Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-04-01
rrrm ,h. Cnnnlr, G,nlI,m,n.
visi, to Hon. William Willis.

Visit 10 Hon. william Willis.
Among the pleasant incidents connected
with my stay in Portland, none was more
gratifying and delieh,ful. than my brief
Wei, To th, residence OF the Hon. WILLIAM
WINS, c1.mayor Of Portland, and u gen.
tlcman Of eminent talents.
l, WAS an easy thing tn get acquainted.
| found Mr.. Will. at home. and wa. shown
into an elesan: and spacious drawing room,
which was connected with hls library by
folding doors. should think he Va. sixty
wear, of asc. isa slight built man. has
rrolu.ion of dark gray hair, brilliant and
expressive eve, an intelligent and very
pleasant coun,enance, and is easy and
graceful IN his manner.
Mr.. willis ia distinguished historian.
and President Of the Maine Historical Soci.
ETY.. ltrs no, in my power to give a com.
pl,,s list of hi. writings. bat they are cI.
,en.vc and valuable. Nothing that ever
came from his psn Is commonplace or i'm.
perfect, bat every sentence, and even the
mns, brief n1to. i' ol permanent value. and
shows great amount of learning, close
s,udy ani Investigation. and an acute juds.
meni. The service that be- has done to the
cnus, OF historical inquiry in this State can
never - ully estimated. In lSl9, be pub
li,hei a secbnl clltion-it what time the
hr., edition wa, issued I cannot -iy--1f the
iournals of the R-y Tho, Smith. and Rev.
samuel Dean. ministers Of the first church
m Portland. including a m,mOir OF Mr..
smith, and 4 summary history Of the town.
In 1883 be pubIi,hcl complete history OF
Portland. in two volumes octave. How
many papers IN the I've volumes OF the
Maine Historical S,eicty's Collections, are
from h,- pen am no, able TO sly. At
present be- !. engaged On '' Catalogue Of
bopk. relating to the History OF Name"
from the eirlic,, period, 10 the prsent
time This will .1ou b. issued by Charles
Il. Norton, y. Y.
H.. library Is extensive, and in the his.
torical department is especially complete
and of great v'lue. Fine would fail me.
were to mention any part Of thcs, works
m this DIVISION. which remember, and In.
deed. what .,y on ,h,. point. wish to
mention in connection with a very rare VOL
umc-ihe flower Of his librarv-ind book
that could not be purchased for ten times
it. weight IN gold.
The history Of this bo,k-were IL % be
writ,en-woull comprls, a history of one
OF the mrs: important cras in our State, as
well a, the lIis Of 1t, original Pps'cssOr, the
venerable and Rev SEn,sriN RAsLEs, Jesui,
missionary t. the Abnaki. Indians, on the
Hcnnebec, and who wa. billed at the des.
,ructron OF Norridsrwock by the English in
1924. But TO the book
Iii small sized volume Of some three
hundred pages, bound in leather, and was
originally gilt edged. II IS now very much
worn. bat Is yet IN good state Of pre'cr-
ntion every page is perfcc, from title TO
index, and ho,r i, has been kept in such
perfect state is almost u miracle. consider.
ing what 1t has been through. On the hy
leat facing the title page is written "Prc
sen,ed to William Willis, by James II.
Duncan. July 80. 1889" Then follows;
This book did belong to Mons. Ralle,
the Jesuit aud missionary from France.
among the Eastern Indians, who was killed
at Norrldserock. when it was surprised
and destroyed by Col. Ilarman, Maj'r.
Mnullon and Comp'a., in yo year Il72i.l
This was ye Jesult's va,le.mGcum-it was
given by Mayr. Joshua Moody, Of Casco
Bay. to William wcls,e'd." 10 which Is
udd,d this note by Mr.. Willis: [Mr. viii
,tced was clergyman. lie graduated a,
/. n. C., in l7lG. aud vas classmate OF
Joshua Moody was tator at Cambridge
from i72O to l526. Mr.. Wils,eed visited
Falmouth in 1926, and preached Tor Mr..
smith. Moody then lived here, and proba-
bly presented the book then, to his class
mate. w.wl
Thi. book is in Latin, and copy Of the
title page would not be OF sufficient inter.
es, to give it place heie. 0Iher books OF
peculiar iuteres, received a share Of my at
tention, bu, u notice Of them must be de-
ierred.
One word more. Mr. Willis Is greatly
interested in rural pursuits. and as a proof
Of tins le, me mention tIat ! noticed on the
shelves OF his library. complete set Of the
:. llorticalturist, and other works On ru.
raj life. among them. F" Downing's Fruit
and Fruit Trcrs Of America, I" Rural Es-
says" &c. &c. s.L' ID.
BrOokdale Farm, Maine.