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　and　industrious　subjects　are　more　to　a　kingdom　than　gold。　　And　this　is　so　certain　a　course　to　get　both　as　I　think　was　never　propounded　to　any　state　for　so　small　a　charge；　seeing　I　can　prove　it；　both　by　example；　reason　and　experience。〃

Smith's　maxims　were　excellent；　his　notions　of　settling　New　England　were　sound　and　sensible；　and　if　writing　could　have　put　him　in　command　of　New　England；　there　would　have　been　no　room　for　the　Puritans。　　He　addressed　letter　after　letter　to　the　companies　of　Virginia　and　Plymouth；　giving　them　distinctly　to　understand　that　they　were　losing　time　by　not　availing　themselves　of　his　services　and　his　project。　After　the　Virginia　massacre；　he　offered　to　undertake　to　drive　the　savages　out　of　their　country　with　a　hundred　soldiers　and　thirty　sailors。　　He　heard　that　most　of　the　company　liked　exceedingly　well　the　notion；　but　no　reply　came　to　his　overture。

He　laments　the　imbecility　in　the　conduct　of　the　new　plantations。　　At　first；　he　says；　it　was　feared　the　Spaniards　would　invade　the　plantations　or　the　English　Papists　dissolve　them：　but　neither　the　councils　of　Spain　nor　the　Papists　could　have　desired　a　better　course　to　ruin　the　plantations　than　have　been　pursued；　〃It　seems　God　is　angry　to　see　Virginia　in　hands　so　strange　where　nothing　but　murder　and　indiscretion　contends　for　the　victory。〃

In　his　letters　to　the　company　and　to　the　King's　commissions　for　the　reformation　of　Virginia；　Smith　invariably　reproduces　his　own　exploits；　until　we　can　imagine　every　person　in　London；　who　could　read；　was　sick　of　the　story。　　He　reminds　them　of　his　unrequited　services：　〃in　neither　of　those　two　countries　have　I　one　foot　of　land；　nor　the　very　house　I　builded；　nor　the　ground　I　digged　with　my　own　hands；　nor　ever　any　content　or　satisfaction　at　all；　and　though　I　see　ordinarily　those　two　countries　shared　before　me　by　them　that　neither　have　them　nor　knows　them；　but　by　my　descriptions。。。。　　For　the　books　and　maps　I　have　made；　I　will　thank　him　that　will　show　me　so　much　for　so　little　recompense；　and　bear　with　their　errors　till　I　have　done　better。　　For　the　materials　in　them　I　cannot　deny；　but　am　ready　to　affirm　them　both　there　and　here；　upon　such　ground　as　I　have　propounded；　which　is　to　have　but　fifteen　hundred　men　to　subdue　again　the　Salvages；　fortify　the　country；　discover　that　yet　unknown；　and　both　defend　and　feed　their　colony。〃

There　is　no　record　that　these　various　petitions　and　letters　of　advice　were　received　by　the　companies；　but　Smith　prints　them　in　his　History；　and　gives　also　seven　questions　propounded　to　him　by　the　commissioners；　with　his　replies；　in　which　he　clearly　states　the　cause　of　the　disasters　in　the　colonies；　and　proposes　wise　and　statesman…　like　remedies。　　He　insists　upon　industry　and　good　conduct：　〃to　rectify　a　commonwealth　with　debauched　people　is　impossible；　and　no　wise　man　would　throw　himself　into　such　society；　that　intends　honestly；　and　knows　what　he　understands；　for　there　is　no　country　to　pillage；　as　the　Romans　found；　all　you　expect　from　thence　must　be　by　labour。〃

Smith　was　no　friend　to　tobacco；　and　although　he　favored　the　production　to　a　certain　limit　as　a　means　of　profit；　it　is　interesting　to　note　his　true　prophecy　that　it　would　ultimately　be　a　demoralizing　product。　　He　often　proposes　the　restriction　of　its　cultivation；　and　speaks　with　contempt　of　〃our　men　rooting　in　the　ground　about　tobacco　like　swine。〃　　The　colony　would　have　been　much　better　off　〃had　they　not　so　much　doated　on　their　tobacco；　on　whose　furnish　foundation　there　is　small　stability。〃

So　long　as　he　lived；　Smith　kept　himself　informed　of　the　progress　of　adventure　and　settlement　in　the　New　World；　reading　all　relations　and　eagerly　questioning　all　voyagers；　and　transferring　their　accounts　to　his　own　History；　which　became　a　confused　patchwork　of　other　men's　exploits　and　his　own　reminiscences　and　reflections。　　He　always　regards　the　new　plantations　as　somehow　his　own；　and　made　in　the　light　of　his　advice；　and　their　mischances　are　usually　due　to　the　neglect　of　his　counsel。　　He　relates　in　this　volume　the　story　of　the　Pilgrims　in　1620　and　the　years　following；　and　of　the　settlement　of　the　Somers　Isles；　making　himself　appear　as　a　kind　of　Providence　over　the　New　World。

Out　of　his　various　and　repetitious　writings　might　be　compiled　quite　a　hand…book　of　maxims　and　wise　saws。　　Yet　all　had　in　steady　view　one　purposeto　excite　interest　in　his　favorite　projects；　to　shame　the　laggards　of　England　out　of　their　idleness；　and　to　give　himself　honorable　employment　and　authority　in　the　building　up　of　a　new　empire。　　〃Who　can　desire；〃　he　exclaims；　〃more　content　that　hath　small　means；　or　but　only　his　merit　to　advance　his　fortunes；　than　to　tread　and　plant　that　ground　he　hath　purchased　by　the　hazard　of　his　life；　if　he　have　but　the　taste　of　virtue　and　magnanimity；　what　to　such　a　mind　can　be　more　pleasant　than　planting　and　building　a　foundation　for　his　posterity；　got　from　the　rude　earth　by　God's　blessing　and　his　own　industry　without　prejudice　to　any；　if　he　have　any　grace　of　faith　or　zeal　in　Religion；　what　can　be　more　healthful　to　any　or　more　agreeable　to　God　than　to　convert　those　poor　salvages　to　know　Christ　and　humanity；　whose　labours　and　discretion　will　triply　requite　any　charge　and　pain。〃

〃Then　who　would　live　at　home　idly；〃　he　exhorts　his　countrymen；　〃or　think　in　himself　any　worth　to　live；　only　to　eat；　drink　and　sleep；　and　so　die；　or　by　consuming　that　carelessly　his　friends　got　worthily；　or　by　using　that　miserably　that　maintained　virtue　honestly；　or　for　being　descended　nobly；　or　pine　with　the　vain　vaunt　of　great　kindred　in　penury；　or　to　maintain　a　silly　show　of　bravery；　toil　out　thy　heart；　soul　and　time　basely；　by　shifts；　tricks；　cards　and　dice；　or　by　relating　news　of　other　men's　actions；　sharke　here　and　there　for　a　dinner　or　supper；　deceive　thy　friends　by　fair　promises　and　dissimulations；　in　borrowing　when　thou　never　meanest　to　pay；　offend　the　laws；　surfeit　with　excess；　burden　thy　country；　abuse　thyself；　despair　in　want；　and　then　cozen　thy　kindred；　yea；　even　thy　own　brother；　and　wish　thy　parent's　death　（I　will　not　say　damnation）；　to　have　their　estates；　though　thou　seest　what　honors　and　rewards　the　world　yet　hath　for　them　that　will　seek　them　and　worthily　deserve　them。〃

〃I　would　be　sorry　to　offend；　or　that　any　should　mistake　my　honest　meaning：　for　I　wish　good　to　all；　hurt　to　none；　but　rich　men　for　the　most　part　are　grown　to　that　dotage　through　their　pride　in　their　wealth；　as　though　there　were　no　accident　could　end　it　or　their　life。〃

〃And　what　hellish　care　do　such　take　to　make　it　their　own　misery　and　their　countrie's　spoil；　especially　when　there　is　such　need　of　their　employment；　drawing　by　all　manner　of　inventions　from　the　Prince　and　his　honest　subjects；　even　the　vital　spirits　of　their　powers　and　estates；　as　if　their　bags　or　brags　were　so　powerful　a　defense；　the　malicious　could　not　assault　them；　when　they　are　the　only　bait　to　cause　us　not　only　to　be　assaulted；　but　betrayed　and　smothered　in　our　own　security　ere　we　will　prevent　it。〃

And　he　adds　this　good　advice　to　those　who　maintain　their　children　in　wantonness　till　they　grow　to　be　the　masters：　〃Let　this　lamentable　example　＇the　ruin　of　Constantinople＇　remember　you　that　are　rich　（seeing　there　are　such　great　thieves　in　the　world　to　rob　you）　not　grudge　to　lend　some　proportion　to　breed　them　that　have　little；　yet　willing　to　learn　how　to　defend　you；　for　it　is　too　late　when　the　deed　is　done。〃

No　motive　of　action　did　Smith　omit　in　his　importunity；　for　〃Religion　above　all　things　should　move　us；　especially　the　clergy；　if　we　are　religious。〃　　〃　Honor　might　move　the　gentry；　the　valiant　and　industrious；　and　the　hope　and　assurance　of　wealth　all；　if　we　were　that　we　would　seem　and　be　accounted；　or　be　we　so　far　inferior　to　other　nations；　or　our　spirits　so　far　dejected　from　our　ancient　predecessors；　or　our　minds　so　upon　spoil；　piracy　and　such　villainy；　as　to　serve　the　Portugall；　Spaniard；　Dutch；　French　or　Turke　（as　to　the　cost　of　Europe　too　many　do）；　rather　than　our　own　God；　our　king；　our　country；　and　ourselves；　excusing　our　idleness　and　our　base　complaints　by　want　of　employment；　when　here　is　such　choice　of　all　sorts；　and　for　all　degrees；　in　the　planting　and　discovering　these　North　parts　of　America。〃

It　was　all　in　vain　so　far　as　Smith's　fortunes　were　concerned。　　The　planting　and　subjection　of　New　England　went　on；　and　Smith　had　no　part　in　it　except　to　describe　it。　　The　Brownists；　the　Anabaptists；　the　Papists；　the　Puritans；　the　Separatists；　and　〃such　factious　Humorists；〃　were　taking　possession　of　the　land　that　Smith　claimed　to　have　〃discovered；〃　and　in　which　he　had　no　foothold。　　Failing　to　get　employment　anywhere；　he　petitioned　the　Virginia　Company　for　a　reward　out　of　the　treasury　in　London　or　the　profits　in　Virginia。

At　one　of　the　hot　discussions　in　1623　preceding　the　dissolution　of　the　Virginia　Company　by　the　revocation　of　their　charter；　Smith　was　present；　and　said　that　he　hoped　for　his　time　spent　in　Virginia　he　should　receive　that　year　a　good　quantity　of　tobacco。　　The　charter　was　revoked　in　1624　after　many　violent　scenes；　and　King　James　was　glad　to　be　rid　of　what　he　called　〃a　seminary　for　a　seditious　parliament。〃　The　company　had　made　use　of　lotteries　to　raise　funds；　and　upon　their　disuse；　in　1621；　Smith　proposed　to　the　company　to　compile　for　its　benefit　a　general　history。　　This　he　did；　but　it　does　not　appear　that　the　company　took　any　action　on　his　proposal。　　At　one　time　he　had　been　named；　with　three　others；　as　a　fit　person　for　secretary；　on　the　removal　of　Mr。　Pory；　but　as　only　three　could　be　balloted　for；　his　name　was　left　out。　　He　was；　however；　commended　as　entirely　competent。

After　the　dissolution　of　the　companies；　and　the　granting　of　new　letters…patent　to　a　company　of　some　twenty　noblemen；　there　seems　to　have　been　a　project　for　dividing　up　the　country　by　lot。　　Smith　says：　〃All　this　they　divided　in　twenty　parts；　for　which　they　cast　lots；　but　no　lot　for　me　but　Smith's　Isles；　which　are　a　many　of　barren　rocks；　the　most　overgrown　with　shrubs；　and　sharp　whins；　you　can　hardly　pass　them；　without　either　grass　or　wood；　but　three　or　four　short　shrubby　old　cedars。〃

The　plan　was　not　carried　out；　and　Smith　never　became　lord　of　even　these　barren　rocks；　the　Isles　of　Shoals。　　That　he　visited　them　when　he　sailed　along　the　coast　is　probable；　thoug