something of him before he threw his cloak under her feet, especially
as there has been some controversy (which we have in vain tried to
fathom) between him and Lord Grey about that terrible Smerwick
slaughter; of the results of which we know little, but that Raleigh,
being called in question about it in London, made such good play with
his tongue, that his reputation as an orator and a man of talent was
fixed once and for ever.

Within the twelve months he is sent on some secret diplomatic mission
about the Anjou marriage; he is in fact now installed in his place as
'a favourite.' And why not? If a man is found to be wise and witty,
ready and useful, able to do whatsoever he is put to, why is a
sovereign, who has eyes to see the man's worth and courage to use it,
to be accused of I know not what, because the said man happens to be
good-looking?

Now comes the turning-point of Raleigh's life. What does he intend
to be? Soldier, statesman, scholar, or sea-adventurer? He takes the
most natural, yet not the wisest course. He will try and be all four
at once. He has intellect for it; by worldly wisdom he may have
money for it also. Even now he has contrived (no one can tell
whence) to build a good bark of two hundred tons, and send her out
with Humphrey Gilbert on his second and fatal voyage. Luckily for
Raleigh she deserts and comes home, while not yet out of the Channel,
or she surely had gone the way of the rest of Gilbert's squadron.
Raleigh, of course, loses money by the failure, as well as the hopes
which he had grounded on his brother's Transatlantic viceroyalty.
And a bitter pang it must have been to him to find himself bereft of
that pure and heroic counsellor just at his entering into life. But
with the same elasticity which sent him to the grave, he is busy