The sun., 1891-06-19

PENNE;" and as originally published In the
EdstoH Argus It's text differed in somo re-
spects from the version now so widely cir
culated and advertised:
| The Original Hoar. Na Present Form.
| "srrrrnssn 70 i5th. 1882 "ssrrrnpra Is 1880.
ITO 70 aged ana beloved ITO Ys Aged aud Beloved
| Mr. JoHs HieGissos; Mr. Jour Hi6ciSsoSi
"Thers bee now At sea a "Thers be now at q
shipps (for our friend Mr. ship called Welcome which
EsAiAs HoLcRorT OF London has board loJ or more
did advise me by the last OF the heretcs anti maiik
packet that II wods sail nhpts cas QuakerA with
some time In AuEusp call W. PsSs. who 10 tho chief
| ed 70 Welcome r. GRxvS scamp Mt the head OF them
AwAv. master. which has The General Court has nc.
aboard hundrs ed more cordinRy given secret
| Of 70 hsretcs and maliR Iders 10 Master MALACHI
nants called Quakers with Iiuscorr OF tho brig Por
W. PRSsk who 10 Chief poisc to way lay the said
scsmpe At 70 hedds of welcome syly as near the
them. Ye General Court Cape OF Cod ~ may be- and
| has accordingly Givsn 80 make captive the said
orders to Master MALA and his ungody
chi ilux.rr OF 70 brig Por that the Lord may be
posse to waylays 70 said glorihed and not mocked
Welcome style . near ye on the soil Of this now
eoast of Codds A. may be- country with the heathen
ant make captive ys sail worship OF these psnpie.
PKsHs and his unRodiie Much spoil can be made by
orews that Lord may selling the whole lot to
be gornsd and not mock badoes where slaves fetch
cd on ys soil OF this new good prices In rum and
eountrs with - heathen sugar, and We shall not
worshippe Of these people. only do the Lord great
Much spoyis can be made service By punishina tho
BY selling 70 whole otts to wicked but shall mako
Bafoadoea where slaves great good for Ills minis
fetch good prices in rumms ,ers and people,
and sugar and We shall mott Yours in 70 bow els of
only do 70 Lord great ser. CHuisr
vice by Furnishing 70 wick. "CorroN MArnsA"
Cd. but we shall make great rbsn nj. .hinn. ANNA.
gayns for his ministers back
sna people: aast:f hu1xrr "Yours in 70 bowels of
feels hopsfuil and will set cun,r
down the nswes he brings "CorroN MArnxh"
The author Of this clever and not mali
oious, II somewhat impudent joke on both
the New England Puritans and the estima-
BILE sect which settled Pennsylvania, was the
late JAMES F. SKUNK, at that time the edi-
tor OF the Easfon Argus. Mr.. SKUNK was
the son Of FRANCIS r. SKUNK. Governor Of
Pennsylvania In the forties. and he was the
son-in-law OF Judge JEREMIAH s. BLACK.
Mr.. SKUNK was an accomplished scholar,
and a humorist Of great energy and ver sa-
tility. and, above all. a regular contributor to
THESUN. When he had composed the master.
piece printed above he read it in great
glee to his associates In the office OF the
Argus. with remarks on the probable sensa-
ton 1t would create among the Puritans.
The hoax caught good many people at the
time. but the Massachusetts, pundits dis
posed Of it speedily by proving that the His
torical Society had no Libr arian named
JUDKrNs, and that ROBERT GREENLEAF had
never been heard OF In Maiden.
Now. after twenty-one years, this almost
forgotten piece OF literary deviltry has re-
appea red. to be swallowed at one gulp by
the Rev. DR.. HEBER NEWTON and other
theologians Of equally serious minds; and
critics East aud West are discussing the
question Of Its authenticity. On tho whole.
the hoax has achieved far greater success
on Its secondround than on its first, owing
no doubt to more favorable conditions in
the field OF theological controversy. II
poor SKUNK were alive now. no man on the
continent would enjoy the situation more
hugely or more smiably. He was one OF the
greatest wits we ever knew.