1804

"A Sketch of the Life of Pocahontas." [Boston] Monthly Anthology 1.4 (February 1804): 170-74. Not clear if this is by Davis or drawn from his 1803 Travels. Begins right at Smith's capture rather than developing his previous history as in Travels, but the basic plot is the same and some phrases are exact or similar. Most obvious difference is the classical reference: Pocahontas is Dido, Hortensia, the Goddess of Plenty. And ends with: "When we reflect that so much virtue, heroism, intellect and piety adorned so young a native of our country, we cannot but regard America as the natural clime of greatness, and consider Pocahontas, as exhibiting proof of the powers and capacity of savage nature, rather than an exception to common degeneracy." Could well be Davis because a comparison of the 1805 Captain Smith and Pocahontas with Travels shows that Davis recycles his basic plot with variation, and Tilton 1994 (p. 51) shows Davis quoting the Aeneid about Dido. Striking article; reprinted several times -- see below -- through 1814.
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