Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-02-27
REALITY RUINS ROMANCE.
Legend Of Pecaeontas.

2
The critics pen is reinorseless. It spares
nothing aud objects to everything that
wears the slightest tiDge of romance. 1t
deals alone with cold and practical truth,
and beneath Its penetration the fairost vis-
ions fade into air. There is no IDEAL world
for it, and it recognizes nothing. but what
isfoFnsl, stately and sternly 7realal And
PERHAPS it is well that modern criticism is
so severe; for, were it otherwise, we might
BECOME SO sy1ish visionary as to indulge IN those
wild day dreams of my thOlQgy, so pleasant
to the poets of the past. We can rear no
false temples. for the critic, with one sweep
of his pen, reduces the most gorgeous air
castles into nothing, and only bright
memories reinain to speak of the mournful
ruin. Mr.. Charles Dean, a Massachusetts,
antiquarian, has just exploded one of the
most pleasing fomances associated with the
early history -0f our country. Who has
not heard of the love of the dark-eyed In,
dian girl for the, pale-faced adventurer in
the wilds of America? And what pleas
ant story have poets, painters and sculptors
made out of it'll But this romance has
been swept away.f Mr.. Dean tells us that
the story of Pocai1ontas saving the life of
Capt. Smith is purely fictitious an inyet-,
fiOn of Smith himself The critic reviews
the. subject carefully, and proves, circum@
stantiaffy, that no such incident ever Oc-
CURED. He argues that Smith was given
to exaggeration; and this is not hard to be-
lieve when we take bis strolling life into
consideration. The visit OF POcahontas to-
England, and her reception and death, were
so full OF romance that it is claimed that
Smith added the report of her love for him,
and her betrayal of noble womanlv heroism
in saving him from death, in order to en-
hauce his own Importance.
1t is unpleasant to have popular legend,
around which song and story have thrown
=. elx
likethe idols of superstitious religion !;
btt iconocIasm is rife in literature as
well as religion, and no reputation is too
sacred ard no tradition too beautiful for
the destrnctives to attack. Homer has for
centuries been the object of their detrac-
tionso More lately Shakespeare has sbeen
nearly robbed lof his 1anrels, and now the
romantic story of Pocahontas saving the
life of Captain John Smith, the Virginia
colonist. Is attacked and apparently over.
ttifowh by a writer in the North american
ReuietC who presents theory on the SUBJ
ject which has gained credence among his
torians within Anew. years. 1t is shown
that SmitiI's reputation as man of verac-
ity was bad among his contemporaries, and
Which sustain this view of his character
The exploring expedition in. which the ,ro-
mantle eonulct OF POeahOIltas Is alleged to
have happened. took place between Decem-
her 10. 1907, and the Sth of January follow
ing. OF this expedition Smith published
his 'True Religion" in the same year, yet
makes no mention whatever of theheroicI
Pocahontas& In this work he thus speaks
of his introduction to POwhatan, the fa-
ther of Poeahontas, tOwhum he was con-
Quoted by chief who had seized him on
suspicion of his having been concerned in
treacherOus attack on the Indians the
year before sT E5E&3HtD
-osI
town OF POwhatan's, and the next day ar
rived at t-Weranacomoco, where the great
king is resident. - ~ =
Arriving at WeranacOmoco their Emperor
kindly welcomed me with good
words, and great platters of sundry. VIC
tuals. assuring NEE has friendship and n,y 6b-
critic s0.thpaJ four dOyes hee desired
him upon his river, countrie called Capa-
Howasicke, hee promished to give me corne,
venison, or what l wanted to feed us.
Hatchets and copper wee should make him
and none should disturbe us. This request
promised to perfoFme: and thus hduing
p0ith altthe kindness hee could devise, sought
TO content me: hee sent NEE home acith
.fostr men, one that usually carried my goune
and knapsacks after me. two others loaded
with bread; and,Oue to accOmpanie mee.1
In 1917 heDpublished an account OF 'Vir-
giDia, He still makes no mention iof his
brave Indian girl, though he describes a
custom that would have naturally led him
to do so. ~
In his GENERAL Historic" published in
l624,n si&s eelE years alter the expedition,
Smith first introduces Pocahontas, as fol-
loWs;eJ trfs s13Lac btd,. ~ = fr
.tAt last they brought him to Merono-
comoco, where was POwhatan Jneir En-
peror Here more than two hundred of
those grim CourtierS stood wondering at
him. as he had been monster; till Pow
hatau and his trayne had put themselves
in their greatest braveries. - = = At
his entrance before the King, all the peO-
Die gave great shout. The Q1eene of
Appamatuck was appointed to bring him
water to wash his hands, and another
brought him bunch OF feathers, instead
of a lowell to dry them; having feasted
him after their best barbarous manner they
could. q, long CONSULTATION was held, but the
conclusion was, two, great stones were
brought before gPOWhatan : then as many
as could layd hands on him, dragged him
to them, and theron laid his head, and be-
ing ready with their clubs. to beat out his
brains Pocahontas, Ethe, Kings dearest
daughter, when no intreaty could prevaile,
got his head in her afmes, and laid her
owne upon his to save him frOm~death;
wheratfth Empereur was eontented he
should live to make him hatchets, and her
bells. beads and copper" =, -
He then goes on to say that two days af-
terward P0Whatan sent him back to James
town, accompanied by t,oelve guides, where
ss in the narrative published in 1908 he