Chapter 14 of 14 · 1776 words · ~9 min read

Part 14

The text from which this sermon was written is, 1 Cor. x.:24. _Let no man seek his own: but every man another's wealth._ It is divided into two parts: 1. A _Dehortation_, consisting of the first clause. 2. An _Exhortation_, comprising the latter clause. The design of the discourse was to keep up the noble flow of public spirit in the emigrants, which perhaps then began to abate, through their accumulating hardships and sufferings, but which was necessary for their preservation and security. The author exhorts his hearers to assist each other in their labors and toils, to distribute their property among those that were needy, and so far as consistent to seek their neighbors' happiness and prosperity. "The discourse is a precious relic of ancient times. The sound sense, good advice, and pious spirit, which it manifests, will, it may be hoped, now, and in all future time, meet with approval and beneficial acceptance in our community." It is written in the quaint old-fashioned style of our Forefathers, and we noticed that the last head of remarks, which contains but one sentence, is just a page in length. The discourse is preceded by a Biographical Sketch of Mr. Cushman, by the late Hon. John Davis of Boston, together with a letter from him to Charles Ewer, Esq., and a brief Address by Mr. Cushman to "his Loving Friends the Adventurers for New England, together with all Well-Willers and Well-Wishers thereunto," dated "Plymouth in New England, December 12, 1621." These several articles form a pamphlet of 32 pages, well printed, which, on account of its Christian and patriotic principles, should be generally diffused. For this improved edition, we are indebted to the liberality of the publisher.

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_Deficiencies in our History. An Address, delivered before the Vermont Historical and Antiquarian Society, at Montpelier, October 16, 1846, with an Appendix containing the Charter, Constitution, and By-Laws of the Society, the Vermont Declaration of Independence, January 15, 1777, the Proceedings of the Convention, 4th of June, 1777, and the Song of the Vermonters, in 1779. By James Davie Butler, Professor in Norwich University_. Montpelier: Eastman and Danforth. 1846.

The design of this address seems to be, to illustrate the importance of preserving the fragmentary and unpublished history of Vermont, a state which for interest in its early history is surpassed by no other in the Union. Notwithstanding this, however, it has been greatly neglected. Prof. Butler urges strongly upon the members of the Society to exert themselves to repair the losses, and give to the world an honorable account of the Green Mountain State. While others have given partial and one-sided details of her history, no true son has arisen to vindicate her honor. Says Mr. Butler, "Let us leave our history to be written by foreigners, and it will be the play of Hamlet with the part of Hamlet omitted.--The Genius of history says to us, all and each, that thou doest do quickly; like the sibyl to the ancient king, she year by year brings with her fewer and fewer antique records, but unlike the sibyl demands for them an even increasing price.--The records of our fathers have in part perished with them,--some of them live in the memories of patriarchs, who still stand among us with eyes undimmed and natural force not abated, as if on purpose that such as hold the pen of the ready writer may still embalm their sayings.--Let us redeem the time, since if our old men pass away unquestioned, no buried Pompeii can be raised from the grave to enlighten our wilful ignorance." The discourse is interspersed throughout with historical gems, and in connection with the additional documents forms a valuable production.

Professor Butler has kindly furnished us with a genealogical account of the Butler Family, which will be inserted in the next No. of the Register.

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_The Patrician: Edited by John Burke, Esq., Author of the Peerage, Landed Gentry, &c._ May, 1846. London: E. Churton, 26 Holles Street. pp. 94.

The dedication of the work is as follows:

To the Right Honorable Lord Leigh, of Stoneleigh, the first volume of the Patrician is respectfully inscribed.

The number before us is the _first_ of the first volume. Ten have already been issued. It is a work devoted to History, Genealogy, Heraldry, Topography, Antiquities, and General Literature. Each number contains a long list of births, marriages, and deaths. The editor must be a man of varied learning, and particularly acquainted with the subjects of which he treats. The work is not adapted to the public generally, and must, therefore, be limited in circulation. As an English production it may be interesting to the higher classes or nobility of England; but it cannot attract the attention of Americans.

+------------------------------------------------------------------- | | PROSPECTUS | | OF THE | | NEW ENGLAND | | HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. | | REV. WILLIAM COGSWELL, D. D., EDITOR. | | | The NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC, GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY proposes to | publish by subscription a Quarterly Journal, to be entitled, | "THE NEW ENGLAND HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL REGISTER." The | period has arrived in this country, when an awakened and | a growing interest begins to be felt in the pursuit, and | especially in the results, of Historical and Genealogical | Researches; and when the practical value, both to individuals | and to society, of the knowledge which is obtained by | investigations of this kind, from the scattered and perishable | records of local, domestic, and traditionary history, begins | to be appreciated by increasing numbers. The existence and | active exertions of Historical, Antiquarian, and Statistical | Societies, which have sprung up within a few years past in most | of the older states of the Union, are a sufficient evidence of | this fact. | | The formation of the NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC, GENEALOGICAL | SOCIETY, which has received a Charter from the Massachusetts | Legislature, and which, as its name imports, proposes to | direct its attention to the illustration of History in one | of its most elemental and original departments, has been | received with a degree of encouragement and favor, which | leaves no room to doubt that a deep interest is felt by many | in the community, in subjects of this nature; and that the | materials exist, in various stages of preparation, as the | fruit of personal exertions, for enriching the collections of | a general Depository; and thereby leading to a more extensive | diffusion of the facts and documents, out of which this | branch of Literature in our country has yet to be principally | created. The Periodical to be issued by this Society, will be | one important means of accomplishing the end in view. It will | comprehend such materials as the following; namely, | | 1. Biographical Memoirs, Sketches, and Notices of Persons who | came to North America, especially to New England, before Anno | Domini 1700; showing from what places in Europe they came, | their families there, and their descendants in this country; | | 2. Full and minute Genealogical Memoirs and Tables, showing | the lineage and descent of Families, from the earliest dates | to which they can be authentically traced, down to the present | time, with their branches and connections; | | 3. Tables of Longevity, Statistical and Biographical, Accounts | of Attorneys, Physicians, Ministers and Churches of all | denominations, of Graduates at Colleges, Governors, Senators | and Representatives in Congress, Military Officers, Merchants, | and other persons of distinction; and occasionally entire | Tracts, which have become rare and of permanent Historical | value; | | 4. Lists of Names, found in ancient documents, such especially | as were engaged in any honorable public service; also the | documents themselves, when they may contain any important facts | illustrative of the lives and actions of individuals; | | 5. Descriptions of the Costumes, Dwellings, and Utensils of | various kinds, belonging to the earliest times to which the | Ancestry of Families may be traced; to be accompanied, when | practicable, with drawings or engravings; | | 6. Ancient Inscriptions and Epitaphs, with descriptions of | Cemeteries, Monuments, Tombs, Tablets; also, extracts from the | Town and Parish Records of New England; | | 7. Descriptions of Armorial Bearings, and of other Heraldic | devices, occasionally emblazoned, with sufficient explanations | of the principles and terms of Heraldry. | | The Publication will embrace many other materials of a | Miscellaneous and Statistical character, more or less connected | with its main design; which, it is believed, will contribute to | render it interesting to intelligent persons of every class in | the community. | | Each Number will be embellished with a Portrait of some | distinguished individual. There will also occasionally be other | engravings in the work. | | | CONDITIONS. | | The Work will be issued Quarterly, each Number containing at | least ninety-six pages, octavo, upon good paper, and with fair | type; making annually a volume of about four hundred pages; the | Numbers to be issued in January, April, July, and October. | | The price to Subscribers will be TWO DOLLARS a year, payable on | issuing the first Number. Any person obtaining subscriptions | and becoming responsible, for six copies of the work, shall be | entitled to the seventh copy gratis. | | Subscription Papers to be returned to the address of SAMUEL G. | DRAKE, Publisher, 56 Cornhill, Boston. | | | NOTICE. | | All communications, which are designed for insertion in the | Register, or which respect the editorial department, should be | addressed to the Editor, at Boston. | | All orders for the Register, and all communications respecting | the pecuniary concerns of it, should be directed to Samuel G. | Drake, 56 Cornhill, Boston. | | * * * * * | | ☞In the Press, and will soon be published, the History of | Shrewsbury, by A. H. Ward, Esq., in which will appear a | Genealogical Table or Family Register, containing a History of | the inhabitants from the settlement of Shrewsbury, in 1717, to | 1829, and of some of them to a later period; so far as regards | their marriages, children, ages, and deaths; and also their | ancestors, so far as can be obtained. | +-------------------------------------------------------------------

Transcriber's Notes:

Silently corrected simple spelling, grammar, and typographical errors.

Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed.

Enclosed italics markup in _underscores_.