"These volumes have the fascination of romance united to the integrity
of history. The work is written by a lady of considerable learning,
indefatigable industry, and careful judgment. All these qualifications
for a biographer and an historian she has brought to bear upon the
subject of her volumes, and from them has resulted a narrative
interesting to all, and more particularly interesting to that portion of
the community to whom the more refined researches of literature afford
pleasure and instruction. The whole work should be read, and no doubt
will be read, by all who are anxious for information. It is a lucid
arrangement of facts, derived from authentic sources, exhibiting a
combination of industry, learning, judgment, and impartiality, not often
met with in biographers of crowned heads."--_Times._
"A remarkable and truly great historical work. In this series of
biographies, in which the severe truth of history takes almost the
wildness of romance, it is the singular merit of Miss Strickland that
her research has enabled her to throw new light on many doubtful
passages, to bring forth fresh facts, and to render every portion of our
annals which she has described an interesting and valuable study. She
has given a most valuable contribution to the history of England, and we
have no hesitation in affirming that no one can be said to possess an
accurate knowledge of the history of the country who has not studied
this truly national work, which, in this new edition, has received all
the aids that further research on the part of the author, and of
embellishment on the part of the publishers, could tend to make it still
more valuable, and still more attractive, than it had been in its
original form."--_Morning Herald._
"A most valuable and entertaining work. There is certainly no lady of
our day who has devoted her pen to so beneficial a purpose as Miss
Strickland. Nor is there any other whose works possess a deeper or more
enduring interest. Miss Strickland is to our mind the first literary
lady of the age."--_Morning Chronicle._
"We must pronounce Miss Strickland beyond all comparison the most
entertaining historian in the English language. She is certainly a woman
of powerful and active mind, as well as of scrupulous justice and
honesty of purpose."--_Morning Post._
"Miss Strickland has made a very judicious use of many authentic MS.
authorities not previously collected, and the result is a most
interesting addition to our biographical library."--_Quarterly Review._
"A valuable contribution to historical knowledge. It contains a mass of
every kind of historical matter of interest, which industry and research
could collect. We have derived much entertainment and instruction from
the work."--_Athenaeum._