properly speaking, his only literary production,-Precepts or Directions for the Well Ordering and Carriage of a Man's Life. These precepts were addressed to his son, Robert Cecil, afterward Earl of Salisbury; and a few of them are here subjoined:

CHOICE OF A WIFE.

When it shall please God to bring thee to man's estate, use great providence and circumspection in choosing thy wife. For from thence will spring all thy future good or evil. And it is an action of life, like unto a stratagem of war; wherein a man can err but once. If thy estate be good, match near home and at leisure; if weak, far off and quickly. Inquire diligently of her disposition, and how her parents have been inclined in their youth. Let her not be poor, how generous soever. For a man can buy nothing in the market with gentility. Nor choose a base and uncomely creature altogether for wealth; for it will cause contempt in others, and loathing in thee. Neither make choice of a dwarf, or a fool; for, by the one thou shalt beget a race of pigmies; the other will be thy continual disgrace, and it will yirke thee to hear her talk. For thou shalt find it, to thy great grief, that there is nothing more fulsome than a she-fool.

DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

And touching the guiding of thy house, let thy hospitality be moderate, and, according to the means of thy estate, rather plentiful than sparing, but not costly. For I never knew any man grow poor by keeping an orderly table. But some consume themselves through secret vices, and their hospitality bears the blame. But banish swinish drunkards out of thine house, which is a vice impairing health, consuming much, and makes no show. I never heard praise ascribed to the drunkard, but for the well-bearing of his drink, which is a better commendation for a brewer's horse or a drayman, than for either a gentleman or a serving-man. Beware thou spend not above three of four parts of thy revenues: nor above a third part of that in thy house. For the other two parts will do no more than defray thy extraordinaries, which always surmount the ordinary by much; otherwise thou shalt live like a rich beggar, in continual want. And the needy man can never live happily nor contentedly. For every disaster makes him ready to mortage or sell. And that gentleman, who sells an acre of land, sells an ounce of credit. For gentility, is nothing else but ancient riches. So that if the foundation shall at any time sink, the building must needs follow.

EDUCATION OF CHILDREN.

Bring thy children up in learning and obedience, yet without outward austerity. Praise them openly, reprehend them secretly. Give them good countenance and convenient maintenance according to thy ability, otherwise thy life will seem their bondage, and what portion thou shalt leave them at thy death, they will thank death for it and not thee. And I am persuaded that the foolish cockering of some parents, and the over-stern carriage of others, causeth more men and women to take ill courses, than their own vicious inclinations. Marry thy daughters in time, lest they marry themselves. And suffer not thy sons to pass the Alps; for they shall learn nothing there but pride, blasphemy, and atheism. And if by travel they get a few broken languages, that shall profit them nothing more than to have one meat served in divers dishes. Neither, by my consent, shalt thou train them up in wars; for he that sets up his rest to live by that profession, can hardly be an honest man or a good Christian. Besides, it is a science no longer in request than use; for soldiers in peace are like chimneys in summer.

1 Well-born.

SIR WALTER RALEIGH was one of the most distinguished of that brilliant constellation of great men that adorned the age of Elizabeth and James. He was of an ancient family, and was born at Hayes Farm, Devonshire, in 1552; and from his youth was distinguished by great intellectual acuteness, but still more by a restless and adventurous disposition. In 1568, he enered Oriel College, Oxford, and soon became eminent for his talents and learning; but his ambition prompted him to pursue the road to fame in an active life, and his residence at the university was, therefore, very brief. When only seventeen years of age, he became a soldier, and as a volunteer fought for the Protestant cause in the civil war of France and the Netherlands; and soon after he accompanied his half-brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, on a voyage to Newfoundland. This expedition proved unfortunate; but by familiarizing Raleigh with a maritime life, it probably had great influence in leading him to engage in those subsequent adventures by which he eventually rendered himself so famous. In 1580 he assisted in repressing the Earl of Desmond's rebellion in Ireland, in consequence of which he obtained an estate in that country, and was, for some time, governor of Cork. Having, soon after, occasion to visit London, he attached himself to the court; and with the aid of a handsome person, and winning address, contrived to insinuate himself very thoroughly into the favor of Elizabeth. A well-known anecdote of the time illustrates his gallantry and tact. On one occasion, when he was attending the queen on a walk, she came to a miry part of the road, and for a moment hesitated to proceed. Raleigh perceiving her situation, instantly pulled off his rich plush cloak, and by spreading it before her, enabled her to pass over with unsoiled feet. This mark of attention delighted the queen, from whom, as it was some time after facetiously remarked, his cloak was the means of procuring for him many a good suit.

Not satisfied with the failure of the expedition to Newfoundland, in which he had accompanied his kinsman, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, Raleigh, in 1584, again joined an adventure for the discovery and settlement of unknown countries in the west. With the help of his friends, two ships were sent out in search of gold mines, to that part of North America then known as Wingandacoa, now Virginia. The commodities returned to England by these vessels afforded such ample compensation for the toil and dangers of the voyage, that the owners were induced to fit out, the next year, a fleet of seven ships, under the command of Raleigh's kinsman, Sir Richard Grenville. The design of this second expedition was to colonize America; but the attempt proved an utter failure, and the enterprise was given up. The expedition, however, was important in one particular, as it was the means of introducing tobacco into England, and also of making known the potato, which is a native of Mexico, and was first cultivated in Europe at this time on Raleigh's estate in Ireland.

Raleigh's prosperity at court was meanwhile increasing. He was about this time knighted by the queen, and elected to Parliament from Devonshire. Elizabeth also made very considerable additions to his Irish estate,

and conferred upon him other solid marks of her favor. In return for these benefits, he zealously and actively exerted himself for the defence of her dominions against the Spaniards, in 1588; having not only been one of those patriot volunteers who sailed against the formidable Armada in the English Channel, but as a member of her majesty's council of war, contributed, by his advice and experience, to the maturing of those defensive arrangements which led to the discomfiture of the enemy. Elizabeth continued her favors to him for a long time without limit; but at length his troublesome importunities drew from her the pointed question, When, Sir Walter, will you cease to be a beggar?' to which, with his usual tact, he replied, 'When your gracious majesty ceases to be a benefactor.' With all his elevated traits of character, it must, however, be confessed that Raleigh was not, at this period of his life, strictly conscientious; and by taking bribes, and otherwise abusing his power and influence at court, he became unpopular with the nation at large, and his fortunes now began, though at first imperceptibly, to wane. Perceiving the approaching consequences of his unfair practices at court, Raleigh prepared to ward off the blow by attaching to himself the men of science and learning of the day. With this view, he set up an office of address intended to serve the purposes now effected chiefly by literary and philosophical societies. The following description of this scheme is given by Sir William Petty: 'It seems to have been a plan by which the wants and desires of all learned men might be made known to each other, where they might know what is already done in the business of learning, what is at present in doing, and what is intended to be done; to the end that by such a general communication of designs and mutual assistance, the wits and endeavours of the world may no longer be as so many scattered coals, which, having no union, are soon quenched, whereas being but laid together, they would have yielded a comfortable light and heat.' Raleigh not only devised this general plan by which to surround himself with literary men, but he also sought the particular friendship of eminent individuals. Accordingly, when on a visit to his Irish estates, he formed an acquaintance with Spenser, which soon ripened into an intimate friendship. He brought the poet over to London, introduced him to Elizabeth, and otherwise benefited him by his encouragement and patronage; in return for which favor Spenser addressed a pastoral to him entitled Colin Clout's Come Home Again, where Raleigh is celebrated under the title of the Shepherd of the Ocean.

In 1592, Raleigh engaged in one of those predatory expeditions against the enemies of England, which, in Elizabeth's reign, were very common; a fleet of thirteen ships, besides two of her majesty's men-of-war, being intrusted to his command. This armament was destined to attack Panama, and intercept the Spanish plate fleet, but, having been recalled by Elizabeth soon after it set sail, came back with a single prize. Soon after his return Raleigh incurred the deep displeasure of the queen by an amour with one of her maids of honor; in consequence of which, though he married the lady, he suffered imprisonment for some months. While in banishment

from the court, he undertook, at his own expense, in 1595, an expedition to Guiana, concerning the riches of which country many wonderful tales were then current. He, however, accomplished nothing farther than to take formal possession of it in the queen's name. The next year after his return to England he published a work entitled Discovery of the Large, Rich, and Beautiful Empire of Guiana. This was Sir Walter's first important literary production, and it seems that about the same time he published it, he regained the queen's favor; for we find him holding, in the same year, a command in the expedition against Cadiz, under the Earl of Essex, and Lord Effingham. In the successful attack on that town, his bravery, as well as his prudence, was very conspicuous. In 1597, Raleigh was rear-admiral in the expedition which sailed under Essex to intercept the Spanish West India fleet; and by capturing Fayal, one of the Azores, before the arrival of the commander-in-chief, he gave great offence to the earl, who considered himself robbed of the glory of the action. A temporary reconciliation was, however, soon effected; but Raleigh afterward heartily joined with Cecil in promoting the downfall of Essex, and was a spectator of his execution from a window in the armory.

On the accession of James the First to the English crown, Raleigh's prosperity terminated, hatred toward him having been previously instilled by Cecil into the royal ear. Through the malignant scheming of the same hypocritical minister, he was accused of conspiring to dethrone the king, and place the crown on the head of Arabella Stuart. A trial for high treason ensued, and upon the most paltry evidence conceivable he was, by a servile jury, condemned. Sir Edward Coke, who was at the time attorneygeneral, abused him on this occasion in violent and disgraceful terms, bestowing upon him freely the lowest and most offensive epithets. Raleigh defended himself with such temper, eloquence, and strength of reasoning, that some, even of his enemies, were convinced of his innocence, and all parties were ashamed of the judgment pronounced against him. He was, however, reprieved, and instead of being executed, was committed to the Tower, in which his wife was permitted to bear him company. During the twelve years of his imprisonment, he wrote most of his works, especially the History of the World, of which only a part was finished, comprehending the period from the creation to the downfall of the Macedonian empire, about one hundred and seventy years before Christ.

The learning and genius of Raleigh, who, in the language of Hume, 'being educated amid naval and military enterprises, had surpassed, in the pursuits of literature, even those of the most recluse and sedentary lives,' have excited very general admiration. The style and manner of his celebrated history are vastly superior to any of the English historical productions which had previously appeared. Its style, though partaking of the faults of the age, in being frequently stiff and inverted, has less of these defects than the diction of any other writer of the time. Tytler justly recommends it as 'vigorous, purely English, and possessing an antique rich

ness of ornament, similar to what pleases us when we see some ancient priory or stately manor-house, and compare it with our more modern mansions.'

In 1615, Raleigh was liberated from the Tower, in consequence of having projected a second expedition to Guiana, from which the king expected to receive some advantage. His purpose was to colonize the country, and work gold mines; and with this view, in 1617, a fleet of twelve armed vessels sailed under his command. The whole detail of his intended proceedings, however, were either weakly or treacherously communicated by the king to the Spanish government, by which the scheme was entirely thwarted. Returning to England, he landed at Plymouth, and on his way to London was arrested in the king's name. The projected match between Prince Charles and the Infanta of Spain occupied, just at this period, James's attention; and to propitiate the Spanish government he determined that Raleigh should be sacrificed. After many varied attempts to discover valid grounds of accusation against him, it was found necessary to proceed upon the old sentence, and Raleigh was, accordingly, beheaded on the twentyninth of October, 1618. On the scaffold his behaviour was firm and calm. After addressing the people in justification of his character and conduct, he observed to the sheriff, 'This is a sharp medicine, but a sound cure for all diseases.' Having tried how the block fitted his head, he told the executioner that he would give the signal by lifting up his hand: 'and then,' added he, 'fear not, but strike.' He laid himself down, but was requested by the executioner to alter the position of his head. So the heart be right,' was his reply, 'it is no matter which way the head lies.' On the signal being given, the executioner failed to act with promptitude, which caused Raleigh to exclaim, 'Why dost thou not strike? Strike, man!' By two strokes, which he then received without shrinking, the head of this intrepid man was severed from his body, and his earthly career thus closed. While in prison awaiting his execution, Sir Walter addressed the following tender and affectionate valedictory letter to his wife :

You shall receive, my dear wife, my last words in these my last lines; my love I send you, that you may keep when I am dead, and my counsel, that you may remember it when I am no more. I would not with my will present you sorrows, dear Bess; let them go to the grave with me, and be buried in the dust. And seeing that it is not the will of God that I shall see you any more, bear my destruction patiently, and with a heart like yourself.

First, I send you all the thanks which my heart can conceive, or my words express, for your many travails and cares for me, which, though they have not taken effect as you wished, yet my debt to you is not the less; but pay it I never shall in this world.

Secondly, I beseech you, for the love you bear me living, that you do not hide yourself many days, but by your travails seek to help my miserable fortunes, and the right of your poor child; your mourning can not avail me that am but dust.

Paylie oweth me a thousand pounds, and Aryan six hundred; in Jersey also, I have much owing me. Dear wife, I beseech you, for my soul's sake, pay all poor men.