DAVIS, Esq., recently deceased, and B. R. NICHOLS, Esq., "to examine the said records, files, and documents,—and to report how far, in their opinion, it may be proper to have the same deposited in the archives of the Secretary of State, for the use of legislators, historians, and antiquarians; and how far it may be useful to multiply copies of the whole." They reported, that "it would be of benefit to the present age, and still more to posterity, to cause a fair transcript to be taken, and copies to be multiplied by printing the most useful articles." The result has been, the transcription of a mass of these records, amounting to eleven folio volumes, which are now deposited, with the twenty-two volumes of original records, in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.* To have aided in such an arrangement is gratifying, as is the contemplation of the attention paid by enlightened legislatorst to preserve and diffuse an accurate knowledge of the settlement and growth of our country. One great and important work, achieved by a distinguished and beloved member of this Society, the late Rev. Dr. HOLMES, for several years its Corresponding Secretary, must not be passed in silence. His "American Annals,' an edition of which has been published in England, will remain a highly creditable and valuable monument, not merely of accurate and laborious research, sound judgment, and inviolable fidelity, but of patriotism also and philanthropy; and while it illustrates the history of his country, from its discovery down to our times, will not fail to spread the reputation of the author, and endear his memory. The History of Maine,‡ by the late governor SULLIVAN, and his account of the Penobscotts, are an important See an account of this commission, &c. in vol. ii., 3d series, Hist. Coll. p. 258, seq. Under the authority and patronage of the legislature, a publication has recently been made, by W. BRIGHAM, Esq. of the most material parts of these documents, in a legal view. Similar publications have been in progress for several years in England, with splendid results; and France is now re-publishing her ancient original historians. It is an interesting literary fact, that, on the completion of this work, its author disposed of the copyright for $200, which he presented to the Society. § See Collections of Massachusetts Historical Society, vol. ix. contribution to a full knowledge of that rising and flourishing member of our Union. The various valuable publications of the Hon. W. SULLIVAN, the late W. TUDOR, Esq., the Hon. JOSIAH, QUINCY, Mayor of Boston, and now President of the University in its neighborhood; of the Hon. Judge STORY, of Governor EVERETT, of Mr. J. E. WORCESTER, and of JARED SPARKS, Esq., who is doing so much to illustrate the name of our WASHINGTON, as well as to embalm his own-reflect honor on the Society of which they are members, and aid in accomplishing its patriotic aims. Similar remarks might be made in reference to several other works, as of LINCOLN's History of Worcester, LEWIS's of Lynn, SHATTUCK's of Concord, FELT's of Salem, Hamilton, Ipswich, and Essex, and the entertaining History of Boston, by the late Dr. SNow, whose blameless character is cherished by the Society, and whose early death they regret. To several objects also of this Society the amiable, accomplished, and lamented BUCKMINSTER devoted no small attention.* But neither the occasion, nor the space allotted to this "Account" will allow enlargement, however gratifying it might be to the writer to indulge the recollection of departed associates and friends, or to dwell on the worth of those who happily survive. He will close this sketch with a catalogue of members of the Society, for which he acknowledges his obligations to the well known accuracy and attention of his respected friend, the Rev. Dr. PIERCE. Resident Members, in the order of their election. Mr. Thomas Wallcutt, Hon. Daniel Webster, LL. D. Joseph Coolidge, Esq. Hon. Charles Jackson, LL. D. Hon. John Pickering, LL. D. His Exc. Edward Everett, LL. D. Rev. William Jenks, D. D. Hon. Alexander H. Everett, LL. D. Hon. H. A. S. Dearborn, * For little more than a year was he connected with it, yet he contemplated a work, "On the Sources of American History," which, had he lived to complete it, might have been of high worth. Rev. Henry Ware, Jr., D. D. Lemuel Shattuck, Esq. George Ticknor, Esq. Corresponding Members. Rev. Alexander Spark, Quebec, Can. M. Barbé Marbois, Paris, France, His Exc. Don José Maria Salazar, Colombia, Rev. John Hutchinson, England, Hon, Stephen Van Rensselaer, LL. D. Albany, N. Y. Hon. Theodorick Bland, Maryland, Ephraim Ramsay, Esq. Charleston, S. C. Henry W. Desaussure, Esq. Charleston, S. C. Rev. Timothy Alden, Alleghany Co. Pa. Charles M. Wentworth, Esq. Halifax, N. S. Hon. Timothy Pitkin, Farmington, Ct. Senor Manuel Lorenzo Vidaurre, Hon. Albert Gallatin, LL. D. Pennsylvania, Chev. Pedersen, Minister from Denmark, Rev. Henry Channing, New London, Ct. Rev. Eliph. Nott, D. D., LL. D. Schenectady, N. Y. Sir John Caldwell, Quebec, Can. Hon. John C. Smith, LL. D. Sharon, Ct. Hon. Peter S. Duponceau, LL. D. Philadelphia, Pa. Hon. Frederick Adelung, Berlin, Prussia, Sharon Turner, Esq. Eng. Francis B. Winthrop, Esq. New Haven, Ct. “A WORD TO BOSTON," BY GOVERNOR WILLIAM BRADFORD. [In the IIId volume of the Collections, first series, was published "a descriptive and Historical account of New England, in verse," by Gov. Bradford, of which Dr. Belknap remarks, "if it be not graced with the charms of poetry, yet it is a just and affecting narrative, intermixed with pious and useful reflections." Of a like strain are the lines that follow, and as, from the reference to them in the Governor's Will, of which we subjoin an extract, they were by him commended to preservation, we rescue them from the original manuscript where for more than one hundred and sixty years they have remained in obscurity. "I commend unto your wisdom and discretion, some small bookes written by my own hand, to be improved as you shall see meet. In special I commend to you a little booke with a blacke cover, wherein there is a word to Plymouth, a word to Boston, and a word to New England; with sundry useful verses." [The Will was witnessed by Thomas Cushman, Thomas Southworth, and Nathaniel Morton.] Of Boston in New England. O Boston, though thou now art grown And never looked at sordid gaine. Some thou hast had whome I did know, Which doe remaine unto this day. When thou wast weak they did thee nurse, They left thee not, but did defend And succour thee unto their end. Thou now hast growne in wealth and store, Doe not forget that thou wast poore, And lift not up thyselfe in pride, Which made the hearts of many glad; A Winthrop once in thee was knowne A word to New England. O New England, thou canst not boast; And still doth languish more away; And wealth and the world take their place. Yet some thou hast who mourne and weep, Who seek God's honour to maintaine That true Religion may remaine. These doe invite and sweetly call Each to other, and say to all, Repent, amend, and turn to God That God's presence may with you dwell. |