It is obferved by Langbaine, that he must have had no common talents to have excelled in fo many different walks. SIR WALTER RALEIGH. "Sir Walter Raleigh, a perfon both fuffi"ciently known in hiftory, and by his Hif 66 tory of the World, and feems alfo by the "character given him by the forementioned au thor of the Art of English Poetry, to have "expreft himself more a poet than the little "we have extant of his poetry feems to import: For ditty and amorous ode', faith he, I find Sir Walter Raleigh's vein most lofty, infolent, and paffionate." This most extraordinary and unfortunate genius was born at Hayes Farm, in the parish of Budley in Devonshire, in 1552, being the son of Walter Raleigh, efq. defcended from an ancient family, by Katharine, daughter of Sir Philip Champernoun, of Modbury, (relict of Otho Gilbert, of Compton in Devonshire, efq.) In 1568 he became a commoner of Oriel College, Oxford, where his abilities foon difplayed themfelves, felves, by an uncommon progrefs in academical learning; but his ambition foon led him into the world, and he refided fome time in the Middle Temple, yet with no view of ftudying the law, of which the narrow trammels must have been utterly difgufting to his mighty fpirit. In 1569, when Q. Elizabeth fent forces to affift the perfecuted Proteftants in France, Raleigh went among them as a volunteer. As it appears, that he remained in that kingdom beyond the death of Charles IX, which from his first going is about five years, and that in this compass of time nearly thirty battles, fieges, overthrows, treaties, and capitulations on one fide or the other may be enumerated; it is manifeft he was hazardously engaged in fome, if not several of them. In 1576, a recommendatory poem was prefixed to Gascoigne's fatire, called "The Steel-Glafs," by "Walter Rawely, of the Middle Temple," who is fuppofed to have been our "But the poem itfelf" fays Oldys, to me discovers, in the very first line of it, a great air of that folid axiomatical vein, which is obfervable in other productions of Raleigh's mufe: author. 66 Sweet were the fauce would pleafe each kind of taste. And the whole middle hexaftic, is fuch an indication of his own fortune or fate; fuch a caution against that envy of fuperior merit, which he himself ever ftruggled with, that it could proceed from no hand more properly than his own. Though fundry minds in fundry forts do deem; For whofo reaps RENOWN above the reft, With heaps af HATE fhall furely be opprefs'd." In 1578 he went to the Netherlands with the forces which were fent against the Spaniards. In 1579 his half-brother, Sir Humphry Gilbert, having obtained a patent of the Queen, to plant and inhabit fome northern parts of America, he engaged in that adventure, but returned foon after, the attempt proving unfuccessful. In 1580 he became a Captain in the Wars of Ireland, and the year after one of the Commiffioners for the Government of Munster, in the absence of the Earl of Ormond. Here he continued to diftinguish himself, till this diftrict was fuppofed to be reduced into quiet, and then on his return to England, tradition afcribes his introduction to the Queen, to a piece of gallantry, with which he furprized her in one of her walks. "Her majefty," fays the report, meeting with a plashy place made fome fcruple to go on, when Raleigh, dreffed in the gay and genteel habit of thofe times, presently caft off and fpread his new plush cloak on the ground, 66 ground, whereon the Queen trod gently, rewarding him afterwards with many fuits for his fo free and favourable tender of so fair a footcloth: thus an advantageous admiffion into the notice of a prince, is more than half a degree to preferment."* The truth is, Raleigh always made a very elegant appearance, as well in the fplendor of his attire, as the politeness of his addrefs, having a good presence in an handfome and well-compacted perfon, a strong natural wit, and a better judgment; with a bold and plausible tongue, by which he could fet out his abilities to advantage: and these being all very able advocates for royal favour, efpecially in a female fovereign, it is no wonder that he advanced apace upon it. It feems to be doubtful whether there is any truth in the ftory of his quarrel with Arthur Lord Grey de Wilton, who had been Lord Deputy of Ireland at this time, and the advantage he gained in the Queen's favour by the fuperior ability with which he pleaded his caufe before the CouncilTable. In 1583 he fet out with Sir Humphry Gilbert, in his expedition to Newfoundland; but within a few days was obliged to return to Plymouth, his fhip's company being feized with an infectious diftemper: and Gilbert was drowned Fuller's Worthies, in Devon. in coming home, after having taken poffeffion of that country. Thefe expeditions, however, being things that Raleigh had a strong paffion for, nothing difcouraged him: in 1584, obtaining letters patent for difcovering unknown countries, he fitted out two barks under two ex. perienced commanders, who fet fail to America, and difcovered the country of Wigandacoa, which Q. Elizabeth changed into that of Virginia. The queen was fo pleafed with the fuccefs of this scheme, and gave him fuch encouragement to compleatthe difcovery, that he immediately prepared another expedition for the purpose. In the mean time he was elected with Sir William Courtnay, a Knight of the Shire for his native county, and between December of this year, and the 24th of February following, (1585) he received the honour of knighthood, "a title" fays Oldys, "which her Majesty bestowed, as all others of honour, with frugality and choice. Therefore was it a more certain cognizance of virtue or valour, than titles of more pompous denomination in the reign of her fucceffor, who fuffered lucre to corrupt the noble fountain, to turn it into vulgar channels, and drain it even to the dregs, fo that the dignities which flowed or overflowed from it, proved diftinctions oftener of their pride, riches, or prostitutions, on whom they were conferred, than of |