indolent and poor in spirit to become masters. They would always be drones in the hive of an industrious colony. Nevertheless, they are not without the stamp of their Maker's image, cut in ebony (as old Fuller says) instead of ivory. They bear themselves erect, and addresss you with confidence; always with good humour, and often with grace. They are not common beggars, although they accept of our carnal things, in return for the fish and oysters, which are almost all we have left them for their support. They are the Will Wimbles of the colony; the carriers of news and fish; the gossips of the town; the loungers on the quay. They know everybody; and understand the nature of every body's business, although they have none of their own-but this. They give a locality to the land; and their honest naked simplicity affords a relief to the eye from the hypocritical lour of the yellow-clad convict. The warlike features of the tribes which surround our settlements are now quite effaced; the savages are forbidden to enter the towns with their spears, and they cheerfully comply with this requisition. They have a bowing acquaintance with everybody, and scatter their how d'ye do's with an air of friendliness and equality, and with a perfect English accent, undebased by the massas and misses and me-no's, of West Indian slavery. They have been tried to be brought up from infancy as servants; but they have always run away to the woods. Some of the Indians have seriously applied to be allowed convict-labourers, as the settlers are, although they have not patience to remain in the huts, which our government have built for them, till the maize and cabbages, that have been planted to their hands, are fit to gather. We have now lived among them more than thirty years, and yet, like the North American Indians, they have adopted none of our arts of life, with the exception of exchanging their stone hatchets and shell fish hooks for our iron ones. They will never become builders, or cultivators, or mechanics, or mariners, like the New Zealanders or the South Sea Islanders; nor indeed, till they cease to be at all, will they ever be other than they are. They are the only savages in the world who cannot feel that they are naked. Lady's Magazine. LITERARY NOTICES. No. III. MEMOIRS OF THE COURT OF KING JAMES THE FIRST. BY MISS AIKIN. James's Literary Taste. In the train of Sir Charles Percy (one of the messengers sent to announce his new dignity to the Scottish King) appeared a gentleman of the name of Davies, concerning whom the king immediately inquired whether he was the author of a poem on the immortality of the soul, entitled "Nosce, te ipsum," and being answered in the affirmative, he embraced him, and promised him his favor and protection. Few circumstances reflect more credit on the taste of the king, moral as well as literary. The work in question, which still preserves its place in collections of English poetry, deserves to be better known to the general reader, as one of the closest, the most ingenious, and at the same time the clearest pieces of reasoning ever couched in rhyme. James performed his promise to Davies, who was a lawyer as well as a poet, by appointing him his solicitor general in Ireland: and he was speedily advanced to the office of attorney general. In 1607 he was knighted; and was afterwards raised to the dig nity of Lord Chief Justice of England, but had hardly received his appointment when he was cut off by an apoplex in the year 1626, the 57th of his age. Journey of James to England, At Newark-on-Trent, James gave an omen to his reign by a strange act of despotism on a trivial occasion. A cut-purse, who had followed the court from Berwick, was here taken in the fact; and having also confessed his guilt, the king, of his own authority, and without form of trial, directed a warrant to the Recorder of Newark to have him hanged; which was executed accordingly. The Tudors, with all their tyranny, had never perpetrated so wanton an outrage on the most venerable institutions of the country-trial by jury; and men wondered what further innovations would ensue. His majesty passed on till he came within half a mile of Master Oliver Cromwell's, where met him the bailiff of Huntingdon, who made a long oration to his majesty, and there delivered him the sword, which his highness gave to the new released earl of Southampton to bear before him. His majesty passed in state to Master Oliver Cromwell's house, where his majesty and all his followers, with all comers whatsoever, had such entertainment as the like had not been seen in any place before, since his first setting forward out of Scotland. There was such plenty and variety of meats, such diversity of wines, and those not riff-ruff, but ever the best of the kind, and the cellars open at any man's pleasure. And if it were so common with wine, there is little question but the butteries for beer and ale were more common. As this bounty was held back to none, within the house, so, for such poor people as would not press in, there were open beer houses erected, wherein there was no want of bread and beef for the comfort of the poorest creatures." Neither was this provision for the little time of his majesty's stay; but it was made ready fourteen days, and after his highness's departure distributed to as many as had mind for it." The personage by whom James was received with this magnificence of hospitality was a loyal and jovial gentleman, who lived high, spent the greater part of his estate, and died the oldest knight in England, one and fifty years afterwards, during the protectorate of his nephew and godson, of whom he never deigned to beg a favour. Marriage of Sir Philip Herbert and the Lady Susan Vere, daughter of the Earl of Oxford, (in a letter from Sir D. Carleton to Mr. Winwood.) "On St. John's day we had the marriage of Sir Philip Herbert and the Lady Susan Vere performed at Whitehall, with all the honour could be done a great favorite. The court was great, and for that day put on the best bravery. The Prince and Duke of Holst led the bride to church; the Queen followed her from thence. The King gave her; and she in her tresses aud trinkets brided and bridled it so handsomely, and indeed became herself so well, that the king said, if he were unmarried, he would not give her but keep her himself. The marriage dinner was kept in the great chamber, where the Prince and Duke of Holst, and the great lords and ladies accom panied the bride. The ambassador of Venice was the only bidden guest of strangers, and he had a place above the Duke of Holst, which the duke took not well. But after dinner he was as little pleased himself; for being brought into the closet he was then suffered to walk out, his supper unthought of. At night there was a mask in the hall, which for conceit and fashion was suitable to the occasion. There was no small loss that night of chains and jewels, and many great ladies were made shorter by the skirts. The presents of plate and other things given by the noblemen were valued at 2,5001.; but that which made it a good marriage was a gift of the King's of 500 l. land for the bride's jointure. They were lodged in the council-chamber,where the King, in his shirt and night gown, gave them a reveille matin before they were up. No ceremony was omitted of bride cakes, points, garters, and gloves, which have been ever since the livery of the court." The favours distributed at this sumptuous wedding were estimated at 1,000 l. The noble and the stirrups. "A noble did come in suit of a place and saw the king mounting the roan jennet, whereon his majesty rideth every day; delivered his petition, which was heeded and read, but no answer was given. The noble departed, and came to court the next day, and got no answer again. The Lord Treasurer was then pressed to move the king's pleasure touching the petition. When the king was asked for answer thereto, he said in some wrath, Shall a king give heed to a dirty paper, when a beggar noteth not his gilt stirrups! Now it fell out that the king had new furniture when the noble saw him in the court-yard, but he was overcharged with confusion, and passed by admiring the dressing of the horse; and thus failed he in his suit." Institution of Baronets. Amongst the ways and means resorted to by the king, are to be mentioned the revival of an absolute law, compelling all persons possessed of 401. a year in land to compound for not receiving the order of knighthood; and the creation of the title of baronet, which was offered for the sum of 1000 1. to any person who thought fit to bea purchaser; when the king hesitated, from the fear of offending the gentry by creating a new rank above them, the minister (Sir Robert Cotton) is said to have replied, "Tush, sir! the money will do you good, and the honor will do them very little." come ITALIAN LITERATURE. MEMOIR OF THE LIFE OF THE ITALIAN POET, TORQUATO TASSO. [Continued from page 169.] The Prince of Salerno was success. ful in his embassy, which established his credit in Naples, but ruined him with the viceroy, who did all in his power to make the emperor jealous of the respect shewn him by the Neapolitans. In this he succeeded, and after the prince had in vain applied to the emperor for an audience to exculpate himself, he retired to Rome, and renounced his allegiance to him. The his patron in his ill fortune, nor would father of our poet would not abandon he leave his son where he was soon to be declared an enemy, but with the youthful Tasso went to Rome. The departure of the prince being known, he, and all his adherents, were de clared traitors, and our poet, though but nine years old, was included by name in the sentence. The prince Bernardo accompanied him, and comafterwards went to France, whither mitted his son to the care of Mauritio Cataneo, a learned man, and his relation, who cultivated young Tasso's taste for polite literature. The prince dying three or four years after, Bernardo returned to Italy, and engaged in the service of Guglielmo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, soon after he redeath of his wife Portia, and in conceived the melancholy news of the sequence, he sent for his son, that they father was greatly surprised, on his might share each others grief. The son's arrival, at the progress in his studies; for, although but twelve, he had completed his knowledge of Latin and Greek, was well acquainted with Rhetoric and Poetry, and completely versed in Aristotle's Ethics. Bernardo soon determined to send his son to the University of Padua, to study the laws, in company with the young Scipio Gonzaga, afterwards cardinal. With this nobleman, Tasso, nearly of the same age, being then seventeen, contracted a friendship that ended but with their lives. Here Tasso prosecuted his studies, and soon gave proofs of his great genius in his poem of Rinaldo, which he published in twelve books, and contains the adven tures of Rinaldo, the famous Paladin of the court of Charlemagne. The father saw with regret the success of this poem, and was fearful it might turn him from his solid studies, and thereby injure his private fortune, knowing that a man seldom gained much by his poetry. He was right in his conjecture, for Tasso, carried away by his natural love for the Muses, followed the example of Petrarch, Boccace, Ariosto, and others, and quitted the severe studies of the law, for the pleasing ones of poesy. His first poem extended his fame so much through Italy, that his father, displeased thereat, and dreading the effect on his son's mind, went to Padua on purpose to reprimand him, and though he spoke with vehemence and harsh expressions, Tasso heard him with composure and without interrupting him. This enraging his father, "Tell me," he exclaimed, " of what use is this vain philosophy upon which you pride yourself so much?"—"It has enabled me," replied Tasso, modestly, "to endure the harshness of your reproofs!" Tasso's resolve to follow the Muses was soon known all over Italy, and he was, by means of Pietro Donato Cesi, invited to the city and college of Bologna; but he did not remain long, for Bologna becoming the theatre of civil commotions, and pressed by an invitation of Gonzaga, his old friend, who was elected prince of an academy established at Padua, under the title of Etherei; he immediately went thither to seek that repose he loved. The happy manner in which he blend having had his share of honour, it was now his turn. Tasso having remained undecided for three or four years, at length took up his residence in the palace of Ferara, and placed the name of Alphonso at the head of his poem; but he neglected not to retain the cardinal's good opinion, by every attention. Tasso was now about twentytwo years of age, and his name had become famous through all Europe. In a journey he made to France with Cardinal Luigi, he was greatly caressed by Charles IV.; and the following anecdote will show the regard that monarch had for him. A man of letters, and a poet of some repute, had unfortunately been guilty of an enormous crime, for which he was condemned to suffer death. Tasso, touched with compassion, was resolved to petition the king for his pardon. He went to the palace, where he heard that orders had just been given to put the sentence immediately into execution. This did not discourage Tasso, who, presenting himself before the monarch, said, “I come to entreat your Majesty, that you would not put a wretch to death, who has brought philosophy to shame, by shewing that she can make no stand against human depravity. The king, touched with the justness of his reflection, granted the criminal his life. [To be continued.] OR, ORIGIN OF THE WORD "HARLOT." "You yet may see young girls that play ed philosophy with his other studies, WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR; made him an enemy to all kind of licentiousness. In an oration on the subject of Love, the orator treated the subject in a very masterly manner, but with too little regard to decency, in the opinion of Tasso, who being asked what he thought of the discourse, replied, "It is a pleasing poison." At Padua he formed the plan of his celebrated poem of "Jerusalem Delivered." He determined to dedicate the poem to the house of Estè; but being equally esteemed by the two brothers, Alphonso II. Duke of Ferrara, and Cardinal Luigi, he was at a loss how to act, and a sort of contest was kept up between the brothers. The cardinal contended, that as Rinaldo had been dedicated to him, he had a hereditary right; on the contrary, Alphonso contended that his brother As Robert, Duke of Normandy, was one day taking the air on horseback, he passed through a pleasant rural village, called Failaise, where, on a green, a company of country girls were dancing. Quite enraptured, he eagerly surveyed them, and was so struck with the handsome person and graceful carriage of one of them, that he immediately fell in love with her. He enquired who she was, &c. and was informed that her name was Harlotte, and that she was a skinner's daughter of Failaise. He got acquaint ed with her, and prevailed on her to cohabit with him. She was almost immediately pregnant, and in ten months after, in 1026, William, the Conqueror of this country, and the 20th king of England, first drew the breath of life. -Robert very dearly loved Harlotte and their baby, and as he had no legitimate issue, he, upon setting out on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, appointed William heir to his dominions, in case he should die on his journey; and this event happening, William succeeded to the Dukedom of Normandy in the year 1035, being then only nine years of age. Henry the First, King of France, attacked his Duchy, and the Barons of Normandy, in their contention for power, raised several disturbances; but as William grew up, he proved an heroic youth-he repulsed the former, and he reduced the latter, and effectually established the tranquillity of his Dukedom, which continued so for many years. When he was near forty years of age, on the 5th of January, 1066, Edward the Confessor, King of England, died, at his Palace at Westminster, and Harold, the second son of the late Earl Goodwin, ascended the throne, to which he had not the smallest pretension. The people either bestowed it on him, or acquiesced in his usurpation. The true heir was Edgar Atheling, grandson of Edmund Ironside, by his youngest son Edward; but as this prince was very young, and of mean capacity, his title was overlooked. Some say Edward the Confessor made a will, bestowing this country on William of Normandy. Others observe, that no proof could ever be produced that such a will ever existed. Harold had been at the court of Normandy, when William acquainted him with this circumstance, and obliged him to swear that he would support his pretensions, and when he became King of England, sent over Ambassadors to Harold to resign his crown; who answered, "that he was able to defend his right against any one who should dispute it with him." William immediately sssembled an army of 60,000 veteran troops, and setting sail for England, landed them without opposition, on the 29th of September, at Pavensey, in Sussex. Harold marched too, and they met at Hastings, where the great decisive battle was fought which gained Wil. liam the possession of this country. Harold, and his two valiant brothers, Gurth and Leofwin, were slain. The Normans lost 15,000 men; that of the English was more considerable. William directly marched to London. The Magistrates came out in a body and presented him with the keys of the City, as a token of their submission, and he was crowned December 26, 1066, by Aldred, Archbishop of York; the Archbishop of Canterbury being deemed unqualified for that office, as he had received his pall from Benedict the Ninth, who was reckoned an usurper. It is observed, that William was very generous (at others expense), for he divided the greatest part of England among his Norman Captains, laid waste the County of Hampshire for 30 miles, to make what was called the New Forest ruled England as a conquered country by the laws of Normandy-introduced the Corfeu t, &c. &c. which so exasperated the English, that they called whores "Harlottes," (now spelt Harlots in allusion to his mother.) William caused a general survey to be taken of all the lands in the kingdom, their extent in each district, their proprietors, tenures, value; the quantity of meadow, pasture, wood, and arable land which they contained; and in some Counties the number of tenants, cottagers, and slaves, of all denominations, who lived upon them. He appointed Commissioners for this purpose, who entered every particular in their register by verdict of Juries, and after a labour of six years, they brought him an exact account of all the landed property in the kingdom. This monument, called Doome's-day Book-the most valuable piece of antiquity possessed by any nation, is still preserved in the Exchequer. Several Historians mention, as a proof of William's clemency, his receiving into favour Edgar Atheling, the true heir of the Crown. • King Harold was slain with an arrow. He was buried at Waltham Abbey (about twelve miles from London), where a monument was erected, on which was the following inscription, Harold," written by his unhappy mother. consisting of only three words" Alas! poor + Corfen-was the obliging the inhabitants to put out their fires and lights on the sounding of a certain bell. This was a law which William bad previously established in Normandy, and the same custom prevailed in Scotland. |