Sir Robert
Cotton, the learned antiquarian, and he the more willingly satisfies
this noble desire because, as he says, "they have acted my fatal
tragedies on the stage, and racked my relations at their pleasure. To
prevent, therefore, all future misprisions, I have compiled this true
discourse. Envy hath taxed me to have writ too much, and done too
little; but that such should know how little, I esteem them, I have
writ this more for the satisfaction of my friends, and all generous
and well-disposed readers: To speak only of myself were intolerable
ingratitude: because, having had many co-partners with me, I cannot
make a Monument for myself, and leave them unburied in the fields, whose
lives begot me the title of Soldier, for as they were companions with me
in my dangers, so shall they be partakers with me in this Tombe." In the
same dedication he spoke of his "Sea Grammar" caused to be printed by
his worthy friend Sir Samuel Saltonstall.

This volume, like all others Smith published, is accompanied by a great
number of swollen panegyrics in verse, showing that the writers had been
favored with the perusal of the volume before it was published. Valor,
piety, virtue, learning, wit, are by them ascribed to the "great Smith,"
who is easily the wonder and paragon of his age. All of them are
stuffed with the affected conceits fashionable at the time. One of the
most pedantic of these was addressed to him by Samuel Purchas when the
"General Historie" was written.

The portrait of Smith which occupies a corner in the Map of Virginia
has in the oval the date, "AEta 37, A. 1616," and round the rim the
inscription: "Portraictuer of Captaine John Smith, Admirall of New
England," and under it these lines engraved:

"These are the Lines that show thy face: but those
That show thy Grace and Glory brighter bee:
Thy Faire Discoveries and Fowle-Overthrowes
Of Salvages, much Civilized by thee
Best shew thy Spirit; and to it Glory Wyn;
So, thou art Brasse without, but Golde within,
If so, in Brasse (too soft smiths Acts to beare)
I fix thy Fame to make Brasse steele outweare.

"Thine as thou art Virtues

"JOHN DAVIES, Heref."

In this engraving Smith is clad in armor, with a high starched collar,
and full beard and mustache formally cut. His right hand rests on his
hip, and his left grasps the handle of his sword. The face is open and
pleasing and full of decision.

This "true discourse" contai