The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-10

The Iast Mr.. Peter Edwin who hvea "
the family scat Rooton Hall, near Ayr
sham. in Norfolk. and who was porn ~
1870 and died IN 1I9S-was q aesoos ',,honv
the daughter and heiress oi Ill ~,
Role, Of huntington. She nad Illa,,,a
Elwin, and had brought the lu,.lns'g;n -,
estate INTO the Elwin family. ~ wa :"
consequence Of this connection pe'w,0o -
the Rolies and Elwins that q portra', W
Pocahonias was presented 10 tue sniu w,
Peter Elwin, Of Booton, by lady, Mauanl'
Zuchelli. This Is mentioned in his noie-
book. the entry Gndated) being in his own
handwriting: " POcahontas. given 70 me
by Madame Zuchell.- As MIR. Edwin
habitualy added the name 0. .ne
painter in his memoranda Oh vi,
many pictures in his possession' anu
omitted 10 do so in this instance, u II
probable that the lady was ignorant OF NJ
No memorandum was left by Mr.. Eiwin
Of the previous owners Of the portrait, but
ne possessed the knowledge, as is remem-
berrd by his grandson, from the testimony
OF Mrs. Peter Edwin, who survived her hus-
band tbirty-two years dying in April,
1890: AGED eighty-five years., that the pic
| turc was what Il protested TO be-namely,
a painting OF the time Of james L., and an
authentic representation from life OF Poca-
bont,s. The picture, which is finely paint
cd hears every token Of genuineness, DOtn
a. 10 the assumed period OF execution, and
oS Ia the direct dclineatiOn OF the living
features Of the sitter. Ii Is the undonbted
original of DE Passes engraving, but Is
without any signature.
The artist can only be conjectured; he
was probably one OF that group OF painters
i'm oils employed in the days OF EllzaDe'h
and the first two Stuarts, whose works are
Of recognized excellence, and who RANK
next and nearest to the three or lour Oh
exalted genius-as Zucchero, Jansen, ana
| Vandyck. Such an one was Nicola Locker,
who painted an oval portrait OF Dr. KING,
Bishop Of London; the Bishop who was
the friend OF Pocahontas, and IN whose
Dalace she was visitor. And there are
other names OF contemporary painters oil
which it would be an illuring task, and one
enriching to the fancy, TO construct INST /;
such a catalogue rs would not iail To lncluGe
the possible hmner OF Pocahontas' mortal
veSture,
The dimensions of the picture are two
feet six inches and half by two feet one
inch. A painted oval encloses the portrait.
| The painting OF the face and OF The details
OF the dress is clear and finished, and
shows great delcacy and beauty OF eXecu-
| ton. The whole effect OF the colofing ~
rich, mellow, and deep-toned, with The m
describable quality shed over II which
| time alone can give. The portrait Is
slightly smaller than life, the face stamped
Enthusiastically with the Indian type, and
denotng intelligence and thoughtlulness,
with much dignity, both in its expression
and IN the carriage OF the head. she LOOKS
at once royal in birth aud in nature.
The features are handsome and we'll
| formed. the lips bright-red, the skin dark,
smooth. and vellum-like, with suspicion
LOT a copper tint. The eyes are renafka-
| ble-prolonged at the corners, more medl-
latiye than brilliant. like still pools rather
| than flashing wafer: their color Is rlch,
| decided. undeniable brown. with very blue
tints on the white eyeballs. The eye
| brows are STRAIGHT and black, the short
hair 10y the ear throws ont oliSiening pearl
earring. The deep lace run, rising behind.
defines sharply the shape OF the face, which
shows the high cheek-bOnes, and the
outline narrowing abruptly below tDeln'
30 characteristic of her race. Thc
| hat she wears on her head, ana
which in the print has grotesqlle
appearincc, sinks unnoticcd into the
| scarcely less dark background, while
| the richly.chaSed broad golden band round
il gives the effect OF "A coronet, and Is IN
happv combination with the colorlng OF
| the face. She wears a mantle OF red bro
caded velvet. much ornamented with gold :;
| the undertakes dark. bIitOned with gold
buttons. \ small, taper hand holds fan
a. Ion 4 Il
| fhc portrait are the words, - MatOaka Re-
| becka fila pOtentiss Prime: Powhalanl
Imp. Virginia. on a space, " MatOaks
ais Rcbccka, daughter To the mighty prince
| Powhatani. Emperour OF Atianonghk0-
mOnck ais Virginia, converted and hap-
| TIED i'm the Christian faith, and wife TO
the worship Mr.. Thos. Rolll." Close
under the figure. within the oval, is writ
ten. Aetalis suac II. 40. 1916
fl the personal appearance OF the Indian
| lady can be- thus authenticity presented TO
us. no less genuine tribute TO her charac-
| ter is its estimate, rs handed down in her
| husbands family, where her pure and no.
bile disposition, her aptitude for the decen-
cies OF civilized life, and the endearlng
qualities which made her "much loved
whilst in England, are held i'm lasting
memorial. One Of the members OF the
| Rofc family possesses the ear-rings OF Po-
cahontas. Each is formed OF double
shcll-thc rare white mtlssel shell which is
| found on the eastern shore OF Behring's
| Straits. D0ublc-shell earrings were uni
versally worn among the American Indians,
| but the white variety was reserved eXclu-
siycly for the adornment OF priests and
princes. The princely shells OF P0cahOntas
are set in silver rims, inaid with small steel
points, Il mounting which suggests that
| they were set. or reset, by English work
manship. Another interesting relic has
descended in the Edwin family, and has
come down 10 each generation rs having
belonged TO POcahontas. II Is vase Of
pale-brown earihcnware, covered with un-
cOlored ornamentatlon, which Is moulded
i'm the clay itself. The vase is finished at
the top with silver rim. Those who are
familiar with ,IacObnan work would see at
glance the era TO which il belonged, and
would recognize the fact that il is an Origi-
nal. and not copy. This piece Of orna-
| mental ware has always been an object Of
great interest to its owners, and has never
been known by any other name than ''Po-
cahOntas's vase"
But the few and valuable memorials left
by POcabontas in England are exceeded by
the enduring trace which her life, short
and cbangeful although il was, has left in
her own country. When her husband re-
turned 10 Virginia to fulfil his appointment
as secretary and recOrder-general, their son
Thomas was left in England, and grew up
under the care Of his uncle, Henry Role,
Of Norfolk. He went TO America when
about twenty or twenty-five years old,
4 A
descendants Of this daughter, who married
Colonel Robert Boiling, may still be
found in the United states; they in-
clude some well-known families, who
guard the memory Of Pocahontas. and
who can point out in their genealogies
the unbrOken course Of the streak Of blood
AlInl Il...- ilA.A