15 Elizabeth Cary She had read very exceeding much; poetry of all kinds, ancient and modern, in several languages, all that ever she could meet; history very universally, especially all ancient Greek and Roman historians; all chroniclers whatsoever in her own country, and the French histories very thoroughly; of most other countries something, though not so universally; of the ecclesiastical history very much, most especially concerning its chief pastors. Of books treating of moral virtue or wisdom (such as Seneca, Plutarch’s Morals, and natural knowledge, as Pliny, and of late ones such as French, Montaigne, and English, Bacon), she had read very many when she was young, not without making her profit of them all. The Lady Falkland: Her Life
A
ccording to her biography, written after her death by one of her daughters, Elizabeth Cary, née Tanfield, Viscountess Falkland (1585– 1639), was very highly- though largely self-educated; although she had some distinguished tutors she taught herself mainly from books. Elizabeth did get a tutor in French at the age of five and according to her biographer daughter she was speaking it fluently just a few weeks later; she then taught herself Spanish, Italian, Latin and Hebrew. Elizabeth nevertheless seems to 92
