The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-10-03
julius Cesar the Second.

Many persons will be interested, and
many more, perchance, considerably as
tonished to learn that an effigy of Julius
Caesar has recently been added to the
National Portrait Gallery. The pleasing
circumstance is duly recorded in the
twenty annual report of the Trus-
tees to the Lords Commissioners of Her
Majesty's Treasury, and from this in
structive document we likewise learn
that the nation has come into possession
of portraits, among numerous others, of
Lord Bacon, Richard Baxter, Thomas
Britton, the musical small coal man,
Geofrey Chaucer, Archbishop Cranmer,
Oliver Cromwell, the Duke of Cumber-
land-who is politely styled Hero of Gull
loden in the catalogue-Andrew Marvel,
st. Evermond, "Cyclopedia" Rees, Hum
phrey Wanley of the ''Little World
of Wonders General Lord Cults,
popularly known as the 'Salamander;" )"
'sLa Belle Hamilton who married
Count de Grammont; Thomas Holcroft,
the dramatist, and Lodowick Muggleton,
founder of the sect of pietists called
Muggletonians But how, it may be
asked, did Julius Caesar obtain admission
to this miscellaneous but eminently dis
tinguished company? It is matter of
history that on the Goth of August, B. G..
55, Julius Caesar, with the infantry of
two legions, cast anchor off the British
coast somewhere between Dover and
Deal. We have all heard how the stand
ard bearer of the tenth legion leaped
with his eagles into the sea, calling on
his comrades to follow him; how there
was q fierce combat on the beach be-
tween the Roman invaders and our
ancestors; and how Caesar, albeit he
gained the struggle, found the ancient
Britons, all naked savages as they were,
remarkable tough customers. Looking
at the season of the year at which this
engagement occurred, Caesar probably
wore the full panoply of a Roman gen
eral, minus only those pantaloons which
were subsequently introduced into the
imperial wardrobe by his nephew, the
chilly and rheumatic Augustus; but at
the first blush it may be somewhat per-
picking to learn from the catalogue al
ready referred that the julius Caesar in
the National Portrait Gallery wears "a
tall cap trimmed with white lace receding
from the forehead, and an elaborate lace
ruff" It is added that the countenance
of Julius wears benevolent expression,
that he was celebrated for his charity, an
eminent antiquary, and was formerly
called Sir Henry Spelman. Mighty
Caesar was assuredly an eminent
antiquary, and sedulous collector
Of the coins and objects Of
vertu of his time in the shape Of booty
of war; and Mark Antony, in the cele-
brated funeral oration reported by
Shakespeare, claims for the hero whom
Brutus and company slew, the possession
of many benevolent qualities. He was,
again, called many names during his
time, but the historians omit to inform
us that he was ever mistaken for Sir
Henry Spelman. Our doubts, however,
may be at once resolved by ascertaining
from further reverence to the catalogue
that tine Caesar in the National Portrait
Gallery is not Caius Caesar of the Julia
gems, but Sir julius Caesar, Master of
Rolls in the reign of King James I. and
King Charles l., and whose last known
lineal descendent was a Colonel in the
Guards, and one of the many protectors
of Peg Woffington.-Er.