tile, and with both her hands cast it upon Pyrrhus. The tile, falling from his head by reason of his headpiece, lighted full in the nap of his neck, and brake his neck bone asunder, wherewith he was suddenly so benumbed that he lost his sight with the blow, the reins of his bridle fell out of his hand, and himself fell from his horse to the ground, by Licymnius' tomb, before any man knew what he was, at least of the common people. Until at the last there came one Zopyrus that was at pay with Antigonus, and two or three other soldiers also that ran straight to the place, and knowing him, dragged his body into a gate, even as he was coming again to himself out of this trance. This Zopyrus drew out a Slavon sword he wore by his side, to strike off his head. But Pyrrhus cast such a grim countenance on him between his eyes that made him so afraid, and his hand so to strike therewith, that being thus amazed he did not strike him right in the place where he should have cut off his head, but killed him right in the mouth about his chin, so that he was a great while ere he could strike off his head. The mention of a Slavon sword, the Slavonians being unheard of in history until eight centuries after Pyrrhus, is an instance of North's dependence upon Amyot. Plutarch says, "an Illyrian sword," which Amyot, dutifully followed by North, renders Esclavon.

The following is a good example of North's rendering of Plutarch's more reflective vein :

Aemilius had four sons, two of the which he gave in adoption unto the families of Scipio and of Fabius, and two other which he had by his second wife he brought up with him in his own house, and were both yet very young. Of the which the one died, being fourteen years of age, five days before his father's triumph: and the other died also three days after the pomp of triumph, at twelve years of age. When this sorrowful chance had befallen him, every one in Rome did pity him in their hearts: but fortune's spite and cruelty did more grieve and fear them, to see her little regard towards him, to put into a house of triumph, full of honour and glory and of sacrifices and joy such a pitiful mourning, and mingling of sorrows and lamentations of death, amongst such songs of triumph and victory. Notwithstanding this, Aemilius taking things like a wise man, thought that he was not only to use constancy and magnanimity against the sword and pike of the enemy: but alike also against all adversity and enmity of spiteful fortune. So he wisely weighed and considered his present misfortune with his former prosperity; and finding his misfortune counterpoised with felicity, and his private griefs cut off with common joy, he gave no place to his sorrows and mischances, neither blemished any way the dignity of his triumph and victory. For when he had buried the eldest of his two last sons, he left not to make his triumphal entry, as you have heard before. And his second son also being deceased after his triumph, he caused the people to assemble, and in the face of the whole city he made an oration, not like a discomforted man, but like one rather that did comfort his sorrowful countrymen for his mischance.

Nothing can be more likely than that North's Plutarch was brought to Shakespeare's notice by the printer of the 1595 edition, Richard Field, a Stratford-on-Avon man of about Shakespeare's age, who had probably befriended him when he came to London. Shakespeare has paid Plutarch the compliment of following him as he follows Nature; he adheres closely to his narrative, appropriates his happy phrases and picturesque touches, but heightens and almost transforms these by the magic of his diction. Plutarch, for example, thus describes Cæsar's suspicion of Cassius :

Cæsar also had Cassius in great jealousy, and suspected him much whereupon he said on a time to his friends, "What will Cassius do, think ye? I like not his pale looks." Another time, when Cæsar's friends complained unto him of Antonius and

John Florio

Dolabella that they pretended some mischief towards him he answered them again, "As for those fat men and smooth-combed heads," quoth he, "I never reckon of them but these pale-visaged and carrion lean people, I fear them most," meaning Brutus and Cassius.

:

Thus expanded by Shakespeare:

Cæsar. Let me have men about me that are fat:
Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o' nights.
Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look;
He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.

Antonv. Fear him not, Cæsar; he's not dangerous;

He is a noble Roman, and well given.
Cæsar. Would he were fatter! But I
fear him not;

Yet, if my name were liable to fear,
I do not know the man I should avoid
So much as that spare Cassius. He
reads much;

He is a great observer, and he looks
Quite through the deeds of men; he
loves no plays,

As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music;

Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort,

As if he mocked himself, and scorned his spirit

That could be moved to smile at anything:

Such men as he be never at heart's

ease

Whiles they behold a greater than them-
selves,

And therefore are they very dangerous.
I rather tell thee what is to be feared
Than what I fear for always I am
Cæsar.

Come on my right hand, for this ear is
deaf,

And tell me truly what thou think'st of him.

One other translator deserves a word of notice, associated with North as he is by the fact that his translation also was used by Shakespeare. The Utopia depicted by Gonzago in The Tempest is undoubtedly derived from the admirable translation of Montaigne published in 1603 by JOHN FLORIO (1553 ?1625), the son of a refugee Italian protestant minister. Florio must have been personally acquainted with Shakespeare, having been in the household of Southampton and patronised by Pembroke. He appears to have been intimate with many men of letters, and availed himself of his knowledge of Italian to translate Ramusio's collection of travels and a large collection of Italian proverbs, also to compile an Italian dictionary under the title of 4 World of Words.

A copy of his Montaigne in the British Museum bears what

purports to be Shakespeare's autograph, but its authenticity is not generally

admitted.

One important, though ephemeral, form of literature remains to be noticed The newspaper -the newspaper. It is mentioned here, though with some anticipation of

29

The English Mercury

Whitehall July 2h. ( Published by Authority, ) .

No

A Journal of what has passed since the 21st of this month bet :ween her majeshis Fleety that : ved them to be in some distress. best doen of Spain, transmitted by the dot- with his own they, the Eliscibeth Jona. Admiral to the Lords of the poured the Leicester Galleon the Golden dyon the victory of the Dreadnought tour Inly 22d. The wholes Fleet being comboup we sailed in pursuit of je apsistance - the Duke of the dinain Enemy, who bore along to the start. the It Marling, if six ken other other a large Biscayan Shep belonging best Gallons indeavoured boch: to the Guy purcoan Squadron hai > tercept his Lordship, but allora a Dukk ving been set on Firs by a smart Conflict, the Encong versob. uner who thought himselfill used of very much damaged the en: lized to yous way, & for their belt, vers forced to abandon, you security then proclves into a Roneturn to draft. the Ld The Howard = del, placing their largest & least & Capla Hawdins wen by one ad: battered Thips onderment to proks This staty Order sent on board her lover the weakest. In other The Deeks new fallen in the the past the the behen we had b rags broken, the stern blown out on the squadron titted out by * 50 poor Sailors burnt at Powder the "lity of Londen behaved theronin a most tensible manner in this = lves very gallantly particulary misurable Condation she was immed the mery Flower with look a great. this -priestly sent into wey mouth, the Venetian ship, as as of her had the energy military Chast board her wich was er moved in companions did some smaller cons = to another theip, before we took her nor had we

cmy per

on

the

any

The following hight proving Calon that if lax in

singled

the fest

inga 2, laen the 4 Galeasers of Naples sing and by a get that on the was have themselves out as if they we ship, wch had advanced homing his duty with singular of ou with wo force of the Line out they

some

attempted nothing.

malor.

Facsimile of a portion of the MS. of the spurious "English Mercurie"
British Museum, Birch MS. 4106

chronology, on account of the claim set up and long admitted for England as the nation which first gave newspapers to the world. "By the wisdom of Elizabeth and the prudence of Burleigh," it was affirmed, the English Mercurie had been established in 1588, to convey official intelligence respecting

the progress of the Spanish Armada. Who could doubt this when the paper was in the Manuscript Department of the British Museum, open to the inspection of all the world? So it was, but nobody inspected it, and the statement was repeated unchallenged in a hundred places between 1794 and 1839, when Mr. Thomas Watts, after

THE

English Mercurie. N'51. wards

Published by AUTHORITIE,

For the Prevention of falfe Reportes.

J

ULY 22d. The whole Fleete being come up,wee fayled in Pursuite of the Enemie, who bore along by the Starte; a large Ship belonginge to the Guypufcoan Squadrone having beene fet on Fire by a Dutch Gunner, that thought himself ill ufed, and very much da-. maged, the Enemie were forced to abandon and turne her a drift. The Lorde Thomas Howard and Capt. Hawkins were by the Admirall's order fente on board her; they founde the Dooks fallen in, the Steerage broken, the Stern blowne out, and fifty poore Saylors burnte with Powder in a moft terrible Manner. In this myferable Condition, he was immediately fente into Weymouth. This Galleon had the Enemie's militarie Cheste on board, which they removed into another Ship, before we tooke her. The following Nighte proving calme, the foure Galleaffes of Naples fingled themselves out, as if they woulde fall upon fome of our Ships, which had advanced too farre from the Line, but they attempted noething.

July 23d. The Spanish Armado, which was now come over against Portland, tacked about, and stoode in towardes the Shoare, which wo likewife did. After severall Attemptes to get the Winde of each other, a smart Engagement began: The Triumph, (commaunded by Rear-Admirall Forbifher), with the Reft of his Divifione, having fallen to Leeward were briskly attacqued by Don Juan de Recalde: They had warme Worke for an Houre and halfe, when the Lorde Admiral obferved them to be in some Distreffe,and bore downe with his owne Ship,the Elizabeth C

A page of the spurious "English Mercurie"

Jonas,

Keeper of

Printed Books at the Museum, had the curiosity to look at it, and "the success

ful imposition of fifty

years was shattered to pieces in five minutes." Paper and print were of the eighteenth century, and two MS. copies of numbers, from the

numerous corrections evidently the first drafts of the author, are eighteenth century also. It is almost certain that the fabricator was Philip Yorke, second Earl of Hardwicke, who had already essayed a more innocent mystification as the writer of The Athenian Letters. News-letters registering particular occur

rences circulated widely both in manuscript and print in most European countries during the early part of the seventeenth century; but no periodical devoted to news appeared in England until, on May 23, 1622, Nathaniel Butter, Nicholas Bunne, and Thomas Archer issued the Weekly News from Italy, Germany, &c. Germany, however, had been beforehand with England, the Frankfurter Journal having been commenced in 1615.

CHAPTER III

SPENSER AND MINOR ELIZABETHAN POETS

AN ancient emblem, recalled to the recollection of the present time by the genius of Burne-Jones, expresses the inexorable revolution of the Wheel of Fortune. As originally conceived, three kings are represented revolving along with the fateful wheel. From the mouth of the one who is descending proceeds the legend, "I have been"; another, surmounting the summit of the circumference, proudly declares, "I am"; a third, ascending, yet more proudly announces, "I am to be." The representation might serve for an allegory of the condition in the middle of the sixteenth century of the three countries, Italy, Portugal, and England, each of which enriched the later Renaissance with a national epic poet. Tasso was driven to seek a theme in the past. The subject of his epic is not national, except in so far as he has contrived to connect it with the House of Ferrara, but he is only too faithful a representative of his country, still teeming with beauty, but deeply infected with that poison of the Counter Reformation which ultimately so nearly destroyed her intellectual life. We blush to be told that the Jerusalem Delivered was revised by ecclesiastics with the full assent of the author. Milton's licenser at one time would fain have silenced him, but never presumed to mend him. Camoens-though the symptoms of decay were already beginning to appear-celebrates his country at the height of her fame and glory. Spenser, like the third king in the emblem proclaiming what is not yet but is to be, sets forth the coming glories in a majestic but obscure allegory.

The three poets whom we have thus brought together do indeed wear a family likeness, only to be explained by the degree in which they are representatives of their age. Perhaps in no age have the characters of cavalier and poet been so perfectly united as in the sixteenth century. Poets continue to be usually men of breeding, but, as is inevitable from the great development of literature, the man of letters has encroached upon the courtier and the soldier. In the sixteenth century it is often difficult to decide which type is more prominent in the individual. In Tasso the scholar, in Spenser the courtier, in Camoens the soldier almost rival the poet; but all characters blend together to compose a singularly attractive personality. We shall have to speak further of Spenser's relation to the great contemporary poets of the Continent, and here only note the remarkable circumstance that, while Tasso and Camoens and Ariosto are famous all over Europe, Spenser, except to the English-speaking peoples, is almost unknown. This is no isolated phenomenon; with the exception of Shakespeare and Milton, our most exquisite singers are far less appreciated abroad than those whom we should place in the