character of Mr. Addison was never before set in so favourable a light; and Miss Aikin deserves to have her memory revered by all who love to see the works that genius has left made themes of affectionate study, by one who could sympathize with the literary tastes, and benevolent feelings of the philanthropist and the author.
AIROLA, ANGELICA VERONICA,
A Genoese lady of high rank, who lived in the seventeenth century. She learned the art of painting from Dominica Fiasella; after which she executed some good pictures on religious subjects, most of them for the churches and convents of her native city. At the close of her life she became a nun of the order of St. Bartholomew della Olivella, at Greuoa.
AISHA,
A Poetess of Spain, during the time that the Moors had possession of that kingdom. She was a daughter of the duke of Ahmedi, and her poems and orations were frequently read with applause in the royal academy at Cordova. She was a virtuous character, lived unmarried, and left behind her many monuments of her genius, and a large and well-selected library. She lived in the twelfth century.
AISSE, DEMOIS,
Was born in Circassia, 1689, and was purchased by the count de Ferriol, the French ambassador at Constantinople, when four years of age, for 1500 livres. The seller declared her to be a Circassian Princess. She was of great beauty. The count took her with him to France, and had her taught all the accomplishments of the day. She sacrificed her innocence to her benefactor, but she resisted the splendid offers of the duke of Orleans. Of her numerous suitors she favoured only the chevalier Aidy, who had taken the vows at Malta. Aidy wished to obtain a release from them, but his mistress herself opposed the attempt. The fruit of this love was a daughter, born in England. Aïssé became afterwards a prey to the bitterest remorse; she tried in vain to resist her passion, and sank under the struggle between her love and her conscience. She died in 1727, at the age of thirty-eight. Her letters were published, first with notes by Voltaire, and afterwards, in 1806, with the letters of Mesdames de Viliars, Lafayette, and de Tencin. They are written in a pleasant fluent strain, and contain many anecdotes of the prominent persons of her time.
AKERHIELM, ANNA MANSDOTTER AGRICONIA,
A learned Swedish lady, was born March 18th., 1642. She was the daughter of the minister of Aker, in Sudermania; her father, Magnus Jonae Agriconius, being the author of a few unimportant works. By his death she was, at the age of sixteen, left an orphan with a brother three years her elder, and two sisters. Anna displayed great talents for literature, and under the guidance of her brother, became an excellent Latinist. She afterwards, unassisted, made herself mistress of several modern languages. Having, in 1671, been appointed 'hofjungfrau,' or lady in waiting, in the household of count Magnus Gabriel Delagardie, Chancellor of the
