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CONTENTS.
FIRST COLONIAL PERIOD: 1607-1676.
CHAPTER I.
THE
BEGINNING.
I.—The Procession of the first English-speaking colonies from the old
world to the new-Our first literary period that of the planting of
the American nation-Our first American writers immigrant Amer-
icans-True Fathers of American Literature-The literary traits
they brought with them.......
II.-Why those first Americans wrote books-True classification of early
American writings-Tidings sent back-Controversial appeals-
Defences against calumny-Descriptions of the new lands—And
of the new life there-Books of religion-Poetry-Histories—
Miscellaneous prose.
III.—Birth year of American literature-State of English literature
when American literature was born-Interest of Englishmen
then in their barbaric American empire-Departure from Eng-
land of the first English Americans-Michael Drayton's farewell
ode to them...
5
7
II
CHAPTER II.
VIRGINIA: THE FIRST WRITER.
I. The arrival in America of the first Americans-A fortunate blun-
der-Satisfaction with their new home....
II. The sort of men they were-Their leaders-Captain John Smith-
His previous career-His character-His important relation to
early American settlements-The first writer in American lit-
erature.
.....
III.-His first book-Its publication in London in 1608-A literary
synchronism-American literature and John Milton-Synopsis of
the book-Notable passages-The fable of his rescue by Poca-
hontas-The place of the book at the head of American litera-
ture-Summary of its literary traits....
16
17
20
IV. His second American writing-A bold letter to his London patrons
-His knowledge refusing to be commanded by their ignorance-
The kind of men to make good colonists of-Early symptoms of
American recalcitrance.. . . .
V. His third American work-Vivid pictures of Virginia-The climate
-The country-The productions-The Indians-His fine state-
ment of the utility of the Virginian enterprise......
VI.-Captain John Smith's return to England-His subsequent career-
A baffled explorer-His pride in the American colonies-Utilized
by the playwrights-Thomas Fuller's sarcastic account of him-
His champions-Final estimate....
CHAPTER III.
VIRGINIA: OTHER EARLY WRITERS.
I.-George Percy of Northumberland-His worthiness -- His graphic
sketches of the brightness and gloom of their first year in America. 39
II.-William Strachey-His terrible voyage and wreck with Sir Thomas
Gates-His book descriptive of it and of the state of the colony
in Virginia-Some germs of Shakespeare's Tempest-Strachey's
wonderful picture of a storm at sea.....
III.-Alexander Whitaker, the devoted Christian missionary-His life
and death and memory in Virginia-His appeal to England in
"Good News from Virginia".....
IV.-John Pory-His coming to Virginia-His previous career-A cos-
mopolite in a colony-IIis return to England-His amusing
sketches of Indian character-The humors and consolations of
pioneer life along the James River......
4I
45
48
V.-George Sandys-His high personal qualities and his fine genius-
His literary services before coming to America-Michael Drayton's
exhortation to entice the Muses to Virginia-Sandys's fidelity to
his literary vocation amid calamity and fatigue-His translation
of Ovid-Its relation to poetry and scholarship in the new world
-Passages from it-The story of Philomela-His poetic renown. 51
CHAPTER IV.
VIRGINIA ITS LITERATURE DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE
FIRST PERIOD.
I. The establishment of Maryland upon the territory of Virginia-
Maryland's slight literary record for this period blended with that
of Virginia-Father Andrew White and his Latin narrative-John
Hammond, the Anglo-American, studying the social problems of
England-His solution of them in the word America-His book,
"Leah and Rachel," and its original American flavor..
II.-George Alsop-His life in Maryland-His droll book about Mary-
land-Comic descriptions of the effects of his voyage-Vivid ac-
counts of the country, of its productions.......
III. Sketch of Bacon's rebellion in 1676-The heroic and capable quali-
ties of Bacon-The anonymous manuscripts relating to the re-
bellion-Literary indications furnished by these writings-Descrip-
tions of a beleaguered Indian fort-Of Bacon's conflicts with
Berkeley-Of Bacon's military stratagem-Bacon's death-Noble
poem upon his death....
60
65
69
IV. Review of the literary record of Virginia during this period-Its
comparative barrenness-Explanation found in the personal traits
of the founders of Virginia-And in their peculiar social organiza-
tion-Resulting in inferior public prosperity-Especially in lack of
schools and of intellectual stimulus-Sir William Berkeley's bane-
ful influence-Printing prohibited in Virginia by the English
government-Religious freedom prohibited by the people of Vir-
ginia-Literary development impossible under such conditions... 80
CHAPTER V.
NEW ENGLAND TRAITS IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
I.-Transition from Virginia to New England-The race-qualities of the
first New-Englanders-The period of their coming-Their num-
bers, and the multitude of their posterity....
.93
II. Two classes of Englishmen in the seventeenth century; those rest-
ing upon the world's attainments, those demanding a new de-
parture-From the second class came the New-Englanders-The
purpose of their coming an ideal one....
III. Their intellectuality-The large number of their learned men-
Their esteem for learning......
IV.—Their earnestness of character--Religion the master-thought--Their
conceptions of providence and of prayer-Their religious intensity
leading to moroseness, to spiritual pedantry, to a jurisprudence
based on theology, and to persecution.....
V. The outward forms of New England life-Its prosperity-Literature
in early New England-A literary class from the first-Circum-
stances favorable to literary action-The limits of their literary
studies-Restraints upon the liberty of printing-Other disadvan-
tages-The quality in them which gave assurance of literary de-
velopment.....
96
98
100
109
CHAPTER VI.
NEW ENGLAND: HISTORICAL WRITERS.
I.-Early development of the historic consciousness in New England... 115
II.-William Bradford-His career in England, Holland, and America-
His History of Plymouth-Singular fate of the manuscript-His
fitness for historical writing-Outline of the work-Condition and
feelings of the Pilgrims when first ashore at Plymouth-Portrait
of a clerical mountebank-The skins needed by the founders of
colonies-Unfamiliar personal aspects of the Pilgrims-Their pre-
dominant nobility-Summary of this historian's traits....
III.-Nathaniel Morton-His life-His “ Memorial," and how he made
it-Lack of originality in it and in him...
... 116
IV. The sailing of the Winthrop fleet-John Winthrop himself-His
"Model of Christian Charity"-His "History of New England"
-An historical diary-Its minute fidelity and graphic power-
Examples-His famous speech......
V.-Edward Johnson-His "Wonder-Working Providence "-How he
came to write it-Reflects the greatness and pettiness of the New
England Puritans-Examples-Its literary peculiarities......
VI. The literature of the Pequot War-John Mason its hero and his-
torian-His book-His story of the Mystic fight.......
VII. The high worth of Daniel Gookin-An American sage, patriot,
and philanthropist―The trials and triumphs of his life-His two
historical works relating to the Indians...
CHAPTER VII.
NEW ENGLAND: DESCRIPTIONS OF NATURE AND PEOPLE IN
126
128
137
146
151
AMERICA.
I.-Sensitiveness of the first Americans to the peculiar phenomena of the
new world....
158
... 159
....
II. "Journal" of Bradford and Winslow-First contact of the Pilgrims
with America-Gropings—American thunder-Indian visits—An
Indian king at home-Winslow's letter-His "Good News from
New England"-History as cultivated by the Indians-Men who
are not called to be colonists......
III.-Francis Higginson, churchman, dissenter, immigrant-His "True
Relation"-His "New England's Plantation "-Pictures of sea
and land-The bright side of things in America....
IV.-William Wood-His “New England's Prospect"-His uncommon
literary ability-Analysis of his book-His defence of the honesty
of travellers-His powers of description-Merit of his verses-
Mirthfulness-Wolves, humming-birds, fishes-Eloquent and play-
ful sketches of Indians....
166
170