Captain Charles Johnson's General History of the Robberies and MUrders
of the Most Notorious Pyrates ." is being published by the Cayme Press, Stanhope Mews West, in two volumes at 30s. each. The first volume is out, and a remarkably good production it is. No edition of this work, from which most pirate stories derive, has been published for two hundred years. There is no space to quote at length, but the picture of the notorious Blackbeard is too good to pass by. " His beard," we are told,." came up to his eyes ; he was accustom'd to twist it with Ribbons, in small Tails, after the manner of our Ramifies' Wiggs and turn them about his Ears. In Time of Action he . . . stuck lighted Matches under his Hat." One day when things were dull, " • Come,' says he, ' let us make a Hell of our own and try how long we can bear it.' Accordingly, he, with two or three others, went down into the Hold and closing up all the Hatches, filled several Pots full of Brimstone and set them on Fire and so continued till they were almost suffo- cated." Great credit is due to Mr. Philip Sainsbury for this beautifully produced volume.
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