It

Mr. Bradford's book will prove, we think, quite a useful work. It contains an interesting narrative of facts and events, and fills up the hitherto unoccupied years between the close of Minot's history and the revolutionary war. is written without any pretension to style or ornament; and we feel much indebted to him, not only for this work, but also for the volume of state papers that he published a few years since. He has thus rendered a valuable service to the community, and one which he must have almost felt bound to make in consequence of his favorable situation and access to public documents and papers. It is not, however, a work that can be held up as a model for history; nor does it assume such a character. Indeed there is no such history of Massachusetts, nothing that can claim Cicero's commendation, "historia est testis temporum, lux veritatis, vitæ memoria, magistra vitæ, nuncia vetustatis."

The time now is that a good history, a philosophical history, is justly expected. The materials exist in abundance, in Winthrop, Morton, Johnson, Hubbard, Mather, Prince, Hutchinson, Minot, Holmes, Bradford, and in a multitude of pamphlets, essays, sermons and newspapers. Comparatively few study our history. And why? Because the great mass of readers can attach no interest to it. It must be allowed that our compilations are any thing but classical works; and that it requires some little resolution to go vigorously to work in the perusal. But we would advise all such, if they love the character of their ancestors, to study it in the works we have mentioned. We will assure them that the author will be but little regarded, that the magnitude of the events, the strength of character and purpose, the love of freedom, and the incessant resistance to all encroachments upon it, manifested by the puritans-will fill them with admiration, and cause them with grateful feelings to thank Heaven for the land of their nativity.

It is time also to expect a good history of the United States, from the discovery of America, up to the revolution at least. There is no difficulty in collecting materials; they are found almost without number from the early English, French and Spanish writers, through the state histories, public documents, historical and antiquarian collections, down to the present

* Massachusetts State Papers from 1764 to 1775, containing Govern. or's speeches; Answers of the Council and House; Resolutions, Addresses, and other public papers. Printed at Boston, by Russell and Gardner, 1818.

times.* We have men able to give us a history that might rank with that of Gibbon, or with the annals of Tacitus; but it is not every one who can write a history.-There is as much difference between a mere compiler or narrator of events, and a real historian, as there is between one who performs his work mechanically, and one who understands the same on scientific principles. The compiler will relate events as they occurred with all due fidelity, and then he is at the end of his tether. But the true historian will let you into the hearts of the great actors in the political drama; shew you the secret motives and springs of action; how one recent event is connected with another widely remote-the chain by which they are connected; why in the nature of things what did take place must have taken place. It is requir ed of him, that he be deeply read in the history of other nations ancient and modern; that he understand human nature in its whole extent-the great law of cause and effect,and that he possess in full measure the spirit of good learning, research, ability, discrimination, impartiality, philosophy, and that industry which stops not-till its end is accomplished. His work must be a work of time: the result of Sir John Fortescue's "viginti annorum lucubrationes."

Besides possessing the elements of a good history, and men competent to gather and work up the scattered materials, there is an advantage we enjoy over most other nations, in having nothing fabulous relating to our origin. When Greece was first settled, the early events in her history, the character of her first men, are all so mixed up with uncertainty and fable, that it is impossible to separate the true from the false. Equally dark is the early history of Rome: indeed the greater part of it for more than a century may be considered almost entirely fabulous. For when Rome was sacked by the Gauls, all the early histories of the republic were destroyed. And in later times, the history of France, even down to the reign of Charlemagne, is obscure, and the deeds attributed to that great man are many of them only very interesting fictions. The Saxon chronicles are liable to no small suspicion; and the history of the Britons, before Julius Cæsar was in the island, is but very little known. But the American colonists were not hordes of ignorant and un

*Indeed there never has been so favorable a time as the present for this purpose: The collection of books relating to America in the library of the University at Cambridge, including the Ebeling library,and in the Boston Atheneum, will be found to contain almost every work in any way touching the history of this country.

civilized men. They came into existence at a time when light and knowledge, the principles of liberty, civil and religious, were fast raising man to his natural dignity. These they possessed in full measure and were ardent in their endeavors to secure and to extend them. The task of the American historian is, then, full of dignity and importance. It is a task more exalted than that of the historian of any other people; because the world is deriving much signal benefit from the example here set them of the successful defence of the natural and unalienable rights of man.

We cannot conclude without expressing our hope, that we shall have, before many years, a good history of the United States, from some of our distinguished citizens.

NOTE TO PAGE 132.-The reader is desired to correct an error in the 4th line. For Sumner's, read Dummer's. Jeremiah Dummer, author of the Defence of the New-England charters, was born in Boston; was grandson of Richard Dummer, one of the principal settlers in Mass.; graduated at Harvard college in 1699. He was agent for the province, in England, and wrote his Defence in 1721. Dummer was a scholar, and a ripe one. His work is full of ingenuity, talent and patriotism, and is written in a very neat and flowing style.

The reader will also in the 19th line, read affect for effect, and in the 31st line of the next page, read diminution for dissemination.

Biography.

SHORT NOTICES OF PERSONS IN NEW-ENGLAND.

HUMPHREY ATHERTON.

This gentleman was the fifth Major General of the colony of Massachusetts. His predecessors were Thomas Dudley, John Endicot, Edward Gibbons and Robert Sedgwick, names well known to those acquainted with the early annals of New-England. He emigrated from England to this country at an early period and settled in the town of Dorchester. In 1643, he was sent with Capt. Cook and Edward Johnson, author of the Wonderworking Providence, to arrest Samuel Gorton and his company, who had given the colony so much disturbance. The next year, he was invested with the command of the band in Dorchester, and about the same time was sent on an expedition against the Indians. The United Colonies,having raised an army to protect Uncas, the

sachem of the Mohegans, against the Narragansetts, the latter were obliged to sue for a peace, which was agreed upon, on condition that the Narragansetts should pay to the English the charges which had arisen, and send the sons of their sachems for hostages, until payment should be made. The Indians disregarding their promises, "Capt. Atherton had the courage with a very few English, to visit and enter the very wigwam of the old sachem Ninigret, and catching the Sachem there by his hair, with a pistol at his breast, in plain English protested, 'that if he did not take effectual order to answer the English demands, he was a dead man.'

An horrid consternation seized all the Indians upon the sight of so extravagant an action, and though multitudes stood ready to let fly upon Capt.Atherton,yet their hearts failed them. They submitted and there was an end."* Capt. Atherton was chosen an Assistant of the colony in 1654, and soon after was ap pointed Major General. While in the last office, he took an active part in the persecution against the Quakers, who, as his death was sudden, in consequence of a fall from his horse while attending a military review, regarded the event as the judgment of God. Johnson describes him as "a very lively courageous man; one of a cheerful spirit and entire for the country." In the Dorchester burying ground, there is the following epitaph to his memory.

"Heare lyes our captaine, and major of Suffolk was withall,
"A godly magistrate was he, and Major Generall.

"Two troops of hors with him here came, such love his worth

did crave,

"Ten companyes of foot also, mourning marcht to his grave.
"Let all who read, be sure to keep the faith as he hath don;
"With Christ he lives now crown'd. His name was HUMPHRY
ATHERTON.

"He dyed, the 16th of September, 1661. ‡

One of Major Atherton's sons, named Hope, received a liberal education. He was graduated at Harvard college in 1665. In 1667 and 68, he instructed the school in Dorchester, and was afterwards settled in the ministry at Hatfield. He was in the Fall Fight in 1675, as mentioned in our Collections for the last year, page 292.

* Mather's Magnalia, book vii, p. 45.

Wonderwork. Prov. book i. chap. 45: and book ii. chap. 26.
Hubbard places his death in 1665.

WYSEMAN CLAGETT.

Hon. WYSEMAN CLAGETT was born and educated in England and admitted as a barrister at law in the court of the King's Bench. He afterwards took a voyage to Antigua, where he met with a very flattering reception by the principal people of the island, and particularly by a gentleman of fortune, who,as an inducement to his remaining there,though a stranger, settled upon him a handsome annuity for life. Here he was also appointed a notary public and secretary of the island. He remained there, performing the duties of these offices and his professional business with success and to general satisfaction seven years, and until after the decease of his particular friend and generous benefactor. He then came to this country, and settled in Portsmouth, where he was admitted to the bar of the superior court,and was soon afterwards appointed a justice of the peace and of the quorum, and King's Attorney General of the then province of NewHampshire. He afterwards removed to Litchfield. He was warmly attached to the principles of the revolution and took part with the people at the risk of much of his proper ty, then within the power of the British government.-The people confided to him several important offices. The towns of Litchfield and Nottingham-West being classed, elected him to represent them several years in General Court; afterwards the latter town being set off, and Derryfield (now Manchester) classed with Litchfield, he was several years elected to represent those towns. But being omitted one year by his own district, the towns of Merrimack and Bedford, as a mark of high confidence and respect, elected him to represent them, though he was not an inhabitant of either of those towns. Of this election he often spoke with pleasure and gratitude. He was one of the council of safety, and took an active part in forming the first constitution of the state government and was afterwards appointed AttorneyGeneral for the state. As a classical scholar,especially in the Greek and Latin languages, he was excelled by few of his time, and in the latter he could converse with ease and fluency. In Alden's Collections, there is a copy of an inscription on an elegant marble baptismal vase in Portsmouth, which is said to have been written by Mr. Clagett. He was of a lively turn of mind, and though of a quick temper and of a stern appearance,was affable and facetious; in his friendship, sincere and undeviating; and in his integrity, inflexible.