The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-03
QUAINT OLD TONES.
TWO BOOKS WHICH A NEWSPAPER
MAN FOUND IN ENGLAND.

That Belonged to william Penn.
have before me now two little books
which have been lent to me for a few
days, and which. think, could hardly
fail to interest any Pennsylvania SO, l
shall endeavor to describe them as well
as can. as most people can never see
them, both of them being rare and one
being absolutely unique.
The first of these is small duodecimo
of not more than 100 pages, though the
following title page might easily mis-
lead one to expect rather larger vol
ume:
"An Historical and Geographical Ac-
count of the Province of PENNSYLVANIA
and of West New Jersey In America;
the Richness Of the Soil, the Sweetness
Of the Situation, the Wholesomeness OF
the Air, the Navigable Rivers and 9th
ers, the Prodigious Increase of Corn, the
Flourishing Condition of the City OF
Philadelphia, With the Stately Build
ings and Other Improvements There;
the Strange Creatures, as Birds. Beasts,
Fishes and Fowls, With the Several
Sorts of Minerals, Stones and Purging
Waters Lately Discovered; the Natives,
Aborigines, Their Language, Religion,
Laws and Customs; the First Planters,
the Dutch, Swedes and English, With
the Number of Inhabitants; as Also a
Touch Upon George Keith's New Re-
ligion In His Second Change Since He
Left the Quakers; With Map Of Both
Countries. BY Gabriel Thomas, Who
Resided There About Fifteen Years.
London: Printed and Sold by A. Bald
win. at the Oxon Arms, in Warwick
Lane, $685."
He explains in the preface that. as
there never has been q fair or full ac-
count Of PENNSYLVANIA. he thinks
the curious will be gratified with an
ample description. He explains why
more has not been heard of it, predicts
a thriving future and says he could
saw much in praise of that sweet tract
Of land, {" but reserves it for the body OF
the book.
After this comes q small folded map,
very interesting and signed Philip Lea,
London. 1t represents PENNSYLVANIA
as consisting Of only four counties
Bucks, Philadelphia, Chester and New
Castle. with Virginia ON the west, West
New Jersey on the east, Maryland on
the south and Canada On the north.
Some of the names are rather surpris-
ing. For instance, Immediately opposite
PHILADELPHIA, on the Delaware, is
Dutch fort, and just back OF that is
place called Yacomanshaghkings. In
our own state the chief places seem to
be Haverford, Darby, Plymouth, Ger
mantown, West Town, Radnor, New
town and Lewiston.
After the map 30 small pages are de
voted to the description OF Pennsylva
MIA. from which we learn that, though
the province is 800 miles i'll length b.
1870 in width, by far the greater part
IL is still in the hands Of the natives
who are supposed by most people g
have been Of the Ten Scattered Tribes.
The Dutch came and traded, tn
Swedes and Firms came and settled, an
finally William Penn came and founde
Philadelphia, "a noble and beautiful
city, which contains above 1000 houses
ali inhabited and most Of them statel
and of brick-generally three storle
high, after the mode in London.
Moreover, in this province are fou
great market Townsville, Chester, IN
Germantown, New Castle and Lewis
, town.
Among the laws-for this autho
gives a synopsis of those also-perhaI
the most striking is this: "Thieves OF a
sorts are obliged to restore fourfolc
after they have been whipped and In
nrisoned. according to the nature
their crime, and if they be not OF adj
y ity to restore fourfold they must be
. seryitude till tits satisfied. "
q I could give many more curious e.
q cerpts, but will content myself with on
. before passing on to the other book:
. "The Christian children born here al
9 generally we'll favored and beautiful
y behold, being in the general observed
). he better natured, milder and more tel
der hearted than those born In En-
q land"
II The other book is still more rare.
;, is called "A New Primer, or Methodic
q Direction to Attain the True Spellin
q Reading and Writing Of English, Wher
o unto Are Added Some Things Necessa
4 and Useful, Both For the Youth OF IE
= Province and Likewise For Those w
>. From Foreign Countries and Natio
" Come to Settle Among Us. By +. u.
"a Printed by William Bradford in Nc
# York and sold by the Author in Penns
ID vania.
r The printed book itself is curio
&c little scboolbook, and is so rare that
: is not mentioned by Allibone, who
himself Philadelphia. But this p'
ticular copy is Of especial and extra
binary interest because 1t has De
t. bound mp with about 30 blank pag
i. upon which the author, in most Gle
y. and beautiful manuscript, has writ
tn some very quaint things. 1t was
nv pecially bound for William Penn, w
I'd his initials and the date l7Ol ON
Il cover, and inside is book plate bearl
n. the Penn arms and motto. and w
). liam Penn, Esquire, Proprietor OF r.
=. svlvapia i7O3.n Ii is worthy mott