New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-13
NEW PUBLICA TONS
EARLY AMERICAN LITERATURE.

Vol T. pp SIC. Charles scribeer
Tbe scholar, Of this Duntry owe alarge.hesr led
,,elcome to the admirable record Of American
literature which 10 here presented in such sn
agreeable and instructive form 1t has evidently
Asd its origin in an enthusiastic love OF letters
liberal and comprehensive tastes, genial cuit'va-
ton, and rare patience Of research Apart from
The general execution OF the plan, which can
scarcely be commended in terms OF extravagant
praise, il breatbes fine aroma of literature show
Ing the vigilance of the editors in spyiog out
many scattered flowers by the wayside, and weav-
ioe them into the odorous and brilliant wrea h
which they have gathered from such wide variety
Of sources.
In arranging the details of the work, the Messrs.
Duyckinck have aimed at giving succinct view
of tie writer's Of the country, and their produc-
tons from the earliest period to the present day.
Regarding the history of American literature more
rs a record of mental progress aud cultivation
than as an exhibition Of art and invention, they
have judiciously abstained from elaborate critical
comment, and limited their task to the statement
of biographical facts and specimens of the most
important products Of the pen on American soil
Still, a large proportion Of our authors have not
been book makers by profession; their lives have
mostly been devoted to other pursuits and hence
many details not of a purely literary character
must be introduced into the story of their lives
Nor has the work been restricted to writer's
born in the country. 1t melodies also those who
have lived and written here and enriched the land
by their lsbors. Some of the most valuable pages
Of the Cyclopedis are accordingly, devoted to
Berkeley, Priestley, WitherspOOn, Cooper, to say
nothing of the eminent foreign scholars who are
still living among us, and the writers Of the ante
revolutionary period who were almost exclusively
of English birth.
The Colonial period marks the first epoch of
American literature. The great men OF that
time were Roger Williams, John Cotton, Hooker,
the Mathers, Blair, Golden, Logan, the Birtrams,
and above all Jonathan Edwards, and Benjamin
Franklin. Several of the highest seats of learning
in America were established in this era, and have
not failed 10 be honored with conspicuous historical
notices in the present volume. The Revolution
airy period comes next in order, devoted to the
discussion of legal and constitutional principles
illustrated by the labors of statesmen like Otis,
Dickinson, Jefferson, Adams, Madison, Hamilton
and Jay, and a variety Of miscellaneous writer's
"wbo caught the various humOrs of the times and
introduced new spirit into American literature"
The third period includes the interval from the
commencement of this century to the present
time.
OF the Colonial period, the first production
written in America which is entitled to a place
in the general history of literature, is the tranSla
ton of Ovids Metamorphoses by George Sandys
printed in London in 1926. Sandys was distin-
guished Oriental traveller, who sometime after his
return from the East was employed as treasurer
of the Virginia Company. Here GA the banks of
James River, he completed the translation of Ovid
and with so much success as to be praised by
Pope and pronounced by Dryden " the best versi
fer of the age" William Vaughan, William
Wood. and the worId-renowned Captain John
smith follow in rapid succession till we come
70 the founding of Harvard College in 1857.
"The Simple Cober of Agawam" by Nathaniel
Ward Of Ipswich was one of the famous produc-
tions of that early day 1t was written in 1915,
when the author was rs years of age. In style,
IL Affects an uncouth Baby lonish dialect" and in
tome is growing satire on federation, the cOnd-
ton of England, and the follies of fashionable la
dies. A specimen or two may amuse our readers;
While looking over the nOrces o. w ara Wncn re-
MAN. and which not so many ss could be wished,
Il has been our good fortune TO hold in our hands the
copy of The Simple Cooler viii belonged to Rob
ert Soutbey VINO, as is yell known was q dgent
reader and warm appreciation of the American colonial
hjsory and rec Jrds. 1t Is marked throughout With
his peculiar penciDes toe margin Of t1e following
amorg other fine passaets The least ruth OF Gods
kugoom doth in its place uphold the whole kingdom
of His uutbs; take away the least uericuium ou' of
the world and il unworlds all pc entiay, and may un
rave The whole texture actually lift be not conserved
by arm Of extraordinary 20 ser "a sentence which
hiss a very JenC gesn iook. Again, an Illustration
worthy OF MitoI T" Non seRescu reTitds. No man
ever cav gray hair On the head or beard of any
truth wrinkle m0rphew on Its face: the bed OF
Truth Is green all the yesr long This 10 very tersey
expressed at is most toileoIe task to run the Wild
goose chase after well bfeathd op6i0ast: they de-
light in vitIitigshOn it is itch that loves lie to
be scrub d; toey desire not satisfaction, but ssisd'
ton, whereof themselves must be JUDGES" In these
esrest thoughts he rises beyond his word ch
ing; but one portion of his book is very amusing in
this way-tha directed sRaiust the f4s lionsbe ladies'
Of the time. The Cober erofesses to be solitary
foI mate, sna ihi0kiI Of going Edg for tue
purpose-" but Gays he, when consider how women
have tripe-wiied themselves with their cladments,
have 10 heart to Il voyage lest their naussous
shspee and the sea should work too sorely my
stomach speak s4cy mshinks il shouli brts
the hearts Of EUgl shmen h zee 50 many goJdly L
ghsh women impr isoned In French cages, peTiOg out
OF their hood. holes for some men OF mercy 10 help
them WITH little wit, and nobody relieves them
He tells there - ahout five ak specimens OF
the kno ia tn colony: If any of toem acct
deLtally / cannot esnse my fancy of them for a
month after" On this matter the Cooler thus defines
bis position: cit is known more than enough that
am neither niggard nor cyIic 10 the due bravery OF
the true gentry; il any msn mislikes a bully mong
drosoek more than let him take ner for his sbeur
mr. the hiatt har off uvifb hpr