(31) AN ELEGIE UPON THE DEATH OF THE REVEREND MR. THOMAS SHEPARD. Stanzas 1-4, 28–31, 40–43, 51, 52. The text is from the 1677 edition. Shepard had been a pastor in Charlestown; Oakes was president of Harvard College.

(33) A POEM DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE REVEREND AND EXCELLENT MR. URIAN OAKES. Lines 276–91, 334-64, 427-30. The text is that of the 1682 edition, from a copy in the Harris Collection, Brown University Library. The elegy is attributed to Cotton Mather. Oakes was president of Harvard College and pastor of the Cambridge church, at the time of his death, in 1681. ¶3. In Name a Drusius: a play upon "Oakes," the Latin "Drusius" being derived from Greek Spûs, “an oak." ¶ 6. famose famous (Latin "famosus"). ¶ 8. Graces Iliad: i.e., the Iliad of grace.

(34) 9, 10. This was a avorite topic or dispute among mediaeval theologians. 14. Argus: the subject of "had" understood; Argus was a hundred-eyed giant. 16. bore away the Bell: won the prize; the phrase originated at a time when a bell was the usual prize at horse races. 123. Benedict and Boniface: St. Benedict (480-543) was founder of the Benedictine order of monks, who gave their time to prayer and mental and manual labor; St. Boniface (680-755), "the Apostle of Germany," won thousands of German pagans to Christianity by his eloquent preaching. 29. Sinus Abrahae="bosom of Abraham." ¶ 36. Sect'ryes Hammer: i.e., Oakes, the hammer which pounded the sectaries, or dissenters from the orthodox New England church, the Congregational. ¶ 42. Dicebam="I was saying," Dixi "I have said."

(35) 49. both Hephsibah and Beulah bee: "Thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married." -Isa. 62:4.

JOHN GRAVE

(35) A SONG OF SION. Lines 11-58. The text is that of the 1662 edition, from a copy in the Harris Collection, Brown University Library.

ANONYMOUS

(36) BACONS EPITAPH. The text is from the Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, August, 1866, where it is printed from the manuscript; it was printed, imperfectly, in the Collections of the same society (Second Series, Vol. I) in 1814. The subject of the epitaph was Nathaniel Bacon, leader of the rebellion in Virginia, in 1676, who died just after taking Jamestown. ¶ 10. there their. (So in l. 18, 34.) ¶ 16. Parasscellcian=Paracelsian; Paracelsus (1493-1541), a physician in advance of his age, worked some wonderful cures and was accused of receiving aid from evil spirits.

(37) 20. The Heathen: the Indians, against whom Bacon led an expedition, in defiance of Governor Berkeley, whose Indian policy was one cause of the rebellion. ¶ 28. Child could=chill cold? ¶ 29. Lymbick=limbec, still.

NICHOLAS NOYES

(37) A PRÆFATORY POEM. Lines 29–60. The text is that of the 1702 edition from a copy (in the John Carter Brown Library, Brown University) of Christianus

per Ignem: Or A Disciple Warming of himself and Owning of his Lord: with Devout and Useful Meditations, Fetch'd out of the Fire, by a Christian in a Cold Season, Sitting before it; the book is attributed to Cotton Mather.

(38) A CONSOLATORY POEM. Lines 1-10, 21-36, 49-54. The text follows that in Stedman and Hutchinson's Library of American Literature.

EBENEZER COOK

(39) THE SOT-WEED FACTOR. Lines 516-625. The text is that of the 1708 edition, from a copy in the John Carter Brown Library, Brown University. SotWeed tobacco. Factor-agent.

(40) 40. Oast=host.

184. Cokerouse:

(41) 54. Oronooko: "Planters are usually call'd by the Name of Oronooko, from their Planting Oronooko-Tobacco."-Note in 1708 edition. "Cockerouse is a Man of Quality."-Note in 1708 edition. muskmelon.

88. Musmelion =

(42) 102. Chinces: "Chinces are a sort of vermin like our Bugs in England."Note in 1708 edition. ¶ 105. Doxy=mistress, paramour.

ANONYMOUS

(42) SONG OF LOVEWELL'S FIGHT. The text is from Farmer and Moore's Collections, Historical and Miscellaneous (1824), Vol. III, pp. 64-66. "The following Song was written about one hundred years since. For many years it was sung throughout a considerable portion of New-Hampshire and Massachusetts."-Editors. In 1724 the Indians, spurred on by the French, began to threaten the northern parts of New England. The Massachusetts General Court having promised two shillings sixpence for each day of service, and a hundred pounds for every Indian scalp, Captain Lovewell with a small force of volunteers made two expeditions and brought back several scalps. On April 15, 1725, he started from Dunstable, Mass., with forty-six men, intending to carry the war farther north. He built a fort on Lake Ossipee, in New Hampshire, and left in it a reserve of men and provisions. With thirty-four men he pushed on some forty miles to what is now called Lovewell's Pond, near Fryeburg, Maine, just over the New Hampshire line, in the country of the Pequaket Indians. Here occurred the fight described in the ballad. How closely the ballad follows the facts may be seen by comparing it with the account published in The Boston News-Letter of May 20-27. "Early on Saturday Morning, the 8th Instant, the English discover'd an Indian on a Neck of Land which runs into a Pond, and by his Actions judg'd there were a considerable Number of Indians near the Pond, and that he was set on purpose to draw the English upon the Neck. They therefore laid down their Packs (that they might be ready to receive the Enemy's Attacks) when they had about two Miles to Travel round the Pond, to come at the Indian upon the Neck. When they came within Gun-shot of him, he fir'd one Gun, and slightly wounded Capt. Lovewell and one of his Men with Beaver Shot. Several of the English immediately fir'd upon him, kill'd and scalp'd him; and returning to the place where they left their Packs, before they could reach it one of the English discover'd an Indian, and calling out to the rest, the Indians rose up

from their Ambush, shouted, and fir'd, as did the English at the same Instant. The Indians were reckon'd at least 80 in number, and Capt. Lovewell's Company consisted of but 34, nine men and the Doctor being left about 50 miles distant with a sick man. After the first Fire, the Indians advanc'd with great Fury towards the English, with their Hatchets in their Hands, the English likewise running up to them, till they came within 4 or 5 Yards of the Enemy and were even mix'd up among them, when, the Dispute growing too warm for the Indians, they gave back, and endeavour'd to encompass the English, who then retreated to the Pond, in order to have their Rear cover'd, where they continu'd the Fight till Night. During the Fight the Indians call'd to them to take Quarter, but were answer'd that they would have it with the Muzzles of their Guns. About two Hours before Night the Indians drew off, and presently came on again; and their Shout then compar'd with the first, it was thought half their Number at Least were kill'd and wounded. Of the chief among the English, Capt. Lovewell, Lieut. Fairwell, and Ensign Robins were Mortally wounded at the beginning of the Fight, and Mr. Fry, their Chaplain, in about Five Hours after, having fought with undaunted Courage, and scalp'd one of the Indians in the Heat of the Engagement. Eight of the English dy'd on the Spot, and 9 were wounded, 4 of which Number were just expiring when they came away at Night, and the rest they brought off several Miles, but were oblig'd to leave them with what Provisions they had, when they were unable to travel with them. Sixteen of our Men are return'd, tho' they had no Provision but what they caught in the Woods, the Indians having got all their Packs before the Fight. 'Tis thought that not above 20 of the Indians went off well at Night: but tho' we cannot have a certain Account of the Loss, yet it is evident that it was very great, and they were afraid of another Engagement; for tho' our Men staid several Hours after the Fight, and the Indians knew they had no Provision, yet they neither endeavour'd to keep them there nor way-laid them in their Return Home. His Honour the Lieut. Governour has been pleas'd to grant a Captain's Commission to Lieut. Wyman, who distinguish'd himself with great Courage and Conduct during the whole of the Engagement."

MATHER BYLES

(44) AN ELEGY ADDRESS'D TO HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOUR BELCHER. Lines 49-74. The text is from an undated early edition in the Harris Collection, Brown University Library.

JOSEPH GREEN

(45) THE POET'S LAMENTATION FOR THE LOSS OF HIS CAT. The text follows that in Duyckinck's Cyclopædia of American Literature, where it is reprinted from The London Magazine, November, 1733. "The Poet" is Mather Byles.

ANONYMOUS

(46) COMMENCEMENT. The text is that in A Collection of Poems, by several Hands (1744), from a copy in the Harris Collection, Brown University Library. The poem describes a Commencement at Harvard College. 4. commencing:

taking their degrees; from an old phrase used in Cambridge University, "to commence A.B.," etc.,

(48) 63. calashes: light coaches.

(49) 106. cully's=dupes. 117. head: the president of the college. ¶ 118. senate: the faculty. 119. levi's tribe: the clergymen. 122. sacred dome. Harvard Commencements at this time were held in the First Congregational Church. (50) 144. chief: the president. 145. book: "The President conferred the Bachelors' degree by delivering a book to the candidates and pronouncing

a form of words in Latin."-Josiah Quincy, The History of Harvard University, Vol. I, p. 445.

(51) 183. second laurels wear: take their second degrees. 184. laurets: laureates. 194-97. Phidias, the Greek sculptor of the fifth century B.C., cut his own figure in a battle scene upon the shield of his famous statue of Athena (not of Jove). ¶ 198. umbrage=shadow.

JOHN MAYLEM

(51) THE CONQUEST OF LOUISBURG. Lines 170-215. The text is from an undated early edition in the cabinet of the Rhode Island Historical Society. Louisburg, Nova Scotia, was captured by the British and American forces, under General Amherst, in 1758, during the French and Indian War.

(52) 6. young Scipio: the younger Roman general of that name; he took Carthage, in 146 B.C. II. Myrmidons: in Homer the name of the warriors that Achilles led to the Trojan War; it came to be used for any brave soldiers. ¶ 27. powaws-war-whoops. 139. Peleus' mighty son: Achilles. 42. Alcides="son of Alcæus," Heracles. the Scythian God: the Greeks gave the name of their war-god, Ares, to one of the gods of the Scythians.

THOMAS GODFREY

The text, with the exception noted, is from the 1765 edition.

(53) THE INVITATION. First published in The American Magazine, January 20, 1758, from which the text is taken.

(54) THE COURT OF FANCY. Lines 1-76. First published in The American Magazine.

(55) 57, 58, Cf. Paradise Lost, V. 254, 255:

(56) THE PRINCE OF PARTHIA. Act I, scene 1. The scene is Ctesiphon, capital of Parthia. The time is just after a victory over Arabia by Arsaces, eldest son of the Parthian king. Gotarzes is the youngest son; Phraates is a counsellor.

CONTEMPORARY CRITICISM

"Our readers may recollect, in our January magazine, a most beautiful and delicate little performance called 'The Invitation,' and likewise in our last magazine 'An Ode on Friendship.' Both these were the production of young Mr. Godfrey, as is the following 'Ode on Wine,' which is written with much poetic warmth, tho' a rigid critic may perhaps find reason to object to the Matter and Machinery of it

But what will ever place him high in the list of Poets (when it shall have received his last hand) is a poem of considerable length, called 'The Court of Fancy'; a subject which none but an elevated and daring genius durst attempt with any degree of success, in managing which he shines in all the spirit of true creative Poetry, far above the common herd of versifiers and others too commonly honoured with the appellation of Poets."-The American Magazine, Septeriber, 1758.

ROBERT ROGERS

(60) PONTEACH. Act I, scene 1; Act II, scene 2, ll. 1-82. The text is that of the 1766 edition, from a copy in the Harris Collection, Brown University Library. The play is anonymous, but is attributed to Major Robert Rogers, an American officer in the French and Indian War. It is based upon the conspiracy of Pontiac, the Indian chief, who united many tribes in a grand attack upon the English frontier, in 1763; he took several outposts, but failed in the siege of Detroit, and his forces dwindled away. In the play, however, the failure of the war is représented as due to the treachery of an Indian conjurer and a French priest and a fatal quarrel between Pontiac's two sons.

PHILLIS WHEATLEY

In the 1773 edition is the following statement, signed by the Governor, by John Hancock, and by sixteen other prominent men of Boston: "We whose Names are under-written, do assure the World, that the POEMS specified in the following Pare, were (as we verily believe) written by PHILLIS, a young Negro Girl, who was but a few Years since, brought an uncultivated Barbarian from Africa, and has ever since been, and now is, under the Disadvantage of serving as a Slave in a Family in this Town. She has been examined by some of the best Judges, and is thought qualified to write them." Her master, John Wheatley, further attests that "she, in sixteen Months Time from her Arrival, attained the English Language, to which she was an utter Stranger before, to such a Degree, as to read any, the most difficult Parts of the Sacred Writings, to the great Astonishment of all who heard her."

POEMS OF THE REVOLUTION

The text, with the exceptions noted, is from Songs and Ballads of the American Revolution, edited by Frank Moore.

(66) THE LIBERTY SONG. First published in The Boston Gazette, and soon copied in most of the newspapers of New England. The author, John Dickinson, had published, the year before a series of widely read letters on the political situation, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania to the Inhabitants of the British Colonies: later he was a member of the Continental Congress and governor of Pennsylvania.

(68) A NEW SONG. First published in The Pennsylvania Packet soon after the "Boston Tea-Party." ¶ 15. Hampden . . . . Sidney: leaders in the struggle against Charles I.

(69) VIRGINIA BANISHING TEA. Said to have been written by a young Virginian lady. 17. North: Lord North, the subservient minister of George III. ¶ 15. Gage: commander-in-chief of the British troops in North America.