Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

Written by that Honorable Gentleman
Matter George Percy"
The writer. brother of the celebrated
Earl of Northumberland was one of the
first coionists, and succeeded Smith az
governor OF the plantation. He was born
September 4. Loss. and died unmarried in
1dsZ, "A gentlemen Of Honour and Resolu-
tion." He served with distinction In the
wars of the low countries where his SOL
dierly qualities were demonstrated, as his
administrative ability was tested as the
successor of Capt. Smith. His portrait may
be found in the valuable collection of the
Virginia Historical Society at Richmond.
Percyss little book ii preserved, but a
meager abridgment was printed in 'Pur-
chas His Pilgrimes." in 1914, with an
apology for omissions, because the rest
is set downe more fully In Capt. Smiths Re-
lation." Percy gives in detail several Inn
pOrtant incidents of the voyage OMITTED by
Smith, and describes the movements of the
colonists until they were finally located at
jamestown. It is specially valuable be-
cause these facts and many of the Incl
dents are not even alluded to by other
writers.
In 1909 four small tracts were circulated
in London to defend the management of
the colony and advertise its advantages as
follows:
l. ''saules Prohibition staid. a reproof to
those that traduce Virginia No original
copy preserved.
2 A sermon preached by Rev. William
Symondes before the London Company,
April 25. 16O9 concerning conditions in the
colony and its Importance for the glory OF
God and the glory of England. Symondes
was chaplain of one Of the ships of the
first expedition. and had returned from the
colony shortly before the delivery Of this
discourse. The only original copy of the
pamphlet is In the private library Of Lord
Charlemont in Dublin. Facsmiles lave
been produced several times.
8. Nova Brittania Offering most Excel
lent Fruites by planting in Virginia A
pamphlet to advertise the colony. No
nriey r,oIo h11t frnN ant 1yv nj cd
4. "A Goode Speede to Virginia. By r.
G., who neither In Person nor in Purse is
able to be a Participated in the Business"
The only copy known Is In a private IL
brary in London and bears the autograph
of Sir Walter Raleigh upon the title page.
In 1910 Lord Delaware published a little
book for the benefit of the London COM
pany which owned the Virginia planta-
lions, and William Strachey, who joined
the colony as secretary in May, 1910, pub
lished his book and compilation Of ''The
Lawes Divine in 1872
John Smiths Second Book.
In the same year, 1872. Capt. Smith pub
lHhed his second volume relating to the
colony under the following title:
"a Map Of Virginia. With a Difription
of the covntrey, the Commodities, People,
Government and Religion. Written by Cap
tame Smith fometimes Governor of the
Countrey. Wherevnto is annexed the pro-
ceedings of thofe Colonies. fince their flrft
departure from England. with the diff
courfes, Orations. and relations OF the Salv-
ages, and the accidents that befell them
in all their Iournies and discoveries. Taken
faithfully they were written out the
writings of Doctor Rvffell Tho. Stvdley.
Anas Todkill Ieffra ABBOT. Richard Within.
Pill. PhettipIace. Nathaniel Powell. Richard
Pots. And the relation Of divers other in
telligent obfervers there prefent then, and
now many of them in England. BY w. 8:
at Oxford, Printed by Joseph Barnes. 1872
f,If h. ~lr 70
of two parts. The first part includes thirty
nine pages of text, besides three pages of
Indian words and their English meanings,
one page of dedication, and the title page.
This part was written by Smith. with his
owne hand" as he says In the General
History 1t is a typographical description
Of the climate, soil and productions of Vir-
ginia, with an account of the native In
reference to the proceedings ofthe colony
at jamestown.
Capt. Smiths Writings.
Captain Smith was quite an author. He
was about twenty-eight years Of age when
he came to Virginia. He had previously.
while very young man, travelled in the
east, and many years afterward, in 1880,
published an account of his adventures
under the title Of The. True Travels"
etc. He was born at Willoughby. In Lin
coInshire, England, about 1879. as may
be inferred from the inscription on his por-
trait in the corner of his map OF New Eng
land-"Aeta. 81. A. 1916" He died on June
81 1881, as appearsfrom an inscription on
monument in st. Sepulcher's Church, Lon
don, erected to his memory by friend.
The publications which bear his name are:
A True Relation ETC., London, 1905.
map of Virginia, etc., Oxford, 1872.
Description of New England, etc., London,
1915.
New England Trials. ETC., London, 1920.
Second edition, 1922. :.
The General Historic. etc. London. 1924.
Also reissued mot reprinteO in 1925. 1927
and twice in 1632-the year after Smiths
death-the date the title page being al
tered to correspond with those years.
An Accidence or the Pathway to Exper-
fence, etc., London, 1926
A Sea Grammar, ETC., London, 1877.
Other editions, 1858 and 1888.
The True Travels, ETC.. London, 1880.
Advertisements for the inexperienced
Planters of New England, etc., London,
1881.
The tone of Smiths first publication con-
corning Virginia may be judged by the
last paragraph, in which he refers to the
departure of Nelson, which, our men going
with willing minds, was in very good time
effected, and the ship fent for England;
Wee now remaining being in good health,
all our men vel cotented, free from mutt
MES, in loue one with another, & as we
hope in continual peace with the Indians,
where we doubt not by Gods gracious af-
fiftance, and the adventures willing minds,
and fpeede firtherance to TO honorable
an action in after time to fee our Nation
to enjoy a Country, not onlie exceeding
.pleafant for habitation, but alto very pro-
fitable for comerce in general no DOUBT
pleafing to almightie God, honorable to
our gracious Souereigne, and commodious
generally to our whole kingdome
N "