The Rhode-Island book: selections in prose and verse, from the writings of Rhode-Island citizens

Introduction to Whatckeer, .... Durfee

Letter to the General Assembly, . . . Williams.

Concerning Sleep and Lodging of the Indians, Williams.

Roger Williams, Miss Whipple.

To the Weathercock on our Steeple, . . Greene.

The Poet, Mrs. Little.

Variety of Opinions on Religion, . . . Berkeley.

On the Prospect of Planting Arts and Learning in

America, .....

The Trailing Arbutus, .

The Language of a Future State, .

The Anniversary of American Independence, Our Country, .....

German Literature, .....

Suggested by Allston's Picture of Jeremiah

and Baruch in the Prison, Moral Sublimity Illustrated, The Baron's last Banquet, A Visit to Niagara, Martrydom of St. Peter and St. Paul, On the value of Liberal Studies, Dress, ......

The Existence of God,

To the Autumn Forest,

Centennial Discourse,

To a Smiling Infant,

The Churches of New-England,

Man was not Made to Mourn,

Mrs

Berkeley.

Whitman.

Hazard.

Hoppin.

Russell.

Pabodie.

Mrs. Whitman.

. Miss Jacobs.

. Wayland.

. Greene.

Farley.

Burgess.

Goddard.

. Mrs. Burges.

Maxcy.

Pabodie.

Pitman.

. • Peckham.

Stiles.

Hartshorn.

Robbins.

1 5

18 20 21 24 29

32 34 36 41

44 48 50

IV TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Old Grimes, Greene. 116

On Novel Writing, Mrs. Curtis. 118

Prize Poem, Mrs. Whitman. 126

Impossibility of Atheism, Brooks. 130

Paul Preaching at Athens, .... Miss Lynch. 134

On the Removal of the Remains of Washington, Bwges. 136

A Day of the Indian Summer, . . Mrs. Whitman. 141 The Present Intellectual and Political Condition

of Europe, Wayland. 145

" Where is thy Brother ?" .... Miss Jacobs. 154

The American Revolution, .... Robbins. 159

A Fragment Burrill. 164

Connexion between Love, Poetry, Music and

Devotion, Hazard. 165

Stanzas, Greene. 177

Rhode-Island during the Revolution, . . . Hunter. 179

The Battle of Bennington, .... Rodman. 193

The Effects of Sin, Vinton. 198

Ode to the Poppy, .... Miss Taggart. 200

Thoughts on Education, Allen. 203

Pettiquamscott, . . . . . Miss Robinson. 211

The Cultivation of Taste, Hague. 212

Charlie Machree, Hoppin. 226

Old Age, Hall. 229

An Excursion down Narraganset Bay, . Knowles. 236

Genius Born ; not Made, Dorr. 239

Time, ........ Hartshorn. 255

A Defence of Poetry, . . . . Channing. 259

A Fragment, Brooks. 265

Trenton Falls, ....... Stevens. 267

The Living Dead, Pabodie. 272

Henry Clay, in the Senate, .... Whipple. 275 A September Evening on the Banks of the

Moshassuck, Mrs. Whitman. 278

Last Night of the Year, Hall. 280

To Switzerland, Stevens. 286

Relations which this Country sustains to the

Nations of Europe, Wayland. 289

The Fancy Ball, ...... Anthony. 296

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Philip of Pokanoket, .

Elegy,

Go Forth into the Fields, .

Liberty's Trees, ....

Extract from a Poem,

Sonnet Illustrating a Picture,

Faded Flowers, ....

The Forsaken Wife, .

Sonnet, .

To the Trailing Arbutus,

On seeing a Grave without a Stone,

Stanzas,

A November Landscape,

Spring,

The Death-Bed of Beauty,

Lines,

. Man.

. Miss Lynch.

Pabodie.

Tillinghast.

Surges.

Miss Whipple.

Jenckes.

. Greene.

J. Hoppin.

Mrs. Whitman.

Patten.

. Hoppin.

. Peckham.

Allen.

Arnold.

Mrs. Whitman.

(From the German.) Whitnker.

Rockwell.

Mrs. Phillips.

INDEX OF AUTHORS.

Allen, Z.

. 203

Little, Mrs.

Allen, P.

Lynch, Miss

Anthony,

. 297

Maxcy,

Arnold,

Man,

Berkeley,

. 29, 32

Pabodie, . 48,

Burgess, G.

Pitman,

Burges, T.

. 136, 314

Patten,

Burrill,

Peckham,

Burges, Mrs.

. 90

Phillips, Mrs. * .

Brooks,

130, 265

Rockwell,

Curtis, Mrs.

. 118

Russell,

Ch aiming,

Robbins,

Durfee,

Rodman,

Dorr,

Robinson, Miss

Farley,

. 69

Stiles,

Stevens,

Goddard,

. 83

Taggart, Miss

Hazard,

36, 165

Tillinghast,

Hoppin, W. J.

41, 226, 342

Vinton,

Hoppin, J.

Williams,

Hartshorn,

. 108, 255

Whipple, Miss

Hunter,

Whitman, Mrs.

Hague,

. 212

141,!

Hall, . m .

229, 280

Whipple,

Jacobs, Miss

. 58, 154

Way land,

Jenckes,

Whitaker, .

Knowles s

. 236

. 134, 308

. 302

96, 272, 310

. 98

. 104, 343

. 347

. 109, 159

. 11

ins

. 267, 236

. 312

5, 18

20, 322

34, 50, 126,

278, 340, 345

61, 145, 289

Preface

Mr. Hunter has well remarked, in his eloquent Oration, that " the feeling which in the individual is selfish vanity, diffused and generalised by a community, becomes patriotism," and that " the people of Rhode-Island have a peculiar right to indulge in a State pride." This right will be admitted when it is remembered that in the history of the race, Rhode-Island presents the first instance of a State founded on the broad principles of spiritual freedom, without which, political freedom is but a mockery. Athens was a Democracy when Socrates drank the hemlock, and Rome had scarcely relinquished her title of The Republic, when in one of her provinces, the populace shouted " Crucify him / crucify him .'"

Neither Greece, Rome, nor the nations of modern Europe had grasped the sublime idea of intellectual liberty, and the glory of founding the first State on this principle remained for an obscure exile on the shores of Narraganset Bay. An eloquent historian has said, " If Copernicus is held in perpetual reverence because, on his death-bed, he published to the world that the sun is the centre of our system, if the genius of Newton has been almost adored for dissecting a ray of light and weighing heavenly bodies as in a balance, let there be for the name of Roger Williams at least, some humble place among those who have advanced moral science, and made themselves benefactors of mankind."

Vlll PREFACE.

But if we reverence the names of those who have read for us the mysteries of the visible heavens, shall we not reverence more, him who would unbind the fetters that for centuries have cramped the human mind, and shackled the conscience, that connecting link between God and man, and open for us the avenues to the very- Heaven of heavens ? We say, then, let there be for the name of Roger Williams an exalted place, — an illuminated page in the history of Humanity.

Rhode-Island has proved herself worthy of her illustrious founder. In the revolutionary struggle, she was first in the field — and renounced her allegiance, to Great-Britain two months before the Declaration of Independence by Congress. The idea of a navy was first suggested in her General Assembly ; she furnished two of of the four ships that composed the first American fleet, — many of the officers, and the first and only Admiral. And we need not say how the gallant Perry and his brave Newport followers, sustained on Lake Erie, the honor of that which their fathers had so well begun.

It was thought that the floating literature of Rhode-Island contained much that was worthy of preservation ; and to give to such passages a " local habitation," has been the object of this publication. From circumstances that could not be controlled, many distinguished names have been omitted ; and it is believed that another year, a similar and equally interesting collection might be prepared. To the citizens of Rhode-Island this volume is respectfully DEDICATED, BY THE

EDITOR.

Providence, Dec. 1, 1840.

THE RHODE-ISLAND BOOK.

Introduction To What Cheer A Poem

BY THE HON. JOB DURFEE. (Addressed to the Rev. Romeo Elton.)

What time, dear Elton, we were wont to rove, From classic Brown along fair Seekonk's vale,

And in the murmurs of his storied cove,

Hear barbarous voices still our Founder hail ;

E'en then my bosom with young rapture strove To give to deathless verse the exile's tale,

And every ripple's moan, or breeze's sigh,

Brought back whole centuries as it murmured by.

But soon the brittle dream of youth was gone, And different labors to our lots were given :

You, at the shrine of peace and glory shone ;

Sublime your toils, for still your theme was heaven- %

£ INTRODUCTION TO WHATCHEER.

I, upon life's tempestuous billows thrown — A little bark before the tempest driven — Strove for a time the surging tide to breast, And up its rolling mountains sought for rest.

Wearied, at length, with the unceasing strife,

I gave my pinnace to the harbor's lee, And left that Ocean, still with tempests rife,

To mad ambition's heartless rivalry ; No longer venturing for exalted life,

(For storms and quicksands have no charms for me,) I, in the listless labors of the swain, Provoke no turmoil, and awake no pain.

To drive the team afield, and guide the plough, Or lead the herds to graze the dewy mead,

Wakes not the glance of lynx-eyed rival now, And makes no heart with disappointment bleed ;

Once more I joy to see the rivers flow,

And o'er the tranquil soul returns the dream,

Which once she cherished by fair Seekonk's stream.

And when stern winter breathes the chilling storm, And night comes down on earth in mantle hoar,

I guide the herds and flocks to shelter warm,. And sate their hunger from the gathered store ;

Then round the cottage hearth the circle form Of childhood lovelier than the vernal flower,

WHATCHEER. CANTO SIXTH.

Partake its harmless glee and prattle gay, And soothe my soul to tune the artless lay.

Thus were the numbers taught at first to flow, Scarce conscious that they bore a tale along —

Beneath my hand still would the pages grow — They were not labor but the joy of song —

Still every line would unsung beauties shew In Williams' soul, and still the stream prolong ;

Till all enraptured with the theme sublime,

My thoughts spontaneous sought the embodying rhyme.

WHATCHEER.