Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-08-23

Some years ago lady in Vermont set on
foot scheme ior the publication of the his
tory OF every town in the State. There
were old inhabitants enough to volunteer to
compose the histories, and the manuscripts
we're soon in the lady 5 possession but the
task of editing and publishing them be-
came Irksome and Improbable and was
abandoned. The design was defective IN
this respect, that it involved the collection
OF many urinteresting records Oi nnlntere-t-
ing places, and their narration IN unlnter-
estIng style by unlnttre-iing people. The
idea of completeness is not at all essential.
The history of those towns with a romantic
or important story should have been written
with great care that they might serve a.
types in the account of the settlement and
development of the State. 1t would not
have been possible except in rare cases to
set genius at this task. but with lair literary
workmanship the accuracy and originality
of the information to be gathered would have
insured q picturesque and interesting mar
ration to which tho future student OF Amer
lean society might recur for information,
and the future poet or novelist turn Tor
traits OF early manners. vlcIs-ltudcs OF piO-
neer life and pictures of backwoods scenery
and adventure. In addition to these typical
histories Oi leading towns the stories oil
leading families might be gathered, and a
minute account Of peculiar crimes or start
ling occurrences OF any nature from any
part OF the State might he added for often
the recital of H celebrated murder case serves
to photograph whole community. Ii this
plan had been pursued in Vermont with the
enthusiasm with which the scheme OF writ
ing histories of tho two hundred and forty
towns of the State was taken up the task
might have been completed While tho
failure OF the Vermont antIquaTIans to make
up q perfect record of the state il to he re-
gretted, the spirit which prompted the at
tempt is praisewOrthy. and ought to suggest
in other communities less ambitious Effort
for the preservation of historical material.
In many Of the newer States West and
South the phases of society known AS bOr
der life were SO unique and dramatic that
the memory OF them. which is still fresh in
the minds OF many carly settlers, should not
be allowed to perish for il tho proper
study of mankind is man. there never was
better field for the pursuit OF that study
than in frontier transformed as by en-
chantment into tho home OF civilization and
enlightenment. The era in which the lonely
pioneer pushed into the wilderness before
the extent of the continent was known or
the power of the savages measured remains
to US but dimly pictured: Tor the genera
ton that cleared tho way on the continent
was handler with the axe than with the pen
and the generation that followed had little
leisure for studying what their fathers had
done, or for talking about 1t. Over our
colonial history, therefore, sort OF twI-
light hangs. But the rapid growth OF
modern States from incongruous elements,
welded rapidly together in much noise and
confusion. is a phenomenon which wo have
had fair opportunity to study and which
ought to belfull of valuable lessons. llerdi
after these things will become interesting to
| our descendants, and though the sources OF