desirous of attracting the admiration of the noblemen and gentlemen of the court; "Indeed I will do him the justice to say that I think him no conjuror." The queen laughed, and, as matter of course, the courtiers laughed also. "Nay, be not so hard upon him, child," said her majesty, "remember he will have to lose his Barbary courser, which will sufficiently punish him for endeavouring to cajole the queen of England." 'May it please your majesty," said Sir Walter Raleigh, coming into the room with his pipe in his hand, "I have smoked out the quantity of tobacco agreed upon." 66 "Haste thee and weigh the smoke then," replied the queen with a chuckle of delight, which was echoed by those around her. "I will tell your majesty the weight of the smoke in a few seconds," responded Raleigh, taking in his hand a small pair of ivory scales which stood on an adjoining table. 66 "Thou wilt never get so much smoke into such tiny balances, Sir Walter Raleigh," observed her majesty with the same tone, So thou mayest as well acknowledge that the wager is ours." "Your majesty will be pleased to observe that the weight in this scale is the exact weight of the ashes left in the pipe," replied Sir Walter, shewing the scales, in one of which he had put the ashes, at an even balance. "Now, if your majesty will graciously remember the weight of the unburnt tobacco upon which the experiment was made, by subtracting from it the weight of the ashes, which I have here ascertained, the sum produced will be the exact weight of the smoke.' Sir Walter Raleigh, with the scales still in his hand, wore on his noble features, at this moment, an expression of very evident satisfaction, as he turned round and looked down upon his audience— some of whom seemed incredulous, others wondering, the rest puzzled what to think; but all were waiting in silence the effect of his announcement upon their sovereign, whose abler understanding perceived at once the accuracy of the result, though it was so different from what she had expected, and felt as if she could not enough admire the simplicity of the method which had so easily proved what she thought had been impossible. "The gold is thine, Sir Walter Raleigh," said she, rising from her chair with a dignity none knew better how to put on, as she placed a well filled purse in his hand, "and fairly is it won. There have been many labourers in the fire whose vast undertakings have ended in smoke; but thou art the first whose smoke was ever turned into gold." "Well, I did not think he was such a superlative master of hocus pocus," exclaimed Mistress Alice, with a wonderful elevation of her eyebrows. "Please your majesty, if you let him go on at this profitable rate, every conjuror in your dominions will hang himself in despair." "Indeed 'tis a very pretty piece of conjuration," said Lady Blanche Somerset, opening her large blue eyes in a seeming astonishment; and all the rest, though they did in no way understand the matter, did rival each other in ready praise of Sir Walter Raleigh-except my Lord Bumble, who kept aloof, as if he had not yet recovered from his fright and surprise. Sir Walter having put away the things he was using, placed his hand on his heart, and kneeling on one knee before her majesty, as she presented him the purse, said humbly, "I pray your majesty to pardon me, that the deep gratitude of my heart at this moment, at receiving such munificent and generous conduct from my sovereign, hath taken from my poor tongue all adequate expression. What Paris must have felt when he first beheld the beauteous Helen, I experience at witnessing such graces of behaviour-with the like of which was no princess ever blessed-therefore, if I make not too bold, I would implore your majesty, out of your right royal and princely disposition, and most admirable wisdom, to frame, in my behalf, such excuse for my silence as your majesty may think appropriate." "Rise, Sir Walter Raleigh," said the queen, graciously raising him from the ground; for, in truth, though waxing old, she did find exceeding delight in having such handsome gallants at her feet. "The wager was honourably won-therefore our bestowing it doth call for no gratitude. We are now disposed for a stroll through yonder pleasant walks, and require thy attendance." So saying, she led the way, with a becoming stateliness, through the glass doors, and stepped out into the garden, closely followed by her captain of the guard—the rest staying behind, as they had not been invited. After some little time passed in the queen's garden, her majesty proceeded through divers passages, and through the new gallery in the palace, till she reached St. James's Park. "Hath Master Edmund Spenser, our poet laureate, of whom thou hast so oft spoke to us so fair, been well cared for, since at thy request we granted him an interview?" enquired her majesty, as they walked along. "I believe that my Lord Burghley never did anything for him, or paid him his salary, please your majesty," replied Sir Walter. “But I marvel not at that, seeing that my lord treasurer hath not seemed in any great degree affected towards the inestimable sweet delights of poetry and philosophy; and yet one would naturally suppose, that serving a mistress who hath so perfect a knowledge and so exquisite a taste in those divine enjoyments-the very Minerva of our thrice fortunate English land-he would have imbibed sufficient inclination towards them as to foster such as possess them mostfor the true glorification of his illustrious sovereign, and to the great advancement of his own honour." "Ah, my Lord Burghley is certainly somewhat deficient in such matters; nevertheless he is an excellent statesman and a faithful servant," observed the queen. "We will, however, not allow Master Spenser to think himself unesteemed of us, for we remember well he did read to us divers passages from a poem called 'The Fairy Queen,' of which we entertain a very favourable consideration." "Your majesty playeth ever the part of the true judge of merit, and its most liberal patroness," exclaimed Raleigh, "and happy are those poetic spirits who were born to flourish under such excellent auspicies. Surely they might aptly be addressed in the words of Lucan his Pharsalia, Vos quoque, qui fortes animos belloque peremptos It has been left for your majesty's right glorious reign to produce two such unrivalled geniuses as Master Edmund Spenser and Master William Shakspeare-the one as an epic poet, who writeth to advance the admiration of that which is chivalrous and noble, hath no peer; the other as an inventor of plays-the which in this country he may justly be said to be the originator-for judgment, wit, imagination, and knowledge of human nature, standeth above all in these realms. Master Spenser hath fellowship with such noble spirits as Homer and Virgil, and Master Shakspeare deserveth to stand on equal terms with Sophocles and Menander." "We take great delight in the productions of this Shakspeare as exhibited at the playhouse," replied her majesty, "and do intend this afternoon to partake of the same amusement." "It is an entertainment worthy of your majesty's enjoyment, responded Sir Walter, "for I take it that players are a sort of looking-glasses, who shew humanity under all its fashions, as it is made to appear by the dramatist, to whom these fashions are familiar; and they who essay to know the world, its conduct and apparelling, will find no more direct way than the playhouse, where Master Shakspeare and some few who travel in his footsteps, are in requisition. Nor are your majesty's players undeserving of laudable mention, for without tuition or previous example, they have raised the art from little better than absolute vagrancy, to a profession honourable with the court, and in good esteem with the people." "Ah-there is one Burbage, is there not, of notable excellence in this art?" enquired the queen. "We have marked him oft. He that playeth the crook-backed king." "The same, please your majesty," said Raleigh, "which sheweth your majesty's exquisite discrimination, for he beareth away the palm from them all; being of an exceeding ingenious nature, and of a very happy facility in taking upon himself the characters of others -which he sheweth not only when appearing as Richard the Third, though it be a most superlative piece of acting, as your majesty hath justly conceived-but in divers other parts in which he hath exhibited a similar excellence." They walked on for some two or three minutes without saying ever a word. "Rememberest thou those lines of Virgil," asked her majesty, "beginning Fortunate senex! hic inter flumina nota "How could I fail, please your majesty," replied Sir Walter, seeing that they form one of the sweetest pieces of pastoral ever written by that truly famous poet, who hath for his epitaph Mantua me genuit, Calabri rapuere, tenet nunc "If our judgment do not fail, they are most happily chosen," continued the queen. "How well he describeth the cool deliciousness of that pleasant place, out of the scorching heat of the sun, where the bees suck the dainty flowers, whilst the cooing of the dove and the plaint of the turtle are hushed, that the sojourner therein might be wooed to repose." "Indeed it is a marvellous refreshing landscape, and your majesty doth shew that inimitable appreciation of its excellence, which hath delighted me so oft when discoursing upon other of the ancient writers, either Greek or Latin." "There is another picture, which maketh a fine contrast to the foregoing," said her majesty-who did mightily delight to shew her learning, of which she was very bountifully gifted; and more especially took great pleasure in receiving the praises of so fine a scholar as her captain of the guard-"it is given in Theocritus his Idyls, and commenceth ἔν τε βαθείαις Αδείας σχίνοιο χαμευνίσιν ἐκλίνθημες, Εν τε νεοτμάτοισι γεγαθότες οιναρέοισι. and so goeth on at considerable length." "I remember me," replied Sir Walter, "where the poet describeth the luxurious indolence of reclining on the soft branches of the vine and the lentisk, whilst above, the foliage of poplars and elms spreads a most grateful shade, and the murmuring stream flowing below gives coolness to the air: shrill grasshoppers are chirruping pleasantly in the green sward, the sweet honey-sucking bees are humming amid the fragrant blossoms-Philomel pouring out her melancholy song, concealed in the grove-and the turtle dove cooing dulcetly, doth add a softer music to the tuneful pipe of the small birds; as, to charm the eye equally with the ear, the luscious fruits of summer and autumn are heaped all about, shewing piles of rosy cheeked apples and pears, and the branches of the velvet plum overloaded bending to the ground. In truth, 'tis a most enticing picture; and the reference to it is another instance of your majesty's unrivalled familiarity with the treasures of classic song; and of that miraculous fine taste which preferreth what is most admirable, that giveth me such frequent cause of infinite wonder and delight." The queen did look exceeding pleased at this discourse, fanning herself all the time very prettily as she walked along, and regarding, the noble form and handsome attire of the speaker with an eye of favour; till coming to a place where, beneath the shade of a wide-spreading beech, just where the walk, screened on the side by a thick fence of hawthorn, took a sudden turn that shut them out from view, a commodious seat was placed, and her majesty did rest herself thereon. She then, more at leisure, did scan the rich habiliments of the gallant Sir Walter Raleigh as he stood before her, which seemed to give her ample satisfaction, though she said never a word: he gazing upon her all the while with a wonderful shew of respectful admiration, as much as to say that if his tongue dared speak his thoughts, his heart would make them right eloquent. "What sayest thou concerning the voyage thou wert speaking of?" at last she enquired in her most gracious tone. Starting suddenly, as if recovering from a trance, he replied, "I humbly pray your majesty's pardon, for indeed 'tis a most notable truth that none but the eagle can gaze on the sun without being dazzled." Her majesty did infinitely relish such conceits, and her eyes twinkled with an evident pleasure as she observed her attendant suddenly let fall his looks to the ground, as if the gazing upon her were too much for his humanity. "But of the voyage I will speak," continued he. "May it be known to your majesty, that there are certain of my former companions in arms, with other valiant gentlemen, who are desirous of serving your majesty, and of giving free scope to their courageous spirits by doing damage against the Spaniard, have clubbed with me divers large sums of money, for the purpose of procuring a sufficiency of well-appointed ships for an expedition against Panama, combined with an intention of intercepting the Plate fleet, the riches whereof is almost incredible. They have funds enough for thirteen ships of war, of the which, in consideration that I have sunk the whole of my private fortune in the scheme, and that they do-doubtless without proper judgment-acknowledge me to be the properest man amongst them for seamanship, acquaintance with the Spaniards, and knowledge of the art of war, seek me for to be their admiral, which, if it be the good pleasure of your majesty, whose poor soldier I am, I am in no wise unwilling to be: but to make the consequence we seek the more sure, I would humbly pray of your majesty such assistance in men, money, and ships, as would put all thought of misadventure out of the question, the granting of the which I feel assured would tend greatly to the complete crippling of your most notorious enemies, the addition of abundance of glory to your reign, and the vast enrichment of your exchequer." "Thou speakest us fair, Sir Walter Raleigh," said the queen, who had paid very strict attention to what he had advanced; but however partial she might be upon occasion, she was rarely to be drawn away from a consideration of her own advantage. "Thou speakest us fair, and were we not as well acquainted with thee as we are, having recollection of services done by thee against the boasted armada, which by God's good help we utterly discomfited, and at other times against those empty praters and wretched villains the Spaniardsand remembering also thy skill in discovering strange lands, do put some confidence in thy assertions; nevertheless, it is necessary we be informed what share of the spoil shall be ours in case we afford such assistance as thou requirest?" but Sir Walter, in no way disconcerted at this, as he knew her majesty's disposition, answered with a very becoming humility, "Far be it from me to endeavour to make a bargain with my sovereign; your majesty's condescension is so great, and your liberality I have experienced in so bountiful a measure, I am emboldened to say, that |