this wide field by giving as complete a list, as could be made, of the writings of each person, and by introducing the first ministers of the principal towns for the purpose of illustrating the history of this country. The design included also a very compendious history of the United States, as well as of each separate colony and state, for the satisfaction of the reader, who might wish to view the subjects of the biographical sketches in connexion with the most prominent facts relating to the country, in which they lived. In addition to all this, it was intended to annex such references, as would point out the sources, from which information should be derived, and as might direct to more copious intelligence, than could be contained in this work.

Such were the objects, which the author had in view, when he commenced an enterprise, of whose magnitude and difficulty he was not sufficiently sensible, before he had advanced too far to be able to retreat. The modern compilers of similar works in Europe have little else to do but to combine or abridge the labors of their predecessors, and employ the materials, previously collected to their hands. But in the compilation of this work a new and untrodden field was to be explored. It became necessary not only to examine. the whole of American history, in order to know who have taken a conspicuous part in the transactions of this country; but to supply from other sources the imperfect accounts of general historical writers. By a recurrence to the references it will be seen, that much toil has been encountered. But, although the authorities may seem to be unnecessarily multiplied, there has been some moderation in introducing them, for in many instances they do not by any means exhibit the extent of the researches, which have been made. It could not be expected or wished, that newspapers, pamphlets, and other productions should be referred to for undisputed dates and single facts, which they have afforded, and which have been imbodied with regular accounts. The labor however of searching for information has frequently been less, than that of comparing different statements, endeavoring to reconcile them when they disagreed, adjusting the chronology, combining the independent facts, and forming a consistent whole of what existed only in disjointed parts. Sometimes the mind has been overwhelmed by the variety and abundance of intelligence; and sometimes the author has prosecuted his inquiries in every direction, and found only a barren waste.

For the large space, which is sometimes occupied in describing the last hours of the persons, of whom a sketch is given, the following reasons are assigned. In the lives of our fellow men there is no period, so important to them and so interesting to us, as the period, which immediately precedes their dissolution. To see one of our brethren at a point of his existence, beyond which the next step will either plunge him down a precipice into an abyss, from which he will never rise, or

will elevate him to everlasting glory,is a spectacle, which attracts us not merely by its sublimity, but because we know, that the flight of time is rapidly hastening us to the same crisis. We wish to see men in the terrible situation, which inevitably awaits us; to learn what it is, that can support them, and can secure them. The gratification of this desire to behold what is great and awful, and the communication of the aids, which may be derived from the conduct of dying men, have accordingly been combined in the objects of this work. After recounting the vicissitudes, attending the affairs of men, the author was irresistibly inclined to turn from the fluctuations of human life, and to dwell, when his subject would give him an opportunity, upon the calm and firm hopes of the Christian, and the sure propects of eternity. While he thus soothed his own mind, he also believed, that he should afford a resting place to the minds of others, fatigued with following their brethren amidst their transient occupations, their successes, their disappointments, and their afflictions.

Some terms are used, which relate to local circumstances, and which require those circumstances to be pointed out. In several of the New England states, when the annual election of the several branches of the legislature is completed, and the government is organized, it has been an ancient practice to have a sermon preached in the audience of the newly elected rulers, which is called the election sermon. This phrase would not need an explanation to an inhabitant of New England. The names of pastor and teacher as distinct officers in the church frequently occur. Soon after the first settlement of this country, when some societies enjoyed the labors of two ministers, they bore the titles of teacher and pastor, of which it was the duty of the former to attend particularly to doctrine, and of the latter to exhortation; the one was to instruct and the other to persuade. But the boundary between these two offices was not well defined, and was in fact very little regarded. The distinction of the name itself did not exist long.

the year.

Great care has been taken to render the dates accurate, and to avoid the mistakes, which have been made from inattention to the former method of reckoning time, when March was the first month of If any one, ignorant of this circumstance, should look into Dr. Mather's Magnalia, or ecclesiastical history of New England, he would sometimes wonder at the absurdity of the writer. He would read, for instance, in the life of president Chauncy, that he died in February 1671, and will find it previously said, that he attended the commencement in the same year, which was in July. Thus too Peter Hobart is said to have died in Jan., and yet to have been infirm in the summer of 1678. When it is remembered, that March was the first month, these accounts are easy to be reconciled. There seems not however to have been any uniformity in

disposing of the days between the first and the twenty-fifth of March, for sometimes they are considered as belonging to the antecedent and sometimes to the subsequent year. American writers, it is believed, have generally if not always applied them to the latter. When the figures for two years are written, as in dates before the adoption of the new style in 1752 is found frequently to be the case not only for the days above mentioned but for the days in January and February, it is the latter year, which corresponds with our present mode of reckoning. Thus March 1, 1689 was sometimes written March 1, 1688, 9, or with the figures placed one above the other. The months were designated usually by the names of the first, the second, &c.; so that February was the twelfth month.

No apology is necessary for the free use, which has been made of the labors of others, for the plan of this book is so essentially different from that of any, which has preceded it, that the author has not encroached upon the objects, which others have had in view. He has had no hesitation in using their very language, whenever it suited him. Compilers seem to be licensed pillagers. Like the youth of Sparta, they may lay their hands upon plunder without a crime, if they will but scize it with adroitness. The list of American literary productions, which has been rendered as complete as possible, is for the sake of method placed at the close of each article, and in giving the titles of them it will be perceived, that there has frequently been an economy of words, as far as was consistent with distinctness of representation.

The author is aware, that he lives in times, which are like all other times, when the sympathies of parties of different kinds are very strong; and he believes, that he has sought less to conciliate them, than to follow truth, though she might not lead him into any of the paths, along which the many are pressing. Without resolving to be impartial it would indicate no common destitution of upright and honorable principles to attempt a delineation of the characters of men. He may have misapprehended, and he may have done what is worse. All are liable to errors, and he knows enough of the windings of the heart to remember, that errors may proceed from prejudice, or indolence of attention, and be criminal, while they are cherished as honest and well founded convictions, the results of impartial inquiry. He trusts, however, that nothing will be found in this book to counteract the influence of genuine religion, evincing itself in piety and good works, or to weaken the attachment of Americans to their well balanced republic, which equally abhors the tyranny of irresponsible authority, the absurdity of hereditary wisdom, and the anarchy of lawless liberty.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, August 2, 1809.

To the Second Edition.

After a long interval since the first edition of this work the author now offers this second edition to the public. During 20 years past he has been repeatedly urged to accomplish what he has not found leisure to accomplish till the present time. But the delay, as the deathharvest among the eminent men of our country has been gathered in, has sewlled the catalogue of those, who ought to be commemorated in a Biography of "the mighty dead" of America. The first edition was the first general collection of American biography ever published; and it is still the largest work of the kind, which has appeared. In the Prospectus of this second edition it was proposed to print 750 pages, & it was thought, that the separate Biographical notices would amount to about 1200, being about 500 more, than are contained in the first edition. But the book has reached the unwieldy size of 308 pages, and the Biographical articles exceed 1800, presenting an account of more than 1000 individuals, not mentioned in Lord's edition of Lempriere, and of about 1600, not found in the first ten volumes of the Encyclopedia Americana. Yet the author has been obliged to exclude accounts of many persons, of whom he would willingly have said something. If he has at times misjudged in his exclusions and admissions; yet for some omissions an apology will be found in the difficulty of obtaining intelligence, as well as in oversight, which could hardly fail to occur in a work of such extent, embracing such a multitude of facts, and requiring, while in the press, such incessant attention and labor. He can only promise, should he live to publish an additional volume or to prepare another edition,an earnest effort to render the work more complete and more free from error. In the mean time he solicits the communication of intelligence respecting individuals, worthy of being remembered, who have escaped or who are likely to escape his unassisted researches.

To those gentlemen in different parts of our country, who have favored him with notices of their friends or of others, he returns his acknowledgments. He has been particularly indebted to the biographical collections of Mr. Samuel Jennison, jun., of Worcester, Mass., and to the accurate antiquarian researches of Mr. John Farmer, of Concord, N. H., whose New England Genealogical Register will enable most of the sons of the Pilgrims of New England to trace their descent from their worthy ancestry. The authorities referred to, though abridged from the first edition, will show to what books he has been. chiefly indebted.

America is reproached in Europe for deficiency in literature and science; but if one will consider, that it is not 200 years, since the first press was set up in this country, and will then look at the list of publications, annexed to the articles in this Biography, he will be astonished at the multitude of works, which have been printed. N. Eng

land was founded by men of learning, whose first care was to establish schools; and the descendants of the fathers have inherited their love of knowledge and mental energy. No race of men on the face of the earth, it may be safely asserted, are so rational, so intelligent, so enlightened, and of such intellectual power, as the descendants of the New England Pilgrims, and the inhabitants generally of our extensive country.

Although the wide diffusion of knowledge is preferable to its convergence into a few points of splendor; yet America can boast of names of eminence in the arts and in various departments of science, and can speak of her Sons of inventive power, of metaphysical acuteness, of philosophical discovery, of profound learning, and thrilling eloquence, and especially of a multitude, skilled in the knowledge and the maintenance of the rights of man. Happy will it be for our country, if ancient wisdom, and patriotism, and piety shall not in a future race dwindle down into the hunger for office, and the violence of party, and the cheerlessness of infidelity.

This body of American Biography will be found to comprise the first SETTLERS and FATHERS of our country; early NAVIGATORS and adventurous TRAVELLERS; the STATESMEN, PATRIOTS, and HEROes, who have contended for American liberty, or assisted in laying the foundations of our republican institutions; all the SIGNERS of the Declaration of Independence; brave and skilful MILITARY and NAVAL COMMANDERS; many of the GOVERNORS of the several States and the deceased PRESIDENTS of our country; profound LAWYERS and skilful PHYSICIANS; men of GENIUS, LEARNING and SCIENCE, and the distinguished Friends and PATRONS of learning; THEOLOGIANS and HISTORIANS, POETS and ORATORS; ingenious ARTISTS and men celebrated for their INVENTIONS; together with many eminent PHILANTHROPISTS and CHRISTIANS, whose examples have diffused a cheering radiance around them.

The author, in conclusion, cannot avoid expressing the wish, that as the reader surveys the lives of such men, the commendable zeal, which animated them, may come upon his own soul, and that he may help to bear up the honors of a country, which has been the abode of a race of enlightened, noble-minded, disinterested, and virtuous men.

Brunswick, Maine, July 17, 1832.