New-York daily tribune., 1842-12-02
The Rutgers Institute.
Lecture. BY DIR. Hawks.

oau iH!sneo DISCOURSE on the Lite and Character o
Capt. JOIN SMITH, the leader of the first English
Colony planted upon the shores of America. Trite
as the Subject may seem to the general reader il
was invested in new and most attractive g.rb-
BY the graphic skill and eeqaeuce of the Lecturer
full report OF his discourse of course will not be
expected. We shall present merely brief and
hasty outline of the prominent events in the his.
tory of the nan who Termed its subject-following
merely the order of the Lecturer and preserving
the general sentiments, though not the language o
his discourse.
He commenced by some very appropriate re.
marks upon the difficulties which wait upon every
attempt to colenize new county; and especially
those which were peculiar to the early history OF
America. 1t was long while after the first at
tempt was made to plant an English Colony upon
shores before the effort proved successful and
this difficulty arose not from want of funds, for the
mun6oence of Raleigh supplied them in abun-
dance yet from the character of the Colonists,
for they came from land which had furnished the
noblest the world had seen. The great want was
that of capable leader; and in successful leader
of colony sent cut under such circumstances
blind must he be, said Dr. H., who cams, find a
character worthy his contemplation Considered
as the man who had made the first permanent Eng
lish settlement upon this Continent, History re-
cords few more honorable and spotless names than
that of SMITH. In tracing his history, DR.. H. said
he did not flatter himself that his hearers would
find the charm of novelty; but his hope of enter
tanning them was based rather upon delneation
of his character than narration of his deeds. He
who seeks to embeish history with the interest of
novel may crafty the imagination, but at the ex-
pense of truth.
Born of good family, left at an early age an
orphan, without the means of support, we find
Smith possessing heart longing for great adven-
lures. His friends sought to make merchant of
him. but this did not suit him. and, al the age of
fifteen, we find him with brave heart in his bo-
som and ten shillings in his pocket on his way To
France in the travelling train of an English noble
But six weeks proved him useless for the
services that were required of him; and he was
furnished with funds to make his way back to
England. But never once did he think of return
ing home; he was now where he had long desired
TO be, and he was bent upon the bold adventures
which had SO long formed the day-dreans of his
fancy.
At that time Netherlands was fighting with
Spain for the independence which she finally
achieved and there in the cause of independence
Smith heshed his maiden sword and learned to be
a soldier. Before he had attained the age of
manhood he returned to his home and soon be-
came an object Of interest and curiosity to his
neighbors, from the Perls he had undergone and
the exploits he had achieved. But his was not g
spirit to brook the uuwelceme intrusion which this
occasoned He felt that he was not born to be
a show to his fellow-men So he resol we'd to leave
then. and built hut in the woods, whe re he de-
voted himself to the study of military tactics and
history. Of course the youthful hermit attracted
more attention than before, and it resolved to
train him for military life. An Italian gentle
man, employed as his teacher succeeded in per
suading him to leave his hermit life; but not to
eturn TO Willoughby. For the simple scenes OF
English rustic life he had no TASTE and he soon
returned to the Netherlands and once more stood
side by side with his fellow soldiers.
At this period an inveterate hatred existed be-
tween the Christians and the Turks: and every
follower of the Cross found, as he supposed, a
natural enemy in every one who rallied under tho
Crescent This gave q new field for Smiths
activity and he resolved to try his fortune against
the Turk He proceeded to join the force in
Hungary: but he was robbed OF all he had; and
at the age of nineteen he found himself landed in
France, penniless, ignorant of the language, and
forced to surrender his cloak to pay for his passage
Yet he found hospitality, and all his wants were
soon supplied. Wandering in France from place
to place, his strength at last failed him, and he
stretched himself upon the ground by fountain
in the forest-as it seemed, to die. But wealthy
farmer found him, took him to his home, nursed
him and relieved his wants.
He finally embarked at Marseilles for Italy; and
on the voyage his religion seriously endangered
his life. There were on beard many Catholics,
on their way to Rome, and terrible storm aris-
ing, they found sufficient explanation of it in the
preseRce of the hereto. SO the bold edvenurer,
like another Jonah, was cast into the sea- and es-
capped by swimming 70 an island. He was still
desirous of going to Egypt and engaging in the
war He accordingly sailed and landed at Fled
mont as he says. with 500 scq1ins in his pocket
and little box which God had given him, with
nearly as much more'-probably certain jewels.
He was soon enrolled among the Euro peans against
the Turks, and here he bore himself most gallant
y and soon rose to the command of troop Of
horse.
They soon entered upon the siege of fortress
in Pennsylvania, and performed exploits so won
delful as to stagger credulity, if they were no,
proved beyond +. doubt. The Turks, secure in
their wel-forti6ed position, laughed the besiegeis
10 scorn; and soon one of them, high in rank and
of great prowess, sent challenge TO the Christian
host, offering to meet in single combat any one
whom they might choose. The challenge was ac-
cepsed, and it was left to lot to decide who the
Christian champion should be. The lot fell upon
SMITH, and preparations were made for the fight.
The Turk entered the lists with suit of armor