highly esteemed. There is a great deal of quaintness and sprightly remark in some of his works.

In Ireland. The Rev. John Thayer, formerly pastor of the Catholick Church, in Boston.

In Prussia.

rope.

Madame Bethmen, one of the first actresses in Eu

In Spain. The widow of General Porlier. This is a second instance, in the course of a few months, Madame Labedoyere was the other, of ladies who have died of broken hearts, for the loss of their husbands. Where will the satirists of the sex find a parallel case in their own?

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

A. B. will find the paper he sent us, left for him as he requested, and a note within, explaining the reasons for its being returned.

The lines sent by Sidney' from New-Haven, have perplexed us; we do not understand his object; they are too dull for a jest, and too extravagant to be serious; and as the postage was not paid, we can truly say, that we are at a loss for the author's intentions.

NORTH-AMERICAN REVIEW

AND

MISCELLANEOUS JOURNAL.

N. VI.

MARCH, 1816.

A briefe narration of the originall undertakings of the advancement of plantations, into the parts of America, especially shewing the beginning, progress and continuance of that of New-England. Written by the right worshipfull Sir Ferdinando Gorges, Knight and Governour of the Fort and Island of Plymouth in Devonshire. London, printed by E. Brudenell for Nath. Brook at the Angell in Cornhill, 1658.

SIR FERDINANDO GORGES was one of the earliest and most persevering of those gentlemen in England who undertook to colonize this country. His engaging in it, seems to have arisen in part from an accident. Captain Waymouth had been employed by Lord Arundel to attempt the discovery of a North-West passage: while engaged in this, he landed on the shore of Maine, and took away some of the natives. On his arrival at Plymouth Sir Ferdinando Gorges, who was the Governour, took away three of them which he kept three years, and it was the information obtained from these, that induced him to engage in the scheme of forming a colony. The first effort made by him and his associates was to send a hundred people, who landed and passed the winter at Sagadahock in 1607. The next year Vol. II. No. 6. 37

they returned home, and it was several years afterwards before the permanent settlement was made at Plymouth. The original company comprehended very extensive grants in their charter. Indeed, at the outset, the whole coast of the United States was divided between two companies, that of Virginia and New-England. These were successively subdivided; and finally, in 1631, a further division took place, when Sir Ferdinando Gorges received for his share what he calls the Province of Maine, this name owed its origin to him; but his grant took in only a part of that District, and a part of what is now New-Hampshire. We shall make one extract as a specimen of his manner: It does not appear exactly at what time the work was written, but probably about 1632.

"Chapter 8." The sending supplies to the Colonie and the unhappie death of the Lord Cheife Justice (Popham) before their departure.

The supplies being furnished and all things ready onely attending for a faire wind, which hapned not before the news of the cheife justice death was posted to them, to be transported to the discomfort of the poor planters, but the ships arriving there in good tine, was a great refreshing to those that had had their store house and most of their provisions burnt the winter before.

Besides that they were strangely perplexed with the great and unseasonable cold they suffered, with that extremity, as the like hath not been heard of since, and it seemes was universall, it being the same yeare that our Thames were so lockt up that they built their boates upon it, and sould provisions of severall sorts to those that delighted in the novelties of the times, but the miseries they had past, were nothing to that they suffered by the disasterous news they received of the death of the Lord cheife justice, that suddainely followed the death of their President, but the latter was not so strange, in that he was well stricken in years before he went, and had long been an infirme man. Howsoever heartned by hopes, willing he was to die in acting something that might be serviceable to God, and honorable to his country, but that of the death of the cheif justice was such a corrosive to all, as struck them with despaire of future remedy, and it was the more augmented,

when they heard of the (death of) Sir John Gilbert, elder brother of Ralph Gilbert that was then their President, a man worthy to be beloved of them ail for his industry, and care for their well being; the President was to return to settle the state his brother had left him, upon which all resolved to quit the place, and with one consent to away, by which meanes all our former hopes were frozen to death, though Sir Francis Popham could not so give it over, but continued to send thither several years after in hope of better fortunes, but found it fruitlesse and was necessitated at last to sit down with the losse he had already undergone.

America painted to the life, a true history of the originall undertakings of the advancement of Plantations into those parts, with a perfect relation of our English Discoveries, shewing their beginning, progress, and continuance, from the year 1628 to 1658, declaring the forms of their government, Policies, Religions, Manners, Customs, Military Discipline, Warres with the Indians, the Commodities of their Countries, a Description of their Townes, and Havens, the increase of their trading, with the names of their Governours and Magistrates. More especially an absolute Narrative of the North parts of America and of the discoveries and plantations of our English in New England. Written by Sir Ferdinando Gorges Knight and Governour of the Fort and Island of Plimouth in Devonshire, one of the first and cheifest promoters of those Plantations. Published since his decease, by his Grand-child Ferdinando Gorges Esquire, who hath much enlarged it and added severall accurate descriptions of his owne. work now at last exposed for the publick good, to stir up the heroick and active spirits of these times to benefit their Country, and eternize their names by such honorable attempts. For the reader's clearer understanding of the Country's, they are lively described in a compleat and exquisite map. Vivit post funera virtus. London: Printed by E. Brudenell, for Nathaniel Brook, dwelling at the Angel in Cornhill 1658. 4to. pp. 60.

A

This is altogether a different work from the one mentioned in the last article. It contains a preface by the elder

er.

Gorges, as well as another by his grandson, but how much of the work was written by the former is difficult to discovIt brings the account of the settlements made and towns incorporated in Massachusetts to the year 1648. The author makes a hasty mention of all the Spanish settlements on the Continent, as well as of all the different Islands of the West Indies, and a brief account of Virginia, before he commences with New England. In speaking of Virginia, which at that time comprehended Maryland and North Carolina, he has this observation; "and great profit is derived from the commodities which Virginia produceth, the chiefe of which are Pitch, Tarre, Soapashe, Rosen, Flax, Cordage, Wainscot, Glasse and such like." We presume that at this day very few of the articles here enumerated, are exported from Virginia of her own production.

The following extract is from his account of New-England. "But before I come to the more exact description of the Country and the commodities thereof, it will be convenient to prosecute the remainder of the history, and to give a brief account of all the most materiall passages that have hapned within these few yeares last past. In the yeare 1628 after a perfect discovery had been made, which was chiefely effected by my Grandfather's vast charges, and his unwearied paines, and travaile in the businesse, and that a large gap was opened to the free possession of that Country; people of all sorts flocked thither in great numbers, especially such as were discontented at the form of Church Government then settled in this nation, and had retired to Holland for liberty of conscience, as hath been before specified. The Indians about the time beheld to their great amazement that blazing Comet, so much noted in Europe, which appeared after sunsetting in their horizon South West for the space of thirty sleeps, (for so they reckon their daies) after which uncouth sight, they expected some strange things to follow, the whole nation of the Massachusetts having been a little before that, affrighted with the arrivall of a ship of ours in their bay, wondring exceedingly what strange creature it should be, when they beheld a great thing moving toward them upon the water, especially when having let fly their arrows at it out of their Canous, thinking to have killed it, the Master caused a piece of ordnance to be fired, whereby the poor Indians struck with a panick feare hasted to the shore; but when our men ap