The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-15

manors OF tho Van Rensselaers. the Van Court
landts. and L.lvinCstons each sent a deleEate
the Assembly Provisions were made OF SUCH
a character. by will or otherwise. that large
mnnors descended TO the oldest males. Thus
the influence OF ruling families was perpetu-
nted and their political power was transmit
ted from father to son. As for the ordi-
nary farmers. they were we'll on and
never worn out with toll: they wore quiet
and unambitious and content to live COM
fortably from tho produce OF their holdings.
On Long Island. indeed. the farmers OF Eng
lish descent exhibited less inertia and we're
somewhat moro contentious. In tho city OF
New York the private houses were well built
and well furnished. but the public edifces
were inferior. There spraug up In that city
before the close OF tho colonial period more
pleasure-lov society than existed In other
American towns. Money was freely spent In
dress and entertainments; and dancing and
card playing. which we're prescribed In New
England. we're fnvoritc sources OF recreation.
",
Tho account Of Now England society in the
colonial era begins with an apt quotation from
the diary OF John Adams. the recipe given to
Virginian for making Now England In Vir-
gnia. Tho secret lay. It seems. In the adop-
tion of town meetings. training days. town
| bCNuOiss htlu llIHiSteTS luo IuootihS houso
and tho schoolhousc." Adams snid. are tho
scenes whore Now England mon nre formed"
| The four chief things were towns. militia.
schools. and churches" Proper stress Is laid
by DR.. Fisher on the fact that tho inhabitants
| Of New England colonies wero homogeneous
| In race and In spirit They wore OF pure
English stock. those OF different descent
| constituting only an insignificant minority.
| The twenty thousand settlers who came
| over prior to 1041. when immigration
| practically ceased. were for the most
part from the East Anglican countries. A por-
| tion OF thom were from Devon and Corn wall
and some came from London. The speech OF
the people was good English OF that day. What
have been considered pecularities acquired
| in their new home. were mostly brought over
| from the localities whence the colonists came.
| whore In some instances. however. they long
ago ccased to be in vogue. The habit OF pre-
fixing the aspirnte h where 1t does not belong
and OF dropping 1t where It does belong. could
not have prevailed in the old country rs 1t now
prevails. for 1t mover existed in New England
Tho tendency to nasal utterance must have
sprung up on this side OF the ocean. owing to
some quality OF the atmosphere. or perhaps in
certain degree from the Puritan habit OF pro-
longing the vowel sounds.
The prime characteristic OF tho New England
people was their intellectual activity. Most Of
them were English yeomen: with them came
over some substantial country gentlemen and
some merchants OF large mems. But 1t was
true OF all that their minds had been deeply
stirred by the theological controversies OF the
age. Whatever has to do with man as o
sniritual being had In their eyes trans
| cendent Importance. Hence q marked dis
tinction OF in New England communities
is the interest that was felt from the
haofpOipu IN, fho ali ~ tho oolo md
the heavy burdens that were cheerfully as
eumed to effect the object. Schools were soon
set UP in oil considerable towns. save in Ply
mouth Colony. where the poverty OF the people
explains the exception In 1647 law OF Massa-
chusetts required that a school should DO sup
ported In every town having fifty household
ers. and that grammar school should be es-
tabished where boys could DO fitted for COL
lege in every place where the houscholdcrs
numbered hundred. The pecuniary sacrl-
fees undertaken for the foundation OF Har-
ward College. and for its continued support.
indicate the Importance that was attached to
learning and culture and tho natural fear on
the part Of the educated class that tho colo
nists might degenerate in these particulars.
Nweleave out OF view the ministers. who
constftuted.as We shall soc presently. a species
Of Brahmin caste. the Tendencies Of society In
New England wore In the direction Of social
equality. There we're worry few large landed es-
tates. There was no law OF entail. There was
freedom In the disposition OF property by will.
but in the allotment Of intestate estate the eld-
est son received double portion. Yet it would
be q mistake to conclude that there were no
distinctions OF rank openly or tacitly recoC-
nized. To tho high position accorded to tho
clergy We shall advert shortly. Here it may be
pointed out that tho magistrates. who
wore generally selected from the fami-
lies most respected. and on account OF
their own intellectual and moral WORTH
were held in special honor Tho idea enter
tanned OF the divine origin OF government and
OF the sanctions of law secured to tho rulers.
although chosen by the people popular rever-
ence. The social superiority OF certain fami-
lies was publicly recognized 1t was the cus-
tom to allot seats to tho congregation In the
houses OF worship according TO the dignity OF
its several members. which was carefully and
formally determined The ordinary designn-
tien OF man and woman was goodman" and
goodwife" Mr." and Mrs" being
titles confined to the men and the
danes and daughters OF the superior Glass;
In the catalogues Of the colleges far into the
eighteenth century tho same respect to rank
was paid. Those whose names would have
been first in an alphabetical order werc seldom
first on tho official list Of students. We may
uuo thut HeSEo 6ASeTy cSlSteu III tHo new
England colonies but tho slaves wore domestic
servants. lnborinG in tho house and on tho
farm Their proportionate number was mover
large. and thoy were kindly treated Yet
slavery was not condemned. Tho first attack
upon the system as immoral was published In
100 by Samuel Sewal
In community where religion was the alb
sorbing concern tho clergy could not fail to
hold dominant place. On account OF their
sacred Office but also BY reason OF their ability
and learning. In the absence Of any other
literally educated class to divide power with |
thcm. the ministers were from the beginning |
tho recognized leaders OF society. Government |
being entirely or mainly in tho hands OF tho |
distinctiNcly religious class. the ministers |
were consulted in civil affairs. and great |
weight was attached TO their opinions. es- |
pecInliy In all cases where moral ques- |
lions wcro distinctly involved. They |
wore also honorcd counsellors in their par |