42 IPLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 



repeated perusals, and, to use tiie words of Dr. Aikin, ** the 

 whole will be valued as a rich store-house of invention resembling 

 some of the reaiainin^j edifices of that age, which astonish by 

 their magnificent profusion of varied though partly fantastic 

 ornament." 



The Lecturer subsequently examined and criticised the abilities 

 and productions of Dr. Donne, dean of St. PauPs, a man of very 

 extensive reading and celebrated for his sitires, Sir Jolin Davies 

 an eminent lawyer and poet. Sir Philip Sydncjy, autlior of 

 "Arcadia;" Richard Edwards, one of the earliest dramatic 

 writers, and Christopher Marloe, an elegant poet, but fanciful in 

 his style. 



Queen Elizabeth wrote tolerable verses herself, and was fond 

 of poetry, but she chose to reward poetic merit with abundance 

 of smiles and very little coin of the realm. There were, however, 

 some worthy Mecaenases in her ti:ne; Leicester, Sir P. Sydney, 

 and the Earls Southampton and Essex, were munificent patrons 

 of learning and genius. 



Hooker, Latimer, and Ascham, have left works of much 

 repute behind them ; the '* Ecclesiastic Politic" of the first was 

 characterised as an able and excellent work; 



In the fine arts, native talent was rare, there being but one 

 sculptor of eminence, Kichard Stephens. Nicholas Ildliard was 

 the most celebr iled portrait painter. Isaac Oliver was excellent 

 in miniature, and Sir Nat. Bacon, an amateur artist, attained the 

 perfection of a master. 



Architectural taste was ;it a low ebb : the rich pointed styles 

 gave way at the fall of ecclesiastical foundations, to a love of 

 fantastic and cumbersome ornament. But few public buildings 

 erected at that time remain. 



The Tudors were all fond of music, and of consequence 

 proficiency in that art was needful to be fashionable ; but invention, 

 taste, and elegance, were not introduced. Among the musicians 

 were Dr. Chris. Tye, Thomas Tallis, and Thomas Morley. 



Commerce, navigation, business-like enterprise, naval adven- 

 ture, and trade, flourished at this period ; the names of Gresham, 

 Drake, and Hawkins, are well known. Commercial intercourse 

 was maintained with Russia, Turkey, Africa, and the East 

 Indies. At the death of Elizabeth, the Navy consisted of 42 

 ships, mounting 774 guns. There was no standing army, troops 

 being levied as needed ; she was sparing in her troops, and her 

 military enterpvizes were always on the defensive side. 



In drawing his lecture to a conclusion, Mr. Dusautoy gave a 

 sketch of the state of the English Constitution during the Queen's 

 reign, and gave the characters of the principal officers of state, as 

 v^^ell as that of the Queen herself. 



Elizabeth was Queen not only of her kingdom but of her 

 cabinet. Her most influential counsellors yielded implicit defer- 

 ence to her decisiorjs; and so confident was she in the powers of 



