Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-11-05

honor. Others are on Marco foio, f'i"i-
nand Magellan. Sir Walter Raleigh. Sir
John Franklin. and others; David Living
stone, Matthew Calbraith Perry, General
Greedy. and other Arctic explorers II is
n varied list. the reader at once perceives.
The appropriateness OF their appearance
I'm this connection is that all have some
relation near or remote to our country
its discovery extension, and settlement
Columbus was Influenced and melted by
Marco Polo. for the accounts Of this won
derful Venetian were eagerly read In the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. and It
must not be forgotten that America was
discovered in n search for a shorter route
to the tabled lands Of Cathay or China.
Magellan performed the only less great
feat-only less great In its far-reachin-
effects, but second TO none I'm its courage
and vigor-of pushing southwards for the
strait (Which now goes by his nance
that would lead him TO the Pacific Ocean
which he was the first to see and name
He was murdered on tho homeward
voyage by savages. but still Il was one
OF MS SNllSs ONlHh W AiAn f''iN%f N''N+N
first circumnavigated the globe.
Sir Walter Raleigh in vain attempted to
settle the coast OF North America In
the name OF his queen. AMI called the
country Virginia In her honor. Sir John
Franklin sailed to northern ATTITUDES, an |
his life labors. and death constitute thrill
ing chapters In the romance OF the North
Pole.
The late Poet-Laureate of England
wrote these majestic lines for his monu-
ment In Westminster:
Not here. The white North hath thy
bones, and thou
Heroic sailor SOUL
: Art passing on thy happier voyage now
| Towards no earthly pole
worthy tribute to a noble man.
Livingston found fame and death In
Africa, but a tomb in Westminster Perry
opened up to the world a new country
with a fresh and curious art and a strange
and rare ciyilization-Japan. the land OF
flowers. and Of flowers the chrysanthe-
num- The last chapter again directs us
To colder latitudes-Greely's expedition
| anu tne 10 leoS hOOlc attempt l't Hi7
rescue.
In all we find suffering, in all the same
manliness Of heart. devotion to principle.
courage and perseverance.
| The author makes no attempt at orig
| lnal research: she Is merely giving the
results OF others in bright. readable form
for instruction. The essay on Columbus,
for instance. has consulted all the latest
| and best authonues-lIarrisse ana Caste
| lar and Winsor and Fiske. Naturally
| 1t Is with womans pride that she tells
Of Isabella crying 10 the doubtful Ferdi-
| nand, II undertake the enterprise foI
| my own crown Of CASTLE, and will pledge
,rmy jewels to raise the necessary funds. '
/, 1t was this prompt decision that kept
| Columbus In the employ OF Spain and
| prevented him from appealing further foI
| aid TO Henry VII, OF England. and seiZ
| ing that unknown land In the English
| name instead of Spanish. II was reserved
for the Cabots within the same decad,
to arrest the English claim.
The story Of Columbus need not be told
| here once more-the reader Will prefer 10
| pass, especially IL he has been surfeited
| with Columbus literature for a year u
| Marco Palo's wonderful adventures, which
bread almost with the yigor and raciness
|
| Munchausen. 1t was probably from Polo
that the pseudo Vaudeville travels IN
| the fourteenth century had their origin
| those narratives which stand at the foun-
| tain-head of English prose literature, ana
yet were themselves TRANSACTIONS from the
| French. Marco Polos accounts were also
current In the French form. The world
accepted them long time for entertain'
| ing fables-it IL only OF late years that
actual travel has proved the truth
of most of his wonderful re-
| citas Polo was Venetian by
birth, and yet penetrated to the TAR
| thest regions Of India, China ana ia
| nan. where he spent twenty-siX years oil
| his life. He II Is who tells Of the wonder
| full riches Of Kuhla Khan and Of Prcstu
| John. and set the western world on iire
| TO possess themselves Of this wealth. II
| was In trying TO find a short cut TO thes'
4 lands that Columbus and his Spaniards
| stumbled upon America-and II was Ions
| before they didn't know II was not Ca
| thay. And the riches. TOO, were 10 prove
| Of different sort!
| MagelIan's life reads like a romance
| FOR II is one. His circumnayigatiOn OF th'
| globe-Sir Francis Drake In Eiizabeth'i
| reign only initiated him after he knew
| the passage existed and the voyage wa
| feasible-gives him the title 70 being th'
| greatest OF both ancient and modern naVi
| gators He reached the straits south o.
| Patagonia only after overcoming the mos
| obstinate OF mutinies. II WAS n cruel fat
that deprived him Of all glory or MI
| achievement In his life, his as
sassination cutting him OF on the eve o
| success.
The story OF Sir Walter Raleigh and hi
| relations to his capricious mistress, queer
| Elizabeth, are told with rare sympathy
| more than Is elsewhere characteristic o
the volume. He was brave man and n
| met with hard fate. Virginians per
haps think OF him chiefly as the nrst q
introduce the nicotic weed, tobacco, mt
England---for which many beside DIT
Barrie. the present popular Engllsh nov
elist and author OF MY Lazy NlcOli'e'
have thanked him.
Thes.. four are the early explorers an
iii NEARLY half the book. The remainde
IL devoted to more recent explorations
those In search OF the North Pole and y
the heart OF the Dark Continent being tn
most attractive.
The book by no means lacks In interest,"
though the sketches bear evidence OF
certain degree OF perfunetory writinS- IN
best four--if we are asked 20 name =
many, for that is half the number, slthousi
the shortest-are those on Marco foio
Magellan. Raleigh. and Livingston IN
author presents a more vivid rarrauN
and the characters presented are NOR
real. In some OF the others matter OF ae
tail burdens the spirit OF the recital w
would not forget TO call attention to Tn
Illustrations OF the principal character
treated.
1.-THE MAKING OF VIRGINIA AM
THE MIDDLE COLONIES 1Sss-i7oi
nv Samuel Adams Drake. With man,
illustrations and maps. Pages. rs. t-sc
| New York. Charles Scribners Sons
1893. For sale by West. Johnston 4 co.
The author has already written o
..The Making OF New England ans
"The Making OF the Great West" sn'
aims 10 give companion TO these two
solving as a brief. compact, HANDY
msnual"--lf the last two words contain
no redundaney--which IL primarily de
signed for school and home Instruction
For the sake OF the teacher ana aau'
reader explanatory notes and numerous
references have been added as P'nts io'
4 further reading and Investigation.
We have no fault to ind with the plan
purpose, and scope but We DO confess
10 disappointment In the execution
49, l. -