our forte, as they were solicited by the King of Paspahegh, who shewed at our forte great signes of sorrow for this mischance. . I desired he 11 would send a messenger to Paspahegh, 12 with a letter I would write, by which they shold understand how kindly they used me, and that I was wel, least they should revenge my death: this he granted, and sent three men in such weather, as in reason were unpossible, by any naked to be indured. Their cruell mindes towards the fort I had deverted in describing the ordnances and the mines in the fields, as also the revenge Captain Newport would take of them, at his return; their intent, I incerted the fort, the people of Ocanahonum and the back sea: 13 this report they after found divers Indians that confirmed. The next day after my letter, came a salvage to my lodging, with his sword to have slaine me, but being by my guard intercepted, with a bowe and arrow he offred to have effected his purpose: the cause I knew not til the King understanding thereof came and told me of a man dying, wounded with my pistoll: he told me also of another I had slayne, yet the most concealed they had any hurte: this was the father of him I had slayne, whose fury to prevent, the King presently conducted me to another Kingdome, upon the top of the next northerly river, called Youghtanan. . . . Arriving at Weramocomoco,1 their Emperour proudly lying uppon a Bedstead a foote high upon tenne or twelve Mattes, richly hung with many chaynes of great Pearls about his necke, and covered with a great covering of Rahaughcums: 15 at his heade sat a woman, at his feete another, on each side sitting uppon a Matte uppon the ground were raunged his chiefe men on each side the fire, tenne in a rank, and behinde them as many young women, each a great chaine of white beades over their shoulders: their heades painted in redde, and with such a grave majesticall countenance, as drave me into admiration to see such state in a naked salvage, hee kindly welcomed me with good wordes, and great platters of sundrie victuals, assuring me his friendship, and my libertie within foure dayes. NOTES TO CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH A FEW suggestions are here made to guide the student in the study of the following selections in prose. Suggestions for the study of poetry will be found under "Notes to Bryant." 1. Ascertain the circumstances under which the work in hand was written, and the purpose it was intended to subserve. How was the material obtained? Is it fact or fiction ? An acquaintance with the author's life will be helpful in answering these and other questions. 2. All discourse may be divided into four generic classes, namely: description, narration, exposition, and argumentation. Though frequently united in the same paragraph, they may generally be distinguished. In the following selections, point out what is descriptive, narrative, expository, and argumentative. 3. Sentences vary in diction, length, and form. Every author has his prevailing or characteristic type of sentence. Determine the percentage of AngloSaxon and Latin words, and also the average length of the sentences. Ascertain also the proportion of loose, balanced, and periodic sentences. The results will afford a basis of interesting comparison between the different authors. 4. The personality of the author is reflected in his work. Determine his mood or spirit in writing. Is he grave, pathetic, humorous? Is his style formal and dignified, or easy and colloquial? Does imagination, feeling, or reason predominate in his work? What idea of his character would you form from his writing? 5. The foregoing points of investigation are not an end in themselves, but merely preliminary to an intelligent perusal of an author. It is only when the facts indicated are clearly ascertained that we can enter into full sympathy with him, or form a correct judgment of his work. This extract is taken from "A True Relation of such Occurrences and Accidents of Noate as hath Hapned in Virginia, since the First Planting of that Collony, which is now resident in the South Part thereof, till the last Returne from thence." It is the earliest history of the settlement at Jamestown, and the beginning of American literature. It covers the brief period between April 26, 1607, and June 2, 1608. It was printed in London in small quarto form. There are eight copies of the original edition in America. An inaccurate reprint appeared in the Southern Literary Messenger, February, 1845. An edition was edited by Mr. Deane in Boston in 1866. The substance of the "True Relation" is reproduced in the "Generall Historie of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles " (the third book), which was written in 1624. The style of the " Generall Historie" is more elevated and flowing; and the lapse of sixteen years has served to give to the nar rative something of the enchantment that distance lends to the view. While it is not necessary, perhaps, to believe in the fabrication of new matter, it is certainly true that the "Generall Historie " contains interesting statements not found in the "True Relation.' The romantic story of Pocahontas, for example, is found only in the former; and its absence from the "True Relation" has been regarded by some recent critics as pretty conclusive proof that the incident was a happy afterthought. Except the punctuation and the use of capital letters, which it was thought better not to follow closely, the extract given for study is a reproduction of the original, and will therefore serve as a specimen of English prose at the beginning of the seventeenth century. As will be noticed, there is a considerable lack of uniformity in the spelling. This is attributable less to Smith's carelessness or ignorance than to the unfixed state of the English language. When he wrote the "True Relation," no dictionary of the language had yet appeared, the first being published in 1623. 1. Ye river. The letter y in ye is used for the Anglo-Saxon character representing the sound th, and in the Middle Ages, as well as at the beginning of the seventeenth century, had the same sound. Smith uses both forms of the definite article, ye and the. The river in question is the Chickahominy, which, in the "True Relation," appears as Checka Hamania, and in the "Generall Historie" as the Chickahamania. 2. Osey = oozy. A. S. wos; the word has lost its initial w. 3. All the places named in the narrative are given in Smith's well-known map of Virginia. Considering the difficulties attending his explorations, the accuracy of his map is remarkable. 4. Boughts = bends, turnings. Also spelled bout. In Milton we find: But in Spenser, speaking of the Monster Error: = – L'Allegro, 139. Yet was in knots and many boughtes upwound.” — Faery Queene, I. xv. 5. Light lighted. "About the beginning of the reign of Henry VII the hand-gun was improved by the addition of a cock, which was brought down by a trigger to a pan at the side of the barrel; this cock held a match which ignited a priming in the pan, the priming communicating with the charge by a small hole." This was the matchlock, and continued in use till the middle of the seventeenth century, when it was replaced by the flintlock. = "with his garters," as stated in the "Generall Historie." 6. In a garter 8. Hinde = = servant. The d is excrescent; from A. S. hina, a domestic. 9. In the "Generall Historie" we have the following version, which is given to show the difference of style between the two works: "Then finding the Captaine, as is said, that used the salvage that was his guide as his sheld, (three of them being slaine and divers other so gauld,) all the rest would not come neere him. Thinking thus to have returned to his boat, regarding them, as he marched, more then his way, slipped up to the middle in an oasie creeke, and his salvage with him, yet durst they not come to him till being neere dead with cold, he threw away his armes. Then according to their composition they drew him forth and led him to the fire, where his men were slaine. Diligently they chafed his benummed limbs. He demanding for their Captaine, they shewed him Opechankanough, King of Pamaunkee, to whom he gave a round ivory double compass dyall. Much they marvailed at the playing of the fly and needle, which they could see so plainely, and yet not touch it, because of the glasse that covered them. But when he demonstrated by that globe-like jewell the roundnesse of the earth, and skies, the spheare of the sunne, moone, and starres, and how the sunne did chase the night round about the world continually; the greatnesse of the land and see, the diversitie of nations, varietie of complexions, and how we were to them Antipodes, and many other such like matters, they all stood as amazed with admiration. Notwithstanding, within an houre after they tyed him to a tree, and as many as could stand about him prepared to shoot him, but the King holding up the compass in his hand, they all laid downe their bowes and arrows, and in a triumphant manner led him to Orapaks, where he was after their manner kindly feasted and well used.” At the time of this occurrence, Smith had been in Virginia about eight months. Considering, then, his very slender attainments in the Indian language, we may well doubt whether he succeeded, in an hour, in making his astronomy, geography, and ethnography very intelligible to his savage auditors. 10. Points = “A tagged lace, used to tie together certain parts of the dress." - WEBSTER. 12. "Yet according to his request they went to James Towne.” —Generall Historie. 13. This refers to information given by Opechancanough. "The Kinge tooke greate delight in understanding the manner of our ships and sayling the seas, and of our God; what he knew of the dominions he spared not to acquaint me with, as of certaine men cloathed at a place called Ocanahonan, cloathed like me, the course of our river, and that within four or five daies journey of the falles was a great turning of salt water." 14. Situated on York river, about twelve miles from Jamestown. 15. In the "Generall Historie" spelled Rarowcun = raccoon. The etymology of raccoon in Webster and Skeat fails to give the Indian origin of the word; it is found, however, in "The Century Dictionary" and "The Standard Dictionary." II SELECTION FROM COTTON MATHER MAGNALIA CHRISTI: CHAPTER II PRIMORDIA;1 OR, THE VOYAGE TO NEW ENGLAND, WHICH PRODUCED THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF NEW PLYMOUTH; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF MANY REMARKABLE AND MEMORABLE PROVIDENCES RELATING TO THAT VOYAGE § 1. A NUMBER of devout and serious Christians in the English nation, finding the Reformation of the Church 2 in that nation, according to the WORD OF GOD,3 and the design of many among the first Reformers, to labour under a sort of hopeless retardation; they did, Anno 1602, in the north of England,5 enter into a COVENANT, wherein expressing themselves desirous, not only to attend the worship of our Lord Jesus Christ, with a freedom from humane 6 inventions and additions, but also to enjoy all the Evangelical Institutions of that worship, they did like those Macedonians, that are therefore by the Apostle Paul commended, "give themselves up, first unto God, and then to one another." 8 These pious people finding that their brethren and neighbors in the Church of England, as then established by law, took offense at these their endeavors after a scriptural reformation; and being loth to live in the continual vexations which they felt arising from their non-conformity to things which their consciences accounted superstitious and unwarrantable, they peaceably and willingly embraced a banishment into the Netherlands; where they settled at the city of Leyden,10 about seven or eight years after their first combination. And now in that city this people " sojourned, an holy CHURCH of the blessed JESUS, for several years under the pastoral care of Mr. John Robinson,12 who had for his help in the government of the Church, a most wise, grave, good man, Mr. William Brewster,13 the ruling elder. Indeed, Mr. John Robinson had been in his younger time (as very good fruit hath sometimes been, before age hath ripened it) soured with 11 |