66 was loud and long and heavy. Both sides of the Thames were strongly fortified, as it was expected that the Spaniards would attempt to attack London. At Tilbury Fort a great camp was formed, consisting of 22,000 foot and 2,000 horse, between which place and the metropolis were stationed a force of 28,000 men, commanded by Lord Hunsden. It was here that she reviewed her troops, "riding a war horse, wearing armour on her back, and carrying a marshal's truncheon in her hand," encouraging them with her presence, and exciting them to the utmost enthusiasm with her eloquent addresses. "My loving people," said she, on one occasion, we have been persuaded by some that are careful for our safety to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but, I assure you, I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear! I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and goodwill of my subjects, and therefore I am come among you at this time, not as for my recreation and sport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live or die amongst you all—to lay down for my God, for my kingdom, and for my people, my honour and my blood even, in the dust. I know that I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart of a king, and of a king of England, too; and think foul scorn that Parma, or Spain, or any prince of Europe should dare to invade the borders of my realms. To which, rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms. I myself will be your general-the judge and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field." Influenced by her example and courage, volunteers flocked to her standard by thousands, and resolved to die in its defence. The nobles and people rendered pecuniary assistance, and fitted out and armed, at their own expense, a large number of merchant ships; and thus, in course of a short time, very effective forces were raised, both on land and sea, capable to cope with any enemy. At length the Armada—which the proud Spaniards styled Invincible!-arrived in the Channel. "It comprised one hundred and thirty vessels, of all sizes, mounting two thousand four hundred and thirty-six guns," and carrying, in addition to the seamen, "twenty thousand land troops, among whom were two thousand volunteers of the noblest families in Spain." Our fleet, commanded by Admiral Drake, met and engaged them. We know the result. Aided by the elements, our ships so far destroyed this " Invincible Armada," that out of the one hundred and thirty vessels of which it was composed only fifty-three returned to Spain! On this enterprise depended, we may say, the success of the Reformation, and, we may add, Elizabeth's fate; and to her who so effectually maintained the honour of Britain and the dignity of her crown, are 66 M we indebted for this freedom from worse than the bondage of slavery-the thraldom of the Pope! These warlike measures were necessarily attended with considerable expense to the country; but Elizabeth did not oppress her people with heavy taxes to support them. She was remarkably frugal with her treasury, and even deemed it prudent to make provision for any contingencies that might have arisen; and, consequently, the evils of war were, to a great extent, counteracted, and were felt but little by the people. This gave them satisfaction, increased their admiration for the Queen, and disposed them to render her every aid that she needed. Some writers have, indeed, proceeded so far as to assert that the sound judgment and deep penetration which she displayed in the management of her finances was the principal cause of her popularity. Her conduct in this respect could but materially add to her many other excellent qualities, while it commanded the esteem of her subjects; but that it was the chief reason of her being regarded with so much favour we are inclined to doubt. However, be it so or not, we are informed that she paid those great debts which long lay upon the crown," and that she even had ample pecuniary resources at her command, which enabled her to carry out any of her projects, to aid any wise and benevolent movements, to resist or suppress anything that, in her opinion, was inconsistent with the happiness of her people. 66 66 In her The poor were the special objects of her compassion and care, and her reign is distinguished by her incessant efforts to ameliorate their condition. Pauper ubique jacet," she would often exclaim, on witnessing her destitute subjects,* numbers of whom would congregate in places where she was expected to pass to beg alms from their Queen, which she bestowed with a liberality unstinted, and a grace and condescension truly pleasing. anxiety for their welfare and comfort she devised a plan more humane and beneficial than even feeding and clothing of millions, by affording them the means, with proper industry, to feed and clothe themselves;t in furtherance of which a statute‡ was passed, the first section of which directs that the churchwardens of every parish," and fower, three, or two substanciall householders there," to be nominated yearly, "shall be called overseers of the poore of the same parishe, and they, or the greater parte of them, shall take order from tyme to tyme, by and withe the consent of two or more Justices of Peace, for settinge to worke of the children of all such whose parentes shall not, by the saide churchwardens and overseers, or the greater parte of them, bee thoughte able to keepe and maintaine theire children. And also for settinge to worke all such * Pashley's "Pauperism and Poor Laws," p. 188. † Warren's "Blackstone's Commentaries," ab. ed. 686. 43 Elizabeth, c. 2. p'sons, married or unmarried, havinge no meanes to maintaine them, as use no ordinairie and dailie trade of lief to get their livinge by; and alsoe to raise weeklie or otherwise, by taxacon of every inhabitant person, near and other, and of ev'y occupier of landes, houses, tythes, impropriate or propriac'ons of tythes, cole mines, or saleable underwoods in the saide parishe, in such competent sume and sumes of money as they shall think fytt, a convenient stocke of flaxe, hempe, wooll thread, iron, and other necessarie ware and stuffe, to set the poore on worke; and alsoe competent sumes of money for and towards the necessarie reliefe of the lame, impotente, olde, blinde, and suche other amonge them being poore and not able to worke, and also for the putting out of suche children to be apprentices, to be gathered out of the same parishe, accordinge to the abilitie of the same parishe; and to doe and execute all other thinge, as well for the disposinge of the said stocke as otherwise conc'ninge the p'misses, as to them shall seeme convenient." And as a proof of the excellency of this statute, we need only add that under its provisions all relief of the poor of England and Wales has now been administered for two centuries and a half! We do not deny that the character of Elizabeth was spotless, and our readers will not, from our preceding remarks, be led to suppose that we are of that opinion. We view her as a queena queen of the sixteenth century—an age of learning and politeness, when it was impossible to be eminent without great parts and a singular habit of virtue,* and form our judgment of her accordingly. She was not, did not pretend to be, infallible, and what few errors she committed are most trifling comparatively with her many virtues, and must be ascribed to the peculiarity of her times. In her palace she was an example to her people in their more humble spheres, while she carefully watched their interests at home and abroad. "She encouraged agriculture, by allowing a free exportation of corn; promoted trade and navigation; and so much increased the shipping of her kingdom, both by building vessels of force herself, and suggesting like undertakings to the merchants, that she was justly styled the restorer of naval glory, and the Queen of the northern seas."+ She was gifted with rare talents, was well versed in classics, and could speak many of the languages of her day. Of her learning the following lines were written in the year 1570: The Italian, French, and Spanish tongue 66 Indeed, of all the qualities suitable for a sovereign, and a sovereign of such a realm as it was her privilege to govern, she was possessed to an eminent degree. The solid judgment, immense capacity, and deep penetration which she discovered in the choice of her ministers, the management of her finances, and the administration of justice, have deservedly acquired the praise and admiration of posterity; while her prudence and vigilance, her vigour, constancy, and magnanimity, have never, perhaps, been surpassed by any monarch in ancient or modern history."* It would seem as if "Fate itself her sovereign power obeyed." On these grounds, supported as we are by such high testimony, and taking all matters into consideration, we submit, that not denying that on some few points, one or two of which "Threlkeld" has noticed in his excellent paper, her character is open to censure, we have maintained an affirmative view of this interesting question. T. W. R. * Pinnock's "Goldsmith's History of England." CONSTANTINOPLE. CONSTANTINOPLE, which has been called the "Queen of the Universe," is, like Rome and Moscow, seated upon seven hills; yet, unlike those cities, it enjoys the advantage of the refreshing ocean breezes. The Sea of Marmora washes it on one side, and an arm of the Bosphorus, called the Harbour of the Golden Horn, on the other. It is built on a promontory of triangular shape, of which the base is landward. The natural beauties of its situation are so great, that writers of history have exhausted their eloquence to describe it. It makes its best impression as approached from the sea, when terrace rises above terrace from the margin of the water, interspersed with the marked foliage of the cypress groves. 66 The new seraglio of the Sultan, with its gardens, occupies the apex of the triangle, surrounded by a wall flanked with battlements and towers, which is three miles in circumference, and has twelve gates. This wall encircles palaces and mosques, a city within a city;" from six to seven thousand persons reside within its bounds. Art has here lavished all her power to grace an abode for the "king of kings." It contains, besides apartments for the 800 ladies of the harem, chambers filled with robes, brocades, velvet, gold cloth, bridles and saddles covered with jewels, scimitars and pistols glittering with diamonds, with sub terranean vaults of treasure. The walls enclose an extensive square, where the annual caravan to Mecca still assembles, that the Ottoman Court may witness its departure. The seraglio commands an unrivalled prospect across the Bosphorus. It is opposite to Scutari, the Asiatic suburb, the Chrysophrasus, or Golden City of the ancients; so called, from the magical effect produced upon it by the setting sun. Behind it rise the mountains of Asia Minor, with Mount Olympus, snow-clad and supreme, over them all. The matchless harbour of the Golden Horn, five miles in length, yet capable of having its mouth closed by a single chain, has all the flags of Europe floating on its bosom; hundreds of "caiques," or sharp-prowed boats, plying hither and thither among them. On its further side lie the suburbs of Galata and Pera, connected with the city by a floating bridge; these are the Frank quarters, and here the ambassadors have their palaces, the rich Jewish bankers reside, and an air of European civilization is apparent. Looking from Pera across the harbour to the imperial city, with its 362 mosques, its 30 bazaars, its 300 fountains, and its 100,000 wooden houses, it often lies cut out on the clear sky, like a picture, without a curl of smoke to break the illusion. But these charms are all external. The illusion vanishes on entering the streets, which we should often call lanes, and finding an indescribable pavement, interlaced with muddy holes, and impeded by heaps of filth, which the herds of unowned dogs, always foraging, do not suffice to clear. The houses present dead walls to the passenger; they have neither name nor number, and derive their light and air from interior court-yards; many parts of the city are in ruins, from the fires that are constantly occurring, and which have been known to consume 12,000 dwellings at one time. Indeed, Constantinople is said "to be burnt to the ground, and to rise again from its ashes, about every fifteen years;" yet the sufferers rebuild without any attempt at improvement, and make no efforts to prevent a recurrence of the calamity. As you pass along, seeking some person, whom it may take you a winter's day to find,-for the streets are unnamed also,you hear behind you the sound "Au, Johnny!" and must move out of the way for a Turkish porter, with some towering burden on his back; or for two or three porters, with a pole on their shoulders, swinging casks or great cases; or, perhaps, for a string of mules, or even camels, filling up the narrow way; and, oh! the thick thronging multitude in various costumes, and speaking many languages. You must give a few piastres to a poor Jew, on the floating bridge, to be your guide and interpreter; for he knows most of the European and many Asiatic languages. He wears Turkish trousers, and a large fur caftan, with a red fez or skull-cap on his head, wound round with linen. You may know his physiognomy among all the strange |