ing silk likewise, if any be, is a likely commodity. Pitch and tar, where store of firs and pines are, will not fail. So drugs and sweet woods, where they are, cannot but yield great profit. Soap-ashes, likewise, and other things that may be thought of. But moil not too much under ground; for the hope of mines is very uncertain, and useth to make the planters lazy in other things. For government, let it be in the hands of one assisted with some counsel: and let them have commission to exercise martial laws with some limitation. And above all, let men make that profit of being in the wilderness, as they have God always, and his service, before their eyes. Let not the government of the plantation depend upon too many counsellors and undertakers, in the country that planteth but upon a temperate number; and let those be rather noblemen and gentlemen, than merchants; for the latter look ever to the present gain. Let there be freedoms from custom, till the plantation be of strength: and not only freedom from custom, but freedom to carry* their commodities where they may make their best of them, except there be some special cause of caution. Cram not in people, by sending too fast, company after company; but rather hearken how they waste and send supplies proportionably ; but so as the number may live well in the plantation, and not by surcharge be in penury. It hath been a great endangering to the health of some plantation, that they have built along the sea and rivers, in marish and unwholesome grounds. Therefore, though you begin there, to avoid carriage, and other like discommodities, yet build still rather upwards from the streams, than along. It concerneth likewise the health of the plantation, that they may have good store of salt with them, that they may use it in their victuals when it shall be necessary. .

It is the sinfullest thing in the world, to forsake or destitute a plantation once in forwardness: for, besides the dishonour, it is the guiltiness of blood of many commiserable persons."-Bacon's Essays, Civil and Moral, xxxiii.

Such was in part the theory of him whose opinion on any subject requires no praise of ours; and who, with a host of illustrious men of his time, laid the foundation of an empire in the west, which modern statesmen have been too weak to sustain.

We proceed to an example of the details which grew out of those enterprises. It is remarkable, that a spirit of poetry and scholarship, and gallantry, accompanied the adventurers of those days even to the humblest efforts of their pens upon

*It is needless to suggest how little this advice is regarded by European governments; and how grievous have been the injuries inflicted upon all parties by the disregard of it.

Upon these rules it may generally be remarked, that the cautions which they give, as to the preparation of stores from the mother country entirely, are no longer needed upon our wild lands in North America. Judicious arrangements may previously be made on the spot for most of the things that colonists want.

their return. Scarcely a black letter quarto is to be met with without an introduction of sonnets from the traveller's friends and his collegiate companions; and in a future review we hope to gratify our readers by shewing farther, that they went forth upon their enterprises encouraged by the anxieties of the fair of the highest rank, for their success.

One of the most correct accounts of the New Settlements is called by the author, William Wood,

"New England's Prospect. A true, lively, and experimental description of that part of America, commonly called New England; discovering the state of that country, both as it stands to our newcome English planters and to the old native inhabitants; laying down that which may both enrich the knowledge of the mind-travelling reader, or benefit the future voyager."

Wood is infected with the credulity of his age upon matters of which he could not be an eye-witness: as in his serious repetition of "the report, that if the party lives that is bitten by a rattlesnake, the snake will die; and if the party die, the snake will live.”-p. 45. But his testimony is manifestly unimpeachable, whenever he enjoyed the advantage of a personal experience of the correctness of what he states.

Of his work, he says, that he undertook it

"The rather, because there had theretofore some relations past the press, which were very imperfect; as also because there were many scandalous and false reports past upon the country even from the sulphurous breath of every base ballad-monger."-" Wherefore," saith he, "to perfect the one and take off the other, I have laid down the nature of the country, without any partial respect unto it, as being my dwelling place where I have lived these four years, and intend, God willing, shortly to return again; but my conscience is to me a thousand witnesses, that what I speak is the very truth, and this will inform thee, reader, almost as fully concerning it, as if thou wentest over to see it.'

This is one of the earliest accounts of New England, and in perfect copies it is enriched with a curious map of the country. It is the more interesting, as from the date of it we may conjecture, that by such descriptions of America as this, Cromwell and Hampden, and other despairing patriots, were induced to seek that peace across the Atlantic, which they were deprived of at home. The volume was printed in 1634; and they were stopped by the royal proclamation at Portsmouth in 1637.

The book is divided into thirty-two chapters, of which the

titles are printed in the note below; it is of some authority with the historians of New England; and it is altogether a curious volume.

We proceed to lay before our readers select passages from the work itself, interspersing them with a few remarks with reference to modern enterprises.

The second chapter treats "Of the seasons of the year, winter and summer, together with the heat, cold, snow, rain, and the effects of it;" and to Mr. Wood's remarks it may be added, in favour of the country he recommends, that in proportion as it is cultivated the climate improves.—

"For that part of the country wherein most of the English have their habitations: it is for certain the best ground and sweetest climate in all those parts, bearing the name of New England, agreeing well with the temper of our English bodies, being high land, and sharp air, and though most of our English towns border upon the sea-coast, yet are they not often troubled with mists, or unwholesome fogs, or cold weather from the sea, which lies east and south from the land. And whereas in England most of the cold winds and weathers come from the sea, and those situations are counted most unwholesome

THE TABLE.
Part I.

Chap. 1. Of the situation, bays, havens, and inlets.-p. 1. Chap. 2. Of the seasons of the year, winter and summer, together with the heat, cold, snow, rain, and the effects of it.-p. 3.

Chap. 3. Of the climate, length, and shortness of day and night, with the suitableness of it to English bodies for health and sickness.-p. 8.

Chap. 4.

Of the nature of the soil.—p. 10.

Chap. 5.

Of the herbs, fruits, woods, waters, and minerals.-.

p. 13.

Chap. 6.

Of the beasts that live on the land. p. 18.

Chap. 7.

Beasts living in the water.-p. 24.

Chap. 8.

Of the birds and fowls both of land and water.-p. 26.*
Of fish. p. 32. -

Chap. 9.

Chap. 10. Of the several plantations in particular.-p. 36. Chap. 11. Of the evils, and such things as are hurtful in the plantation.-p. 44.

Chap. 12. What provision is to be made for a journey at sea, and what to carry with us for our use at land. p. 49.

"Part II.

Chap. 1. Of the Connectacuts, Mowhacks, or such Indians as are westward.--p. 56.

that are near the sea-coast, in that country it is not so, but otherwise; for in the extremity of winter, the north-east and south wind coming from the sea, produceth warm weather, only the north-west wind coming over the land, is the cause of extreme cold weather, being always accompanied with deep snows and bitter frost, so that in two or three days the rivers are passable for horse and man. But as it is an axiom in nature, Nullum violentum est perpetuum, no extremes last long, so this cold wind blows seldom above three days together, after which the weather is more tolerable, the air being nothing so sharp, but peradventure in four or five days after this cold messenger will blow a fresh, commanding every man to his house, forbidding any to out-face him without prejudice to their noses; but it may be objected, that it is too cold a country for our Englishmen, who have been accustomed to a warmer climate, to which it may be answered (Igne levatur hyems) there is wood good store, and better cheap to build warm houses, and make fires, which makes the winter less tedious: and moreover, the extremity of this cold weather lasteth but for two months or ten weeks, beginning in December, and breaking up the tenth day of February; which hath been a passage very remarkable, that for ten or a dozen years the weather hath held himself to this day, unlocking his icy bays and rivers, which are never frozen again, except there be some small frost until the middle of March. It is observed by the Indians, that every tenth year there is little or no winter, which hath been twice observed of the English; the year of the new Plymouth

Chap. 2. Of the Tarrentenes or the Indians inhabiting eastward. p. 60. Chap. 3. ward.--p. 61. Chap. 4.

Of the Pequants and Narragansets inhabiting south

Of the Aberginians.or Indians northward.--p. 62.
Of their apparel, ornaments, paintings, &c.--p. 64.
Of their diet, cookery, &c.—p. 65.

Chap. 5.
Chap. 6.
Chap. 7.
ship, &c.--p. 69.

Chap. 8.

Of their dispositions and good qualifications, as friend

Of their hardiness.--p. 75.

Chap. 9. Of their wondering at the first view of any strange invention.-p. 77.

Chap. 10. Of their king's government, and subjects' obedience.

mens' arrival was no winter in comparison; and in the tenth year after, likewise, when the great company settled themselves in Massachuset's Bay, was a very mild season, little frost, and less snow, but clear serene weather, few north-west winds, which was a great mercy to the English coming over so rawly and uncomfortably provided, wanting all utensils and provisions which belonged to the well being of planters, and whereas many died at the beginning of the plantations, it was not because the country was unhealthful, but because their bodies were corrupted with sea-diet, which was naught, their beef and pork being tainted, their butter and cheese corrupted, their fish rotten, and voyage long, by reason of cross winds, so that winter approaching before they could get warm houses, and the searching sharpness of that purer climate creeping in at the crannies of their crazed bodies, caused death and sickness; but their harms having taught future voyagers more wisdom, in shipping good provision for sea, and finding warm house at landing, find health in both."-p. 5.

"To relate how some English bodies have borne out cold, will (it may be) startle belief of some, it being so strange-yet not so strange as true. A certain man being something distracted, broke away from his keeper, and running into the woods, could not be found with much seeking after; but four days being expired, he returned, to appearance as well in body, as at his egress, and in mind much better; for a mad man to hit home through the unbeaten woods was strange, but to live without meat or drink in the deep of winter, stranger, and yet return home bettered, was most strange."

"The hard winters are commonly the forerunners of pleasant spring-times, and fertile summers being judged likewise to make much for the health of our English bodies: it is found to be more healthful for such as shall adventure thither, to come towards winter, than the hot summer: the climate in winter is commonly cold and dry, the snow lies long, which is thought to be no small nourishing to the ground, For the Indians burning it to suppress the underwood, which else would grow all over the country, the snow falling not long after keeps the ground warm, and with this melting conveys the ashes into the pores of the earth, which doth fatten it. It hath been observed, that English wheat and rye proves better, which is winter sown, and is kept warm by the snow, than that which is sown in the spring. The summers be hotter than in England because of their more southern latitude, yet are they tolerable; being often cooled with fresh blowing winds, it seldom being so hot as men are driven from their labours, especially such whose employments are within doors, or under the cool shade: servants have hitherto been privileged to rest from their labours in extreme hot weather, from ten of the clock till two, which they regain by their early rising in the morning, and double diligence in cool weather. The summers are commonly hot and dry, there being seldom any rains; I have known it six or seven weeks before one shower hath moistened the ploughman's labour, yet the harvest hath been very good, the Indian corn requiring more heat than wet, for the English corn, it is refreshed with the nightly dews, till it grow up to shade his roots with his own substance from the parching sun."-p. 7.