whilst he was busied with new plans for the welfare and
protection of the colonists, Bacon died suddenly, 1676. He left one
daughter, Mary, who married Hugh Chamberlain, M.D., physician to Queen
Anne. Mrs. Behn has drawn his character with remarkable accuracy. Even
his enemies were obliged to allow he possessed extraordinary ability,
and he won all by the grace and charm of his manner. Oldys, in a MS.
note on Langbaine (Mrs. Behn), attributes to the colonist _A Historical
Discourse of the Government of England_ (1647), but the date of
publication sufficiently shows that the antiquary is palpably in error.

Langbaine in his note on _The Widow Ranter_ abruptly and sweepingly
remarks 'Plot from the known story of Cassius,' which the _Biographia
Dramatica_ yet more erroneously expands as follows: 'The tragedy part
of it, particularly the catastrophe of Bacon, is borrowed from the
well-known story of Cassius, who, on the supposition of his friend
Brutus being defeated, caused himself to be put to death by the hand of
his freedman Dandarus.' C. Cassius Longinus was defeated at Philippi
(B.C. 42), by Antony, and ignorant that the left wing commanded by
Brutus had conquered Octavius, he straightway commanded his freedman
Pindarus to put an end to his life. It is strange that both authorities
should have made this mistake, the more so as Bacon expressly alludes to
the fate of Hannibal, from whose history, and not that of Cassius, Mrs
Behn doubtless borrowed the idea of her hero's suicide. Cassius is
indeed alluded to but casually, and not by Bacon's self. Hannibal had
fled to the court of Prusias, King of Bithynia, who, unable to resist
the demands of the Romans, eventually sent troops to arrest his guest.
The great Carthaginian, however, having provided himself with poison in
case of such an event, swallowed the venomed drug to prevent himself
falling into the hands of his enemies. Dullman, Timorous Cornet,
Whimsey, Whiff, and the other Justices of the Peace who appear in this
play are aptly described in _Oroonoko_, where Mrs. Behn speaks of the
Governor's Council 'who (not to disgrace them, or burlesque the
Government there) consisted of such notorious villains as Newgate ever
transported; and, possibly, originally were such who understood neither
the laws of God or man, and had no sort of principles to make them
worthy of the name of men; but at the very council-table would
contradict and fight with one another, and swear so