find that it had regained the ground it had previously lost, on a surer and better footing, as a soothing and gentle stimulant.

From Spain, the plant was carried into Portugal; and from thence, gradually exported to the different kingdoms throughout Europe. Shortly after this, it was sent to the East, where it soon came into notice, as a narcotic, and consequently found a ready market. Peculiar facilities at this time too presented themselves to the Spaniards, above every other nation; for Vasco de Gama, another of its adventurers, had discovered and explored a great portion of the countries lying beyond the Cape of Good Hope. Among other articles, exchanged in the way of commerce with the natives, was tobacco: and this, despite of the reasoning of Don Ulloa mentioned some time back, was the first channel through which Hindostan, Arabia, and China, received the plants, now so common throughout the whole of the Eastern Empire. This occurred about the year 1560, shortly after it had been carried into France and Italy.

While the nations of the Peninsula were thus distinguishing themselves, and in the meridian of their glory, extending their discoveries, conquests, and trade to the furthermost parts of that world which they had opened to the eyes of astonished Europe, England, for a time, was incapacitated from pursuing a similar course by intestine broils and factions at home. And even when Elizabeth ascended the throne, her naturally enterprising and ambitious spirit was almost solely confined to arranging domestic discords, and settling foreign quarrels.

Sir Humphrey Gilbert, a plain blunt soldier, instigated by feelings of emulation and national enterprise, was the first to direct the attention of the maiden queen towards the benefits that would naturally result from planting a British colony in America. At his request a patent was granted, empowering him to plant and colonize some of the southern districts. He accordingly fitted out a squadron at his own expense, and proceeded on his voyage, which, from different circumstances that occurred, miscarried. A similar fate attended two subsequent attempts, when Sir Humphrey’s half-brother, the after-celebrated Sir Walter Ralegh or Raleigh, as it is now spelt, returned home from the wars in the Netherlands.

Inspired by a restless ambition that ever distinguished this great man, he succeeded in persuading the knight to undertake a fourth voyage, offering to accompany him himself. Combining courage, enterprise, and perseverance, with a degree of knowledge little known at the period we treat of, few men were better qualified for the successful execution of such an enterprise than Raleigh. The sequel proved the truth of this remark, Newfoundland was discovered and taken; though the original gallant projector, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, we have recorded, was drowned on his passage home.

In the year 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh applied for the renewal of the letters patent in his own name, which the queen immediately granted him. Having fitted out a squadron, he put to sea, and after a somewhat tedious voyage, discovered Wingandacoa, which he afterwards called Virginia, in honor of Elizabeth. On his return, he was received with peculiar favour by the queen, who testified her satisfaction by making him a knight, while she lent a willing ear towards the colonizing schemes Sir Walter opened to her aspiring view.

In pursuance of some of these, Sir Richard Grenville, another relation of Sir Walter Raleigh’s, was sent out with Captain Lane, whom he left in command of one hundred men in one of the southern districts of the country, appointing him at the same time to act as governor; and promising to return to him before the next spring with stores and fresh provisions. Circumstances, that have never yet been properly explained to this day, prevented Sir Richard from keeping his word, in consequence of which, the colony was reduced to great distress. Shortly afterwards, taking the advantage of Sir Francis Drake’s return from the Spanish wars, they embarked on board his ships for England, where they arrived in the month of July, A. D. 1686, with their commander, Lane. Among the specimens of the productions and peculiarities of the country, they brought with them that which forms our subject, the tobacco plant.

This, by some, is said to have been its first importation into Great Britain; Lobel, however, asserts, it was cultivated here in 1570, a statement plausible enough, we admit, considering the previous length of time the plant had been known in Spain and Portugal, but yet irreconcileable with the data our own historical research gives us. That it might indeed have been introduced from France previous to its importation from Virginia, and cultivated in trifling quantities, is highly probable, inasmuch as the French date its first appearance among them in 1560, just ten years previous to Lobel’s affirmation. Linnæus likewise mentions that the plant became known in Europe the same year the French date from, and Humboldt so far corroborates him, as to state that seeds of it were received from Yucatan in 1559.

That it was known in France, some years previous to its being carried into England, from the above accounts handed down to us, we cannot doubt. The French history of the importation of the plant into their country, attributes it to Jean Nicot of Nismes, who was their ambassador at the court of Lisbon in the reign of Francis II. Some of the seed, we are informed, was given him by a Dutchman, who had brought it with him from Florida. This, we imagine, must have been shortly after it had begun to regain notice in Spain.

Impressed with the current account of its properties as a medicine and luxurious stimulant, he sent a portion of it home, where it arrived, and under high court patronage soon became popular.

In England—and we shall now proceed to note our own accounts of the subject,—the first importer is very commonly thought to have been Sir Walter Raleigh, who is said to have brought it from Virginia in 1586—a period when the tobacco plant was known throughout nearly the whole of Europe, while whole fields of it were cultivated for commerce in Spain and Portugal. If it is to be attributed to an Englishman, few possess a better claim to the honor than Sir Francis Drake, as he had made several voyages to the New World in 1570-2-7, ere Raleigh had undertaken his first. This idea is exactly in accordance, too, with the dates furnished us by Lobel, Linnæus and Humboldt. Independent of this strong circumstantial evidence, Bomare[2] and Camden[3] both attribute its first appearance to him,—authority not to be disputed for a moment.

That Sir Walter was the first distinguished individual that set the fashion of smoking, we have recorded, although this, we are again told, was taught him by the notorious Ralph Lane, whose adventure, we have a page or too back slightly touched upon. Lane had himself learnt the habit, from the Virginians, and having brought several of their pipes home with him, communicated it to Raleigh, who indulged in it greatly, as a pleasant pastime. It was during one of his pleasing reveries under the soothing influence of the pipe, that the well-known anecdote is said to have occurred of a lacquey drenching him with water, supposing from the smoke he saw