Her Majesty, either espying or being shown it, did under-write,

If thy heart fails thee, climb not at all.' However, he at laft climbed up by the stairs of his own defert. But his introduction into the Court bore an elder date; from this occafion. This Captain Raleigh coming out of Ireland to the English Court in good habit (his cloaths being then a confiderable part of his eftate) found the Queen walking, till, meeting with a plashy place, fhe feemed to fcruple going thereon. Presently Raleigh caft and fpred his new plush cloak on the ground; whereon the Queen trod gently, rewarding him afterwards with many fuits, for his so free and seasonable tender of fo fair a foot-cloath. Thus an advantagious admiffion into the firft notice of a prince is more than half a degree to preferment.

"It is reported of the women in the Balear Islands that, to make their fons expert Archers, they will not, when children, give them their breakfast before they had hit the mark. Such the dealing of the Queen with this knight, making him to earn his honour, and, by pain and peril, to purchase what places of credit or profit were bestowed upon him. Indeed it was true of him what was faid of Cato Uticenfis, that he seemed to be born to that onely which he went about;' fo dexterous was he in all his undertakings, in Court, in Camp, by Sea, by Land,

with Sword, with Pen; witneffe in the last his 'History of the World,' wherein the onely default (or defect rather) that it wanteth one half thereof. Yet had he many enemies (which worth never wanteth) at Court, his cowardly detractors, of whom Sir Walter was wont to say, 'If any man accuseth me to my face, I will anfwer him with my mouth; but my tail is good enough to return an answer to such as traduceth me behind my back.'"

Sir John Eliot, the victim of the tyranny of Charles the First, as Sir Walter Raleigh had been of his father James the Firft, found confolation in similar studies, and employed his prison hours in like labours. In his immortal Prifon- Book, "The Monarchie of Man," he thus eloquently and nobly writes of his great predeceffor:-" Shall I not add, as parallel to this, a wonder and example of our own? Such as if that old philofopher [Ramus] were yet living, without dishonour he might acknowledge, as the equal of his virtue. Take it in that-elfe unmatched--fortitude of our Raleigh! the magnanimity of his fufferings, that large chronicle of fortitude! All the preparations that are terrible prefented to his eye-guards and officers about him-fetters and chains upon him—and then the axe, and more cruel expectation of his enemies! And what did all this work on the refolution of this worthy? Made it an impreffion of weak fear? or

a diftraction of his reafon? Nothing fo little did that great foul fuffer! but gathered more strength and advantage upon either. His mind became the clearer, as if already it had been freed from the cloud and oppreffion of the body; and the trial gave an illustration to his courage, fo that it changed the affection of his enemies, and turned their joy to forrow, and all men else it filled with admiration, leaving no doubt but this, whether death were more acceptable to him, or he more inclined to death!"

ROBERT SOUTHWELL,

THE MARTYR.

His

Of all the unfortunate fons of the Muses, perhaps the most unfortunate was Robert Southwell. lot was caft in one of those troublesome periods of history when principles are held at the risk of life; and he who cannot yield obeifance, and accept those in favour with "the powers that be," must either consent to hide "his light under a bufhel," or to bear the penalty of his profcribed and prohibited. opinions. He was a Catholic when England, recently perfecuted and ftill fmarting from the wounds inflicted by Catholics, was becoming Protestant and held in abhorrence the creed under whofe domination she had suffered fo feverely. He was a Jefuit when the very name of Jesuit stunk in his country's noftrils, and they were in her fight more to be dreaded than the wolves of her primeval forefts. Perfecution had begotten perfecution, and the Catholic horrors of Mary's reign almost found their parallel in the terrible doings of Elizabeth's rule. Both were periods of ftorm and change; and the