“You that are born to rule Nations may be the beginner of Nations…” — William Alexander | V2Melody

“You that are born to rule Nations may be the beginner of Nations, enlarging this Monarchy without blood and making a Conquest without wronging of others.”

On peaceful expansion through colonisation · Dedication, An Encouragement to Colonies

William Alexander

About William Alexander

William Alexander

c. 1567–12 February 1640

William Alexander, later the first Earl of Stirling, was born about 1567 at Menstrie in Clackmannanshire, near Stirling, Scotland, and died in London on 12 February 1640. He belonged to that distinctive early Stuart class of men for whom poetry, government service, courtly advancement, religious reflection, and…

More by William Alexander

Poems by William Alexander

More remarks by William Alexander

“After a great Travel both of Body and of Mind, which (since not voluntary but imposed upon me) was the more painful, by retiring for a Time where I was born being curious, as the most dainty Kind of Pleasure for such as are capable of their Delicacies to recreate myself with the Muses,—I may justly say recreate, since they create new Spirits I conversed with some of the Modern as well as with the Ancients, kindling my Fire at those Fires which do still burn out of the Ashes of ancient Authors.”

On literature as restorative recreation after public duties · Essay, Anacrisis

“We here go to cause preach the Gospel where it was never heard, and not to subdue but to civilize the Savages, for their ruin could give us neither glory nor benefit.”

Emphasising conversion and civilisation over conquest · Essay, An Encouragement to Colonies

“Colonisers should intermarry to form such lawful alliances that by admitting equality remove contempt.”

Advocating equality through intermarriage in new settlements · Essay, An Encouragement to Colonies