The Boyhood of Raleigh
by Sir John Everett Millais
(English painter, 1829-1896)
THE illustration represents a scene that is common
enough on any coast—two boys listening to a sailor's
rehearsal of his adventures; but one of these boys is
supposed to be Sir Walter Raleigh, and the adventures
are supposed to have taken place on the wonderful
Western ocean. When Raleigh had grown up, he was eager
to go forth upon the sea. Unfortunately for his wishes,
he became a favorite of Queen Elizabeth, and this
sovereign had no idea of permitting her favorites to
leave the country. Wealth and power came to him, and he
was able to send out expeditions of discovery; but it
was not until after many years that he was allowed to
visit the unknown continent across the seas. On this
voyage he sailed up the Orinoco for four hundred miles.
Raleigh fell out of the royal favor, his enemies were
active, and although after a time he was restored to
the favor of the queen, yet, when James I came to the
throne, he was sent to the Tower on a charge of being
privy to plots against the king. Here he wrote his
famous "History of the World." In 1616, he was allowed
to make a voyage to the Orinoco to search for a gold
mine. The gold mine was not found; and on his return he
was executed on the old charge of treason.
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