authority Her independence Compared with Madame Guyon Her posthumous influence
MADAME DE MAINTENON.
THE POLITICAL WOMAN.
Birth of Madame de Maintenon Her early life Marriage with Scarron Governess of Montespan's children Introduction to the King Her incipient influence over him Contrast of Maintenon with Montespan Friendship of the King for Madame de Maintenon Made mistress of the robes to the Dauphiness Private marriage with Louis XIV Reasons for its concealment Unbounded power of Madame de Maintenon Grandeur of Versailles Great men of the court The King's love of pomp and ceremony Sources of his power His great mistakes The penalties he reaped Secret of Madame de Maintenon's influence Her mistakes Religious intolerance Revocation of the Edict of Nantes Persecution of the Protestants Influence of Bossuet Foundation of the school of St. Cyr Influence of Madame de Maintenon on education Influence of Madame de Maintenon on morals Influence of Madame de Maintenon on the court Her reign a usurpation Her greatness of character
SARAH, DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH.
THE WOMAN OF THE WORLD.
The Duchess of Marlborough compared with Madame de Maintenon Birth and early influence John Churchill Marriage of Churchill and Sarah Jennings Colonel Churchill made a peer The Princess Anne Lady Churchill Their friendship Coronation of William and Mary Character of William III Treason of the Earl of Marlborough Energy and sagacity of the Queen Naval victory of La Hogue Temporary retirement of Marlborough Death of the Duke of Gloucester Marlborough, Captain-General. Death of William III Accession of Anne Power of Marlborough Lord Godolphin Ascendency of Lady Marlborough Her ambition Her pride Renewal of war with Louis XIV Marlborough created a duke Whigs and