The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-01
The Puritan Colonies.

The Puritan as Colonist and Ref0rmcr."
by Rev Ezra Hoyt Byington, is intended
to be a companion volume TO The Puri-
tan in England and New England by the
same author. 1t describes the settlement
Of the Massachusetts, and Connecticut colo
MES. and the history Of the Puriuns in
New England.
The book is a spirited defence of Puri-
tanism as well as a record. and on the
whole the author makes out a very good
case. without ignoring any of the facts
on the other side While acknowledging
that the Massachusetts Bay settlers were
in some respects narrow and ungeuerous,
he claims that they were no more so
than others Of their time (Which is quite
trueD and that they conducted their bush
ness on principles OF strict justice as far
as they could. One point elucidated here
is worth some attention. Particular care
is given TO describing the work Of Eliot
the apostle TO the Indians. and explaining
that the disposition Of the Puritans was
al frs. to civilize and Christianize the saw
ages. and. whether this plan succeeded or
not TO reimburse them for all losses suf-
fered through the colony Of any members
of it One instance is recorded Of q man
who because Of some depreciation upon
an Indian community was sentenced TO Ie-
store what he had taken, and have his
house burned by the Indians as a measure
of vengeance; and several other eases Of
the punishment Of Englishmen for injus-
tice TO Indians are recorded.
The author then take up the work Of
Jonathan Edwards. and explains the diff
ference between this leader of later New
England thought and others of his day. il
is Mr. Byington's view that Edwards
preached a more vivid and live doctrine
than others did at that time. that the
people Of Northampton, where n was set
tied and other large towns had fallen
into a state CT apathy believing outward
forms 10 be sufficient for salvation. and
that Edwards laid the emphasis on spir-
ituai life rather than the means o.
grace" and preached stirring and search
ing sermons. 1t is also stated that his il
fuence put a quietus on various irreiisiOus
practices which were becoming common
among young people and that he generally
raised the tone Of the community. All this
is probably so. for the great men Of every
age must be judged according 20 their sur
roundngs and Jonathan Edwards prob
ably did good in his day, though the mod
eTn world has outgrown many Of his ideas,
and It is very good thing that it has.
The last chapter in Mr.. Byington's took
Is given TO a discussion OF shakespeare
relation to the Puritan, and it is difficult
TO see any possible reason for his inserting
it, 1t has nothing to do with The subject.
and it is anything but logical or literary in
quality.
In this discussion the author grayely
proceeds TO give us a sketch Of Shake
speare's life-with which most people Of
ordinary education are familiar-and then
to wonder at some length why Shake
speare took no more notice OF the Puri-
tans than he did. Mr. Byington seems 10
think it exceedingly strange that the mas
tcr OF the drama did not write q pay with
q Puritan for a hero, or. at any rate, put
into his PLAYS some stirring encomiums Of
the cour-faced gentlemen who abused play
houses with all their might and main II
Shakespeare had done this he would have
been uucommoBly saint-like especially
considering the fact that his patrons
would no. have liked it, and the audience
in the average Elizabethan playhouse
would have howled il down with a vim
due TO political social and religious ami
mostly. The Bard OF Avon was shrewd |
for a poet and he was also a playwright !
and 4 successful one. He knew how to
suit his public without sacrificing the
buoyant exuberauce OF his own wizard
Imagination and that is all that his pub
lie, or succeeding generations. have ever
wanted him 20 do. As for the quotations
which Nj. ByiBgtol makes 10 show Shakes |
peare's mental bias ia this, that oT the