A Discourse delivered before The Maine Historical Society at its Annual Meeting. September 6, 1846. By George Folsom. "But I doubt not * * * it will prove a very flourishing place, and be replenished with many faire Towns and Cities, it being a Province both fruitful and pleasant."—F. Gorges. Description of the Province of Maine. Portland: Published for the Society. 1847.
The subject of this discourse is the early discovery and settlement of Maine, and the character of those who were most active in the work of colonization. It clearly indicates the author to be a man of historical research not only in regard to the state of Maine, but also in respect to New England and the early settlers generally. It is well worth the careful perusal, both of those who are fond of historic lore, and those who are searching for truth; as it contains facts which are important and are not generally known.
Mr. Folsom concludes his discourse of 75 pages as follows: "In my humble opinion, Maine owes some public acknowledgment to the memory of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, for having laid the foundation of its existence as a separate and independent community. Bradford and Winthrop are names that will never die amongst their successors at Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay; Pennsylvania will never forget her obligations to the illustrious Friend of humanity who peopled her wilderness; nor will Georgia suffer the memory of the enlightened Oglethorpe to perish; Maryland has stamped the name of Baltimore upon her brilliant commercial metropolis, and North Carolina has her 'city of Raleigh,' although the projected colony of Sir Walter proved a splendid failure. And shall Maine do nothing to mark her sense of the merits of the liberal patron and successful abettor of the first settlements within her limits; who expended a large fortune upon his projects of discovery and colonization; who, when the country was abandoned and denounced by others as too cold and dreary for human habitation, actually hired men to pass the winter here to prove the contrary; and who died without reaping any substantial return for all his labors and outlays, leaving only a legacy of lawsuits to his descendants? It is time that justice was done to his memory. From the small beginning he made, this community has become a widely extended, populous, and wealthy state—rich in her resources, and not less distinguished for the active enterprise and laborious industry of her population. She can well afford to honor the memory of the man who foresaw all this, and devoted the energies of a long life to its consummation."
The Sin and Danger of Self-Love, described in a Sermon preached at Plymouth, in New England, 1621, by Robert Cushman. With a Memoir of the Author. Boston: Published by Charles Ewer, and for sale by Crocker & Brewster, Samuel G. Drake, Little & Brown, James Munroe & Company, Benjamin Perkins, and James Loring. Dec. 22, 1846.
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.
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.