1846

Simms, William Gilmore. The Life of Captain John Smith, The Founder of Virginia. New York, 1846. 143-61, 182-90, 251-71, 326-36, 355-67. (Freeport: Books for Libraries, 1970.) This third involvement with Smith and Pocahontas by Simms is strictly biography and history rather than fiction. His approach is lush and expansive but basically quite straightforward. There are, however, several lyrical passages about Pocahontas. For instance: "As these virtues were not of the time or the people among whom she was born and nurtured, so they denote a degree of excellence which lifts her beyond her race and period, and links her name and reputation with those of the few noble spirits, like herself, of whom the universal heart everywhere keeps a tenacious memory. A more incomparable creature never did honor to her sex. A more feminine spirit never was sent to earth for the purpose of humanity." Quite provocative, though, is Simms' view of the relationship between rebellious daughter and stern father: "We have no reproaches for Pocahontas, and her conduct is to be justified. She obeyed laws of nature and humanity, of tenderness and love, which were far superior, in their force and efficacy, in a heart like hers, to any which spring simply from ties of blood. But, even though his designs be ill, we cannot but regard the savage prince, in his age and infirmities, thus betrayed by child and subject, somewhat as another Lear. He, too, was fond of his Cordelia."
[illustrated; Smith biography]
[Electronic Version]
[View Images: frontispiece, title page]