"liberty, was a prominent feature of their character. Not "the mad democracy of modern growth, but a rational and "safe enjoyment of civil and religious, privileges, was the "great object of their pursuit. But a regard for religion "was their master passion, which swallowed up the rest; "this is evident, not only from their constant professions, but "from their customs, their institutions, their laws, and va "rious other circumstances by which the character of a "community is known.” In chapters X, XI, and XII we have the settlement and early history of Connecticut, sketches of eminent characters, and some notice of the Quakers.. Chapter XIII has the settlement of Rhode Island and transactions with the Narragansets. War with the Pequot Indians is the subject of the XIV chapter. The address of a Hartford minister to the troops under. Mason and Underhill is a specimen of pathos and eloquence. The description of the attack upon the fort of the Pequots will reward the particular attention of the reader. Chapter XV contains the interview between Uncas and Governor Winthrop and the foundation of Harvard College, Biography and the settlement of towns are the principal subjects of chapter XVI Chapter XVII deserves insertion entire; but our limits prevent. It contains a correct, animated, and forceful char acter of the natives, who inhabited New England. Chapter XVIII gives us the foundation of the society for propagating the gospel, and the exertions of Missionaries to christianize the Indians. The conversion of Wannalancet> is particularly interesting. Chapters XIX and XX contain the persecution of the Quakers and the history of Philip's war. Chapter XXI relates the sufferings of the Colonists, their religious differences and the synods consequent thereupon.. In chapter XXII are contained the loss of the Mas sachusetts charter, the appointment of Sir Edmond Andros, some accounts of an Indian war at the Eastward, and the expedition against Canada and Nova Scotia. Chapter XXIII furnishes some detail of the supposed witchcraft in Danvers and Salem in 1692. We find the following very just observations on that unhappy delusion. "The people of Essex county had lived among the savages; they had heard the narratives of Hobbamocko, or "the devil, of his frequent appearance to them, of their 66 conversations with him, and his sometimes carrying them "off. These were the familiar tales of their winter eve An Indian nings, which confirmed their opinions, roused their ad"miration, laid the basis of much superstition, and furnish"ed fuel for approaching terrors. The circumstances, at"tending the first strange appearances, were most unfor"tunate, and powerfully tended to give them currency. 66 They first appeared in the family of their minister; he 66 was credulous; this excited belief in others. "and his wife were in the family; they were supposed "adepts in the science of witchcraft, their opinions were "important; to complete the misery, the physician united "his suffrage; the evidence now in the public mind was "conclusive. No wonder the alarm was sudden and ter"rible. Children not twelve years of age were allowed to "give in their testimony. Indians related their own person"al knowledge of invisible beings, and women told their "frights. The testimonies then received, would now be con"sidered a burlesque on judicial proceedings." Chapter XXIV extends from the French war, which commenced in 1694, to the death of Governor Burnet. Chapter XXV continues the history with notices of the taking of Louisburgh, the French invasion, the congress at Albany, and Braddock's defeat. The XXVI chapter is devoted to the revolutionary war. The authors describe this interesting event with much brevity; conceiving perhaps, that so important a period of American history should be read by our youth in a more minute detail, than the limits of their volume allowed them to insert. The two remaining chapters contain a geographical de@cription of New England. There is annexed an appendix, A 2 consisting of extracts from orations, delivered at the anniversary festivals of the sons of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Mass. and several odes, composed for the same occasions. We have thus presented our readers a concise view of the work. We think it cannot fail of becoming very useful in academies and families. To possess the information, it contains, is important to every one; and perhaps no history of its size contains so much. It will be seen that the religious features of our ancestors are more copiously and distinctly marked, than any others. Our authors could not well avoid this; for religion was the order of the day. It engrossed the whole attention; every other passion and object was rendered subservient. They have pourtrayed the eminent virtues and the peculiar imperfections of our forefathers with historic truth and filial affection. No disguise appears; no coloring is used. The style in general is plain and concise; the language simple, and, though sometimes figurative, sufficiently familiar. Having been originally written for a more extensive work, it undoubtedly sustains a higher rank, than it otherwise would. Receiving such satisfaction from the matter, we are sorry to find the punctuation defective. We are not insensible, that different authors adopt different rules, by which to distinguish their members and sentences. But we conceive, that some general rules do exist, in which all are agreed, or would agree by devoting a little attention to the subject. It is the violation of these general rules, we would here notice. A correct, systematic mode of punctuation is certainly essential to perspicuity as well, as accuracy. If in the present case the errors have arisen from the neglect of the printer, who is often falsely accused, or from a hasty inspection of the proof sheets, we fear that in other cases errors have originated from the unjustifiable inattention of the authors. The map is well executed, and so far, as we have examined, appears to be correct.' In the higher priced copies of the work it is colored, and is very handsome. TO THE EDITORS OF THE LITERARY MISCELLANY. IN looking over the second volume of Dalzel's Collectanea Græca Majora, I found, at the close of his notes on Moschus, a charming Idyl of Meleager, the following translation of which you are at liberty to insert. Meleager, a native of Syria, and an inhabitant of Gadara, lived about 159 years before Christ. He was the first collector of those exquisite morceaus of antiquity, which, with subsequent additions, compose what is called the Greek Anthologia. To this collection he added some highly polished poems of his own, and gave the work the name of Στέφανος, or the Garland. Many of these may be found in Brunck's Analecta Veterum Poëtarum Græcorum, 4 vols. 8vo. whence the following is taken. Many readers will be inclined to think, that Gray was not unacquainted with this Idyl, when he wrote the first stanza of his ode to Spring. XE Είματα, ηνεμόεν θα ἀπ' αἰθέραν οἰχομένοιο, TRANSLATION. ON SPRING. AN IDYL. NOW Winter's storms, which chilled the sky, Smiling advance the rosy hours, Strewing around their purple flowers; The white swan pours his piercing song; The mariners their sails unloose ; The bees distill their luscious juice? Has spring inspired the warbling throng? The following are four lines, intended to have been placed under a statue of Somnus. Somne veni; quanquam certissima mortis imago, Huc ades, haud abiture cito : nam sic sine vitâ See Monthly Mag, vol. xv. p. 9s |