A PARALLEL FROM THOMAS DEKIZ - Elt.
[TO THE EDITOR 07 THE "BPECTATOlt."]
Sra,—A day or two ago I picked up an edition of that curious work by Thomas Dekker entitled The Seven Deadly Sinnes of London : Dravme in seven severall Coaches, Through the seven severall Gates of the Cilia Bringing the Plague with them. Opening the volume at random, I was struck by the following passage, which appeared to me full of extraordinary pathos at the present moment :—
"Lot vs hoyst vp more Saylea, and lanch into other Seas, till wee come in ken of our owne Countrey. Antwerp (the eldest daughter of Brabant) hath falne in her pride, the Citties of rich Burgundy in theyr greatnes. Those seuenteen Dutch Virgins of Heigh' (that bad Kingdomes to theyr dowries, and were worthy to be courted by Nations) are now no more Virgins: the Souldier bath deflowred them, and robd them of theyr Mayden honor. . . . Famine hath dryed vp the fresh blond in theyr cheekes, whilst the Pestilence digd vp theyr Fields, and turned them into Graves."
Port of Spain, Trinidad, November 21st.
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