yet honest Gorges had a good right to say a bitter thing; for after having been "ready to break with laughing at seeing them two brawl and scramble like madmen, and Sir George's he seesew periwig torn off his crown," and not always wisely, to Cecil, and every one else who will listen to him. As for his fine speeches about Elizabeth, why forget the standing-point from which such speeches were made? Over and above the iron walking" and daggers his present ruin, it was, (and ought to have out, and playing the part of him who taketh been,) an utterly horrible and unbearable a dog by the ears, purchased such a rap thing to Raleigh, or any man, to have on the knuckles, that I wished both their fallen into disgrace with Elizabeth by his pates broken, and so with much ado they own fault. He feels (and perhaps rightly) staid their brawl to see my bloody fingers," that he is as it were excommunicate from and then set to work to abuse the hapless England, and the mission and the glory of peacemaker. After which things Raleigh England. Instead of being as he was till writes a letter to Cecil, which is still more now, one of a body of brave men working offensive in the eyes of virtuous biographers together in one great common cause, he has how "his heart was never broken till this cut himself off from the congregation by his day, when he hears the queen goes so far own selfish lust, and there he is left alone off, whom he followed with love and desire with his shame and his selfishness. We on so many journeys, and am now left be- must try to realize to ourselves the way in hind in a dark prison all alone." which such men as Raleigh looked not only at Elizabeth, but at all the world. There was, in plain palpable fact, something about her, her history, her policy, the times, the glorious part which England, and she as the incarnation of the then English spirit, was playing upon earth, which raised imaginative and heroical souls into a permanent exaltation-a "fairy-land," as they called it themselves, which seems to us fantastic, and would be fantastic in us, because we are not at their work, or in their days. There can be no doubt that a number of as noble men as ever stood together on the earth, did worship this woman, fight for her, toil for her, risk all for her, with a pure chivalrous affection which to us furnished one of the beautiful pages in all the book of history. Blots. there must needs have been, and inconsistencies, selfishnesses, follies; for they too were men of like passions with ourselves; but let us look at the fair vision as a whole, and thank God that such a thing has for once existed even imperfectly on this sinful earth, instead of playing the part of Ham, and falling under his curse; the penalty of slav ishness, cowardice, loss of noble daring, which surely falls on any generation which is "banausos," to use Aristotle's word— which rejoices in its forefathers' shame, and unable to believe in the nobleness of others, is unable to become noble itself. "I that was wont to behold her riding like Alexander, hunting like Diana, walking like Venus, the gentle wind blowing her fair hair about her pure cheeks," and so forth, in a style in which the vulturine nose must needs scent carrion, just because the roses are more fragrant than the vulturine taste should be in a world where all ought to be either vultures, or carrion for their dinners. As for his despair, had he not good reason to be in despair? By his own sin, he has hurled himself down the hill which he has so painfully climbed. He is in the Tower-surely no pleasant or hopeful place for any man. Elizabeth is exceeding wroth with him; and what is worse, he deserves what he has got. His whole fortune is ventured in an expedition over which he has no control, which has been unsuccessful in its first objeet, and may be altogether unsuccessful in that which it has undertaken as a pis-aller, and so leave him penniless. There want not, too, those who will trample on the fallen. The deputy has been cruelly distraining on his Irish tenants for a "supposed debt of his to the Queen of £400 for rent," which was indeed but fifty merks, and which was paid, and has carried off 500 milch kine from the poor settlers whom he has planted there, and forcibly thrust him out of possession of a castle. Moreover, the whole Irish estates are As for the "Alexander and Diana" affectlikely to come to ruin, for nothing prevails ations, they were the language of the time; but rascality among the English soldiers, and certainly this generation has no reason impotence among the governors, and rebel- to find fault with them, or with a good deal lion among the natives. 3000 Burkes are more of the "affectations" and "flattery" up in arms; his "prophecy of this rebel- of Elizabethan times, while it listens comlion" ten days ago was laughed at, and now placently night after night to "honourable has come true; and altogether, Walter Ra-members" complimenting not Queen Elizaleigh and all belonging to him is in as evil beth, but Sir Jabesh Windbag; Fiddle, Fadcase as was ever man on earth. No wonder, dle, Red-tape, and party, with protestations poor fellow, if he behowls himself lustily, of deepest respect and fullest confidence in But we must hasten on now; for Raleigh is out of prison in September, and by the next spring in parliament, speaking wisely and well, especially on his fixed idea, war with Spain, which he is rewarded for forthwith in Father Passon's "Andrea Philopatris Responsio," by a charge of founding a school of Atheism for the corruption of young gentlemen; a charge which Lord Chief-Justice Popham, Protestant as he is, will find it useful one day to recollect. the very speeches in which they bring accu- and will be to him, he trusts, through all sations of every offense, short of high-trea- eternity? There is no feeling in these son-to be understood, of course, in par- Elizabethan worshippers which we have not liamentary sense," as Mr. Pickwick's were seen, potential and crude, again and again in a "Pickwickian" one. If a generation of in the best and noblest of young men whom Knoxes and Mortons, Burleighs and Raleighs, we have met, till it was crushed in them by shall ever arise again, one wonders by what the luxury of effeminacy and unbelief in name they will call the parliamentary mo- chivalry, which is the sure accompaniment rality, and parliamentary courtesy of a gen- of a long peace; which war may burn up eration which has meted out such measure with beneficent fire; which, to judge by the to their antitypes' failings? unexpected heroisms and chivalries of the "But Queen Elizabeth was an old woman last six months, it is burning up already. then." We thank the objector even for that "then;" for it is much now-a-days to find any one who believes that Queen Elizabeth was ever young, or who does not talk of her as if she was born about seventy years of age, covered with rouge and wrinkles. We will undertake to say, that as to the beauty of this woman there is a greater mass of testimony, and from the very best judges too, than there is of the beauty of any personage in history; and yet it has become the fashion now to deny even that. Elizabeth, however, now that he has marThe plain facts seem, that she was very ried the fair Throgmorton, and does wisely graceful, active, accomplished in all out- in other matters, restores him to favour. If ward matters, of a perfect figure, and of he has sinned, he has suffered but he is as that style of intellectual beauty, depending useful as ever, now that his senses have reon expression, which attracted (and we trust always will attract) Britons, far more than that merely sensuous loveliness in which no doubt Mary Stuart far surpassed her. And there seems little doubt, that like many Englishwomen, she retained her beauty to a very late period in life, not to mention that she was, in 1592, just at that age of rejuvenescence which makes many a woman more lovely at sixty than she has been since she was thirty-five. No doubt, too, she used every artificial means to preserve her famous complexion; and quite right she was. This beauty of hers had been a talent (as all beauty is) committed to her by God; it. had been an important element in her great success; men had accepted it as what beau- Let that be as it may, all is sunshine once ty of form and expression generally is, an more. Sherborne Manor, a rich share in outward and visible sign of the inward and the great carack, a beautiful wife, a child; spiritual grace; and while the inward was what more does this man want to make him unchanged, what wonder if she tried to pre happy? Why should he not settle down serve the outward? If she was the same, upon his lees, like ninety-nine out of the why should she not try to look the same? hundred, or at least try a peaceful and easy And what blame to those who worshipped path toward more "praise and pudding!" her, if, knowing that she was the same, they The world answers, or his biographers antoo should fancy that she looked the same swer for him, that he needs to reinstate --the Elizabeth of their youth, and talk as himself in his mistress's affection; which is if the fair flesh, as well as the fair spirit, true or not, according as we take it. was immortal? Does not every loving they mean thereby, as most seem to mean, husband do so, when he forgets the grey that it was a mere selfish and ambitious hair and the sunken cheek, and all the scheme by which to wriggle into court fawastes of time, and sees the partner of vour once more-why, let them mean it: many joys and sorrows not as she has be- we shall only observe, that the method come, but as she was, ay, and is to him, which Raleigh took was a rather more dan turned to him, and he is making good speeches in parliament, instead of bad ones to weak maidens; and we find him once more in favour, and possessor of Sherborne Manor, where he builds and beautifies, with "groves and gardens of much variety and great delight." And God, too, seems to have forgiven him; perhaps has forgiven; for there the fair Throgmorton brings him a noble boy. "Ut sis vitalis metuo, puer!" Raleigh will quote David's example one day, not wisely or well. Does David's example ever cross him now, and these sad words,-"The Lord hath put away thy sin, nevertheless the child that is born unto thee shall die ?" If "I could not love thee, dear, so much, gerous and self-sacrificing one than courtiers So Raleigh hits upon a noble project; a are wont to take. But if it be meant that desperate one, true; but he will do it or Walter Raleigh spoke somewhat thus with die. He will leave pleasant Sherborne, and himself, "I have done a base and dirty the bosom of the beautiful bride, and the deed, and have been punished for it. I first-born son; and all which to most makes have hurt the good name of a sweet woman life worth having, and which Raleigh enjoys who loves me, and whom I find to be a trea- more intensely, (for he is a poet, and a man sure; and God, instead of punishing me by of strong nervous passions withal), than taking her from me, has rendered me good most men. But,— for evil by giving her to me. I have justly offended a mistress whom I worship, and who, after having shown her just indignation, has returned me good for evil by giving me these fair lands of Sherborne, and only And he will go forth to endure heat, hunger, forbid me her presence till the scandal has fever, danger of death in battle, danger of passed away. She sees, and rewards my the Inquisition, rack and stake, in search of good in spite of my evil; and I, too, know El Dorado. What so strange in that? that I am better than I have seemed: that We have known half-a-dozen men who, in I am fit for nobler deeds than seducing his case, and conscious of his powers, would maids of honour. How can I prove that? have done the same from the same noble How can I redeem my lost name for patriot- motive. ism and public daring? How can I win glory for my wife, seek that men shall forget her past shame in the thought, 'She is Walter Raleigh's wife? How can I shew my mistress that I loved her all along, that I acknowledge her bounty, her mingled justice and mercy? How can I render to God for all the benefits which he has done unto me? How can I do a deed the like of which was never done in England?" He begins prudently; and sends a Devonshire man, Captain Whiddon, (probably one of the Whiddons of beautiful Chagford), to spy out the Orinoco. He finds that the Spaniards are there already; that Berreo, who has attempted El Dorado from the westward, starting from New Grenada and going down the rivers, is trying to settle on the Orinoco mouth; that he is hanging the poor natives, encouraging the Caribs to hunt them and sell them for slaves, imprisoning the Caciques to extort their gold, torturing, ravishing, kidnapping, and conducting himself as was usual among Spaniards of those days. If all this had passed through Walter Raleigh's mind, what could we say of it, but that it was the natural and rational feeling of an honourable and right-hearted man, burning to rise to the level which he knew ought to be his, because he knew that he Raleigh's spirit is stirred within him. had fallen below it? And what right better If "Uncle Tom's Cabin" excites our just way of testifying these feelings than to do wrath, how must the history of such what, as we shall see, Raleigh did? What things have excited Raleigh's, as he rememright have we to impute to him lower mo- bered that these Spaniards are as yet tritives than these, while we confess that these umphant in iniquity, and as he rememrighteous and noble motives would have bered, too, that these same men are the been natural and rational; indeed, just sworn foes of England, her liberty, her what we flatter ourselves that we should Bible, and her queen? What a deed, to be have felt in his place? Of course, in his beforehand with them for once! To disgrand scheme, the thought came in, "And I possess them of one corner of that western shall win to myself honour, and glory, and world, where they have left no trace but wealth," of course. And pray, sir, does it blood and flame! He will go himself: he not come in in your grand schemes; and will find El Dorado and its golden Empeyours; and yours? If you made a fortune ror; and, instead of conquering, plunderto-morrow by some wisely and benevolent- ing, and murdering him, as Cortez did Monly managed factory, would you forbid all tezuma, and Pizarro Atakuallpa, he will speech of the said wisdom and benevolence, shew him English strength, espouse his because you had intended that wisdom and quarrel against the Spaniards; make him benevolence should pay you a good per- glad to become Queen Elizabeth's vassal centage? Are Price's Patent Candle Com- tributary, leave him perhaps a body guard pany the less honourable and worthy men, of English veterans, perhaps colonize his because their righteousness has proved to be a good investment? Away with cant, and let him that is without sin among you cast the first stone. country, and so at once avenge and protect the oppressed Indians, and fill the Queen's treasury with the riches of a land equal, if not superior, to Peru and Mexico. and in ferocity all that has been reported of the Orinocan viragos, and thus prove once more, that truth is stranger than fiction. Such is his dream; vague, perhaps; but About the Amazons, Raleigh told what he far less vague than those with which Cortez was told; what the Spaniards who went and Pizarro started, and succeeded. After a before him, and Condamine who came after careful survey of the whole matter, we give him, were told; Humboldt thinks the story it as our deliberate opinion, that Raleigh was possibly founded on fact; and we are ready more reasonable in his attempt, and had to say, that after reviewing all that has been more fair evidence of its feasibility, than said thereon, it does seem to us the simplest either Cortez or Pizarro had for theirs. It solution of the matter just to believe it true; is a bold assertion. If any reader doubts to believe that there was, about his time, or its truth, he cannot do better than to read a little before, somewhere about the upper the whole of the documents connected with Orinoco, a warlike community of women, the two successful, and the one unsuccess- (Humboldt shews how likely such would be ful, attempts, at finding a golden kingdom. to spring up, where women flee from their Let them read first Prescott's Conquests at male tyrants into the forests.) As for the Mexico and Peru, and then Schomburgk's fable which connected them with the lake. edition of Raleigh's Guiana. They will at Manoa, and the city of El Dorado, we can least confess when they have finished, that only answer, "if not true there and then, it truth is stranger than fiction. is true elsewhere now;" for the Amazonian Of Raleigh's credulity in believing in El guards of the King of Dahomey at this Dorado, much has been said. We are sorry moment, as all know, surpass in strangeness to find even so wise a man as Sir Richard Schomburgk, after bearing good testimony to Raleigh's wonderful accuracy about all matters which he had an opportunity of ob- Beside ; and here we stand stubborn, reserving, using this term of credulity. We gardless of gibes and sneers: it is not yet will do battle on that point even with Sir proven that there was not in the sixteenth Richard, and ask by what right the word is century, some rich and civilized kingdom used? First, Raleigh says nothing about like Peru or Mexico, in the interior of South El Dorado, (as every one is forced to con- America. Sir Richard Schomburgk has disfess,) but what Spaniard on Spaniard had proved the existence of Lake Parima: but been saying for fifty years. So the blame it will take a long time, and more explorers of credulity ought to rest with the Span- than one, to prove that there are no ruins of iards, from Philip von Huten, Orellana, ancient cities, such as Stephens stumbled on George of Spires, upward to Berreo. But in Yucatan, still buried in the depths of the it rests really with no one. For nothing, forests. Fifty years of ruin would suffice to if we will examine the documents, is told of wrap them in a leafy veil which would hide the riches of El Dorado which had not been them from every one who did not literally found to be true, and seen by the eyes of run against them. Tribes would die out, or men still living, in Peru and Mexico. Not change place, (as the Atures, and many other one-tenth of America had been explored, great nations have done in those parts,) and and already two El Dorados had been found every traditional record of them perish graand conquered. What more rational than dually, (for it is only gradually and lately to suppose that there was a third, a fourth, that it has perished ;) while if it be asked, a fifth, in the remaining eight tenths? The What has become of the people themreports of El Dorado among the savages selves? the answer is, that when any race, were just of the same kind as those by (like most of the American races in the sixwhich Cortez and Pizarro hunted out Mexi- teenth century,) is in a dying state, it hardly co and Peru, saving that they were far more needs war to thin it down, and reduce the widely spread, and confirmed by a succes- remnant to savagery. Greater nations than sion of adventurers. We entreat readers El Dorado was even supposed to be have vanto examine this matter, in Raleigh, Schom- ished ere now, and left not a trace behind ; burgk, Humboldt, and Condamine, and and so may they. But enough of this. We judge for themselves. As for Hume's accu- leave the quarrel to that honest and patient sations, one passes them by as equally silly warder of tourneys, Old Time, who will and shameless, only saying for the benefit surely do right at last, and go on to the dogof readers, that they have been refuted completely, by every one who has written since Hume's days: and to those who are induced to laugh at Raleigh for believing in Amazons, and men whose heads do grow beneath their shoulders," we can only answer thus. headed worthies, without necks, and long hair hanging down behind, who, as a cacique told Raleigh, that "they had of late years slain many hundreds of his father's people," and in whom even Humboldt was not always allowed (he says) to disbelieve, (so much for Hume's scoff at Raleigh as a liar,) one old dthey were, in the skins of the ing bacon," (an old trick of the Conquista dores,) to make them discover their gold. He tells them that he was cacique boasting to him that he had seen rainy season drawing on, he returns, beloved them with his own eyes. Humboldt's ex- and honoured by all the Indians, boasting planation is, that the Caribs, being the clever- that, during the whole time he was there, no est and strongest Indians, are also the most woman was the worse for any man of his imaginative, and therefore, being fallen child- crew. Altogether, we know few episodes of ren of Adam, the greatest liars, and that they history, so noble, righteous, and merciful, as invented both El Dorado and the dog-heads this Guiana voyage. But he has not forgotout of pure wickedness. Be it so. But all ten the Spaniards. At Trinidad he attacks lies crystallize round some nucleus of truth; and destroys (at the entreaty of the oppressed and it really seems to us nothing very won- Indians) the new town of San José, takes derful, if the story should be on the whole Berreo prisoner, and delivers from captivity true, and that these worthies were in the five caciques, whom Berreo kept bound in habit of dressing themselves up, like foolish one chain, "basting their bodies with burnsavages Aguara dog, with what not of stuffing, and tails, and so forth, in order to astonish the 66 the servant of a weak minds of the Caribs, just as the Red queen who was the greatest cacique of the Indians dress up in their feasts as bears, north, and a virgin; who had more caciqui wolves, and deer, with fox tails, false bustles under her than there were trees on that of bison skin, and so forth. There are plen-island; that she was an enemy of the Casty of traces of such foolish attempts at play-tellani (Spaniards) in behalf of their tyranny ing "bogy" in the history of savages even of and oppression, and that she delivered all our own Teutonic forefathers; and this we such nations about her as were by them opsuspect to be the simple explanation of the pressed, and having freed all the coast of the whole mare's nest. As for Raleigh being a northern world from their servitude, had fool for believing it; the reasons he gives sent me to free them also, and withal to defor believing it are very rational; the rea- fend the country of Guiana from their insons Hume gives for calling him a fool rest vasion and conquest." After which perfectly merely on the story's being strange; on true and rational speech, he subjoins, (as we which grounds one might disbelieve most think equally honestly and rationally,) "I matters in heaven and earth, from one's own shewed them her majesty's picture, which existence to what one sees in every drop of they so admired and honoured, as it had water under the microscope, yea, to the been easy to have brought them idolators growth of every seed. The only sound thereof."" proof that dog-headed men are impossible, This is one of the stock-charges against is to be found in comparative anatomy, a Raleigh, at which all biographers (except science of which Hume knew no more than quiet, sensible Oldys, who, dull as he is, is Raleigh, and which for one marvel it has far more fair and rational than most of his destroyed, has revealed a hundred. We do successors) break into virtuous shrieks of not doubt, that if Raleigh had seen and de-"flattery,' 95.66 99.66 'meanness," "adulation," courscribed a kangaroo, especially its all but tiership," and so forth. Mr. Napier must miraculous process of gestation, Hume say a witty thing for once, and is of opinion I would have called that a lie also: but we that the Indians would have admired far will waste no more time in proving that no more the picture of a "red monkey." Sir man is so credulous as the unbeliever the Richard Schomburgk (unfortunately for the man who has such mighty and world-embrace red monkey theory,) though he quite agrees ing faith in himself, that he makes his own that Raleigh's flattery was very shocking, little brain the measure of the universe. Let the dead bury their dead. says, that from what he knows (and no man knows more) of Indian taste, they would He sails for Guiana. The details of his have far preferred to the portrait which voyage should be read at length. Every- Raleigh shewed them (not Mr. Napier's red where they shew the eye of a poet as well monkey, but) such a picture as that at as of a man of science. He sees enough to Hampton Court, in which Elizabeth is reexcite his hopes more wildly than ever; he presented in a fantastic dress. Raleigh, it goes hundreds of miles up the Orinoco in an seems, must be made out a rogue at all open boat, suffering every misery: but keep-risks, though by the most opposite charges. ing up the hearts of his men, who cry out, Mr. Napier is answered, however, by Sir Let us go on, we care not how far." He Richard, and Sir Richard is answered, we makes friendship with the caciques, and en- think, by the plain fact, that, of course, Raters into alliance with them on behalf of leigh's portrait was exactly such a one as Queen Elizabeth against the Spaniards. Un- Sir Richard says they would have admired: able to pass the falls of the Caroli, and the a picture probably in a tawdry frame, repreD--22 VOL. XXIII. |