Retrospect-of Domestic Literature-—Miscellanies. 
might have consulted ; and the conversa- 
tion of the time might have furnished, or 
nt least suggested, some particulars that 
are not to be found in any of the printed 
accounts. In 1610, Silvester Jourdan, 
an eye-witness, published a Discovery of 
the Bermudas, otherwise called the fsle 
ef Divals; by Sir Thomas Gates, Sir 
George Sommers, and Captayne Newport, 
with divers others. Next followed Stra- 
cney’s Proceedings ofthe Mnglish Colimie 
in Vircinia, 1612, 4to. and some other 
pamphiets of less moment. From these 
accounts it epoears that the Bermudas 
bad vever been inhabited, but regarded 
as under the influence of enchantment ; 
though an addition to a subsequent editi- 
en of Jourdan’s work gravely states that 
they are not enchanted ; that Sontiiers’s 
ship had been split between two rocks; 
that during dis stay on the island. several 
conspiracies had taken place; and that a 
sea-monster, in shape like a man, had 
been seen, who had been so called after 
the monstrous tempests that often hap- 
pened at Bermuda. In Stowe’s Aijnals 
we have also an account of Sommers’s 
shipwreck, in-which this important pas. 
Sage occurs, ‘ Sir George Sommers sittiiy 
at the stearne, seeing the ship desperate 
of relrefe, looking every minute when the 
ship would sinke, hee espicd land, which 
according to his and Captain Newport's 
Opinion, they jadged it Should be that 
areadfull coast of the Bermudas, which 
islands were of all nations said snd sup- 
posed to bee enchanted and inhabited 
with witches and devils, which grew by 
treason of accustomed monstrous thunder, 
storm, aud tempest, neere unto those is- 
ands, also for that the:-whole coast is so 
wonderous dangerous of rockes, 
fan approach them, but with unspeakable 
hazard of ship-wrack.’ Now if some of 
these circumstances in the ship-wreck ot 
Sir George Sommers be considered, it 
may possivly turn out that they are “ the 
particular and recent event which turned 
Shakspeare to call hig play The Tem- 
pest,” *instead of “the great tempest 
of 1612, which has already been supposed 
to have suggested its name, and which 
might have happened after its composi 
tion. If this be the fact, the play was 
written between 1609 aad 1674, when it 
ras so illiberally and invidiously alluded 
tom Ben Jonson’s Bartholomew Fair.” 
SS KING HENRY IV. PAET ji. 
am Sc. 4. p. 91. 
Pist. Have we not Hiren here. 
Z wei’ 
See Malone's'Shaksp. vol. i. part i. p. 379. 
that tew . 
599 
“ The notes on this expression have left 
it a matter of doubt whiether Pistol 1s 
speaking of -his sword or of a woinan 3 
but the fact 1s, after all, that the word 
Hiren was properly designed by the au- 
thor to be ambiguous, though used by 
Pistol with reference only to his sword. 
When the Hostess replies  There’s none 
such here, do you think I would de:ry 
her? she evidently conceives that he is 
calling for some wench. Pistol, mot re- 
garding her blunder, continues to handle 
his sword, and in his next speech reads the 
mrotto on it, si fortuna me tormenta, sperate 
me contenta. It isto be observed that most 
of the ancient swords had inscriptions ow 
them, and theré is no doubt that if dilie 
gent search were made, the one belfvre 
us, in a less corrupted state, would be 
found. In the mrean time the reader is 
presented with the figure of an old French 
rapier, In the author’s possession, ou 
which these lines are-cngraved: si fortane 
me icurmente Vesperance me cantente.” 
In further illustration, the following 
story from Wits, Fits, and Fancies, 1614, 
4to, is added. ‘ Hanniball Gonsaga be- 
ine tn the low countries overthrowne 
from his horse by an English Captaine, 
aid commanded to yielde himself prison- 
er, kist his word, and gave it the English 
main, saying, si fortuna me tormento, it 
sperunza me contenta.’ Part of this story 
had already been quoted by Dr. Farmer; 
but not for a similar purpose. 
_ 5° HAMLET. 
AcOaiheoc.: 2. \p.196e," 
Fam. © With two provincial roses on my razed 
shoes.” 
The old copies read previncial, which 
led Mr. Warton to ask, why provincial 
roses? and to conclude that roses of 
Provence were meant, on winch canelue 
sion the text has been most unnecessarily 
changed; because the old reading was 
correct. There is no evidence te show 
that Prévence was ever remarkable for 
its roses; but it is well known that Pros 
vins, in La Basse Brie, about forty-imiles 
from Paris, was formerly celebrated for 
the growth of this flower, of which the 
best cataplasms are said to have been 
made. It was; according to tracdi- 
tion, imported into. that country from 
Syria, by a Count de Brie. See Guille- 
meau EHistorie nuturelle de ia Rose. lt 
is probable that this kind of rose, which 
in our old herbals is cailed the Great 
Holland, or Prezince rose, was imported - 
into this country both from Uolland and 
France, from which latter country the 
Dutch might have first procured it, There 
is 
