his marriage, he spent some time in a sort of it draweth on more and greater demaunds. This exile in France, accompanying Secretary Cecil which now presseth is to request your Lordship at the time of the negotiation of the treaty of in all you can to be good to the poore players of Vervins. In 1601 the Earl of Southampton was the Black Fryers, who call themselves by auimplicated with Essex in a conspiracy to seize thoritie the Servants of his Majestie, and aske the person of Queen Elizabeth. While Essex, for the protection of their most graceous Maister for the treasonable temerity of this hair-brained and Sovereigne in this the tyme of their troble. attempt, lost his life on the scaffold, Southamp-They are threatened by the Lord Maior and Alton suffered the penalties of attainder during the dermen of London, never friendly to their callQueen's life. However, upon the accession of ing, with the destruction of their meanes of liveJames, he was released from confinement, his lyhood, by the putting downe of their plaie-house, attainder was reversed, and his title and estates which is a private theatre, and hath never given restored to him. There appears to have been occasion of anger by anie disorders. These beara very close intimacy and devoted friendship ers are two of the chiefe of the companie; one between this nobleman and Shakspeare. It is of them by name Richard Burbidge, who humsaid that the Earl at one time made the poet blie sueth for your Lordship's kinde helpe, for the munificent present of £1,000. Some, how-that he is a man famous as our English Roscius, ever, have refused to credit that so large a one who fitteth the action to the word and the sum was given, and have supposed that it was probably no more than a loan. On the other hand, however, it is alleged that the Earl was liberal to an extravagant degree, in so much as eventually to prove the ruin of his private fortune, and it is suggested that the sum of £10,000 has been given by an English nobleman in modern times to a celebrated actor. Whatever may have been the real character of the pecuniary the Companie, now a sharer in the same and favor shown by Southampton to Shakspeare, whether a donation or a loan, it probably took place not long after the latter came to reside at London, for it is certain that he was then poor, and yet we find that in two years he became a share-holder in theatrical stock, and it is quite improbable that he could in so short a period have acquired money for this purpose from the profits of his acting.

word to the action most admirably. By the exercise of his qualitye, industry and good behaviour, he hath become possessed of the Black Fryers playhouse which hath bene imployed for players sithence it was builded by his Father now nere 50 yeres agone. The other is a man no whitt lesse deserving favor and my especiall friende, till of late an actor of good account in

*

writer of some of our best English playes, which, as your Lordship knoweth, were most singularly liked of Queen Elizabeth, when the Companie was called upon to performe before her Ma'tie at Court, at Christmas and Shrovetide. His most gracious Ma'tie King James alsoe, since his coming to the Crowne, hath extended his royall favour to the Companie in divers waies and at sundrie tymes. This other hath to name William Shakespeare, and they are both of one countie and indeed almost of one towne; both are right famous in their qualityes, though it longeth not to your Lo. gravitie and wisedom to resort unto the places where they are wont to deTheir trust and sute

wives and families, (being both married and of good reputations,) as well as the widowes and orphanes of some of their dead fellowes.

Shakspeare, according to some, retired from the stage before 1605; according to others, and more probably, it was not till 1607 or 1608. How ever, it is certain that he was after 1608, a candidate for the place of "master of the revels"but he did not receive the appointment. The light the publique care. following letter, written by the Earl of South- nowe is, not to be molested in their waye of life ampton, about 1608, to Lord Chancellor Elles- whereby they maintaine themselves and their mere, has been discovered of late years among the MSS. of that nobleman, preserved at Bridgewater House, and is taken from a work entitled "New Facts relating to the life of Shakspeare," prefixed to the Boston edition, 1847, of his draH. S. matic works. The interest of this letter is enShould we in our fancy accompany this couhanced to Virginians, by the consideration, that ple of "poore players of the Black Fryers," the the writer was not only the patron of Shaks- one "a man famous as our English Roscius," peare, but also afterwards of Virginia. "My the other who "hath to name William Shakesverie honored Lord, the manie good offices I peare," the "writer of some of our best English have received at your Lordship's hands, which playes," as they repair to the presence of the ought to make me backward in asking farther Lord Chancellor and present the letter of the favors, only imbouldens me to require more in generous Earl, we cannot doubt but that the two the same kinde. Your Lordship will be warned

Your. Lo. most bounden at com.

howe hereafter you graunt me anie sute, seeing * [A mistake. It was not more than 32 years.]

66

petitioners made a strong appeal to his lordship, the starving time, &c. Smith indeed complains fitting the action to the word and the word to of his exploits and adventures having been misthe action most admirably." How short-lived represented on the stage in London. That Shaksthe fame of the actor compared with that of the peare makes few or no allusions to these incidents, writer? To how very few people in the world is because they occurred after nearly all of his comparatively is even the name of Richard Bur- plays had been composed. "The Tempest," bidge known, and what a small fraction of those however, was written several years after the landfew would have ever heard of him, had not his ing at Jamestown, and it derives its name, and a name been connected with that of the world- good many of its incidents, from a striking epirenowned Shakspeare. Yet Burbidge was in sode in the history of the Virginia Colony, the his own day at the least as distinguished as an wreck of the Sea-Adventure on the coast of Beractor, as Shakspeare was as a dramatic writer-muda island. It is an instance of the mighty Burbidge was the Garrick of his age.

witchery of genius, that a Virginian should feel The Earl of Southampton, so long the friend a sort of pride in knowing that Shakspeare had and patron of Shakspeare, survived him about selected some events connected with the early eight years. In 1618 this nobleman became a history of his country, as "good stuff to make member of the Privy Council. Brave and gen- poetry out of," and that he has done this in his erous, but haughty and impetuous, he was by no master-piece, "The Tempest," one of his latest means adapted for the court and cabinet of James, productions-a creation of his maturest intelwhere servility and base intrigue were the ordi- lect-composed after the lapse of upwards of nary stepping-stones of political advancement. twenty years from the time of the production of About the year 1619 the Earl was imprisoned what is supposed to have been his first play— through the influence of Buckingham, "whom "The Two Gentlemen of Verona," in 1591. he rebuked with some passion, for speaking often When the new charter of Virginia was obto the same thing in the house, and out of order." tained, the council and company equipped a fleet In 1620 the Earl was chosen, contrary to the to carry with the new commission, supplies of wishes of the King, Treasurer (equivalent to men and women, with provisions and other stores Governor) of the Virginia company, which of- for the colony. The following is a list of the fice he held till the charter was vacated in 1624. vessels and their commanders: the Sea-AdvenHe and Sir Edwin Sandys, the leaders, together ture or Sea-Venture, admiral Sir George Somers with the bulk of the members of the Company, with Sir Thomas Gates, and Captain Christoshared largely in the spirit of civil and religious pher Newport; the Diamond, Captain Ratcliffe freedom which was then manifesting itself so and Captain King; the Falcon, Captain Martin strongly in England. The Earl exhibited him- and Master Nelson; the Blessing, Gabriel Arself a firm opponent of the measures of the court, cher and Captain Adams; the Unity, Captain both in his place in parliament, and in his station Wood and Master Pett; the Lion, Captain Webb; of Treasurer of the Virginia Company. Hav- the Swallow, Captain Moon and Master Somers. ing gone over and taken command of an Eng-There were also in company two smaller craft, a lish regiment in the Dutch service, he died in the ketch and a pinnace. The fleet sailed from PlyNetherlands, in 1624—the year of the dissolution of the Virginia Company. He was grandson of Wriothesley, Chancellor of Edward VI., father to the excellent Treasurer Southampton, and grandfather to Rachel, Lady Russel.

Shakspeare after abandoning the stage in 1607 or 1608, about the time of the first landing at Jamestown, remained in London for some four or five years. Smith and the early colonists of Virginia had, many of them, probably witnessed the theatrical performances at the Globe or Black Fryars,* and Shakspeare was no doubt familiar with the more remarkable incidents of the first settlement of the colony-the early voyages, the first discovery, the landing, Smith's rencontres with the Indians, his rescue by Pocahontas,

mouth in May, 1609, and going contrary to instructions by the old circuitous route, via. the Canaries and the West Indies, on the 24th of July, when in latitude 30 degrees north, and as was supposed within eight days' sail of Virginia, they were caught" in the tayle of a Hericano" blowing from the North East, accompanied by a horrid darkness that continued for forty-four hours. Some of the vessels lost their masts, some their sails blown from the yards, "the seas over-raking our ships."

"When ratling thunder ran along the clouds, Did not the Saylers poore and Masters proud A terror feele, as struck with feare of God?" The admiral's ship, the Sea-Adventure, separated from the rest of the fleet, and racked by the fury of the sea, sprang a leak, and the water soon rose in the hold above two tiers of hogsheads that stood over the ballast, and the crow

"Lay her a-hold a-hold; Set her two courses." The two courses are the main sail and foresail. To lay a ship a-hold is to bring her to lie as near the wind as she can. These and other nautical orders are such as the brave old Somers, "the lamb on shore, the lion at sea," might have given when "couing the ship to keep her as upright as

"We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards."

This was probably suggested to the poet by the recorded incident of part of the crew of the Sea Venture having undertaken to drown their despair in drunkenness.

"Farewell my wife and children!
Farewell brother."

Ant. "Let's all sink with the king."
Leb. "Let's take leave of him."

had to stand up to their middles in the water and under the article how to handle a ship in a bail out with buckets, baricos and kettles. Thus storm, says :-"let us lie as trie with our main they continued bailing and pumping for three course, that is to hald the tacke aboord, the sheet days and nights without intermission, yet the wa- close aft, the boling set up, and the helm tied ter appeared rather to gain upon them than de-close aboord." Again the Boatswain says:crease, so that all hands being at length utterly exhausted, came to the desperate resolution to shut down the hatches and resign themselves to their fate, and some having "some good and comfortable waters, fetched them and dranke one to another as taking their last leaves." During all this time the aged Sir George Somers, sitting upon the quarter-deck, scarce taking time he could." to eat or to sleep, "couing the ship to keep her as upright as he could," but for which she must long ere that have foundered-at last descried land. At this time many of the unhappy crew were asleep, and when the voice of Sir George was heard announcing land, it seemed as if it was a voice from heaven and they hurried up above the hatches to look for what they scarcely could credit. And on finding the intelligence true, and that they were indeed within sight of land, although it was a coast that all men tried to avoid, yet they now spread all sail to reach it. Soon the vessel struck upon a rock, till a surge of These answer to the leave-taking of the crew the sea dashed her from thence, and so from one of the Sea-Venture. Jordan, in his pamphlet, to another, till at length fortunately she lodged says, "it is reported that this land of Bermudas, upright between two rocks as if she was in the with the islands about it, are enchanted and kept stocks. Till this, at every lurch, they had exby evil and wicked spirits," &c. Shakspeare empected death. But now, all at once, the storm ploys Prospero and Ariel to personate this fabled gives place to a calm, and the billows which, at enchantment of the island. Her task is at the each successive dash, had threatened instant des- bidding of Prospero truction, now were stilled, and quickly taking to their boats they reached the shore, distant upwards of a league, without the loss of a man out of one hundred and fifty. Their joy at an escaps so unexpected and almost miraculous, arose to the pitch of amazement. Yet their escape was not more wonderful in their eyes than their preservation after they had landed on the island. For the Spaniards had always looked upon it as more frightful than purgatory itself, and all seamen had counted it as no better than an enchanted den of Furies and Devils, the most dangerous, desolate and forlorn place in the world; instead of which it turned out to be healthful, fertile and charming. The wreck of the Sea-Adventure suggested to Shakspeare several incidents in the plot of “ The Tempest," and several passages of this play were evidently taken from the contemporary accounts of that disaster, as published by Jordan and by the council of the Virginia Company.

"Boatswain down with the top-most, yare

lower, lower, bring her to try with the main course."

Captain Smith in his Sea Grammar 1627, 4to, * 'Couing,' qu. conning.

"To fly,

To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride

On the curled clouds."

thus described by Ariel:
The tempest in which the ship was wrecked is

“ I boarded the king's ship; now on the beak,
Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin

I flamed amazement; sometimes I'd divide
And burn in many places; on the top-mast,
The yards and bowsprit would I flame distinctly;
Then meet and join; Jove's lightnings the precursors
Of the dreadful thunder-claps-more momentary
And sight-outrunning were not; the fire and cracks
Of sulphurous roaring, the most mighty Neptune
Seemed to besiege, and make his bold waves tremble-
Yea his dread trident shake."

Again:

"Not a soul

But felt a fever of the mad and played
Some tricks of desperation."

The almost miraculous escape of all from the very jaws of impending death, is thus alluded to by Ariel in her report to Prospero :

"Not a hair perished, On their sustaining garments not a blemish,

stances of the Sea-Adventure's wreck, in the The "Universal Yankee Nation,"-West Point composition of "The Tempest."

Is it the "manifest destiny" of the Anglo-Saxon the admirable qualifications of our officers, berace to "ride the whirlwind and direct the lieving that in military affairs, as well as most storm?" or is it an acquired taste for feverish others, science and art must vindicate their utiliexcitement that pervades our youth and impels ty, not to say necessity. them to seek adventure by flood and field? Whatever the cause, the fact is positive, that education very rarely, in our country, determines the bent of the man. Relieved from schools and paternal restraint, our young men now-a-days disdain the plodding pursuits of their ancestors and are eager to plunge into the turmoils of political, military, or naval life; or if debarred access to these professions, they wander about the world in search of something as unattainable as the philosopher's stone, or perhaps as irrational.

We are the "universal Yankee nation"-at home or abroad the variety is infinite. We have furnished and we can furnish philosophers, artists, engineers, mechanics, &c., &c., to Europe and South America. We send missionaries and merchants to the East Indies, and have planted a colony upon the coast of Africa.

We supply the natives of the South Seas with "notions," and our whalers are found in every sea upon the globe.

With us, science, the fine arts, commerce, manufactures, all save agriculture, have their votaries. The cultivation of the earth is too dull for our "go-ahead people." Nevertheless, there are in many portions of our country what are termed "retired gentlemen," who not only write articles for the "renovation of exhausted lands," but devote their energies and means to the dull pursuits of agriculture.

But the enthusiasm of our people has recently taken a military bias, and whether an obliquity, or the natural result of circumstances, remains to be seen. Our next Congress will have a fieldofficer upon each committee, and "generals" will supersede "honorables."

II.

Certainly no institution in our country, and few, if any, in Europe, has done so much to disseminate useful knowledge in so brief a period as the academy at West Point. Its élèves are ushered into the world with an education, to say the least, which is a most substantial foundation for the prosecution of any of the scientific pursuits. Of late years it has become more practical and perhaps more strictly military, but it has lost none of that thorough character instituted by its illustrious author.*

The graduates of that institution are scattered over the length and breadth of the country, and wherever found, in professional or civil pursuits, they are known as "reliable men."

Indeed, the universities of every State and the great works of Internal Improvement throughout the land, attest the value of the graduates of West Point. Nor are these gentlemen less distinguished by their decorum in private life. But we are about to show, without disparagement to others, that the conduct and result of the war in Mexico, is mainly to be ascribed to the system of organization and discipline introduced and carried out by the staff of the army.

We think the fate of Mexico was sealed by the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. Perhaps no general ever commanded a more effective force of the same numbers than the twentyone hundred men under General Taylor, in the opening of the campaign.

The officers of this column were the very men for the emergency, and the long camp at Corpus Christi had furnished ample time to perfect the drill and discipline. Hence it was that they were enabled to endure the severest trial that troops can experience, inactivity under a cannonade, and that too in the commencement of a cam

III.

A proper history of the recent military opera-paign. This had its influence upon the enemy, tions against Mexico would be the best eulogium and the prestige inspired by the two first battles upon the army. Without the usual reference to was potential in every subsequent combat. battles, wherein prodigies of valor and skill were The results of this war may furnish the subso conspicuous, it will suffice for the present to ject of another chapter-this much we may add, remark upon the extraordinary facility with which it has revealed to the nation a class of men of masses of undisciplined militia were suddenly whom previously it was comparatively ignorant. converted into steady and effective forces. The matter is explained to the minds of some in the excellence of the materiel used, as if the stand- Engineers have confirmed the reports of travard of soldiership, so far as the physical man is ellers as to the practicability of oceanic commuconcerned, is more easily attainable in this coun-nication through Central America. They agree try than elsewhere; others, who care not for the that a ship canal can be constructed through "thews and sinews," think the "spirit of the three different sections of the great Isthmus. man" more generally infused into our population The first from Panama to the Chagres river, than any other of the universe. A third class, with more discrimination, ascribe our success to

Lt. Col. Thayer, corps of Engineers.