Trübner's Bibliographical guide to American literature : a classed list of books published in the United States of America during the last forty years : with bibliographical introduction, notes, and alphabetical index / compiled and edited by Nicolas Trübner.
- Trübner, Nicholas, 1817-1884.
- Date:
- 1859
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Trübner's Bibliographical guide to American literature : a classed list of books published in the United States of America during the last forty years : with bibliographical introduction, notes, and alphabetical index / compiled and edited by Nicolas Trübner. Source: Wellcome Collection.
58/738
![able to more than one historian, and must remain a faithful picture of the savages inhabiting New England at the early settlement of the country. Although the austere religion of the Puritans forbade dramatic representa- tions under penalty of severe punishment, it did not succeed in crushing out the desire for the literature of the stage. Some efforts at dramatic composi- tion were made eveii in New England during the period of which we treat; but nothing perfect was produced there. Thomas Godfrey, a native of Phila- delphia, a son of the inventor of the Mariner’s Quadrant, wrote the first finished play produced in America. It was composed during a three years’ residence in North Carolina, and although deficient in force as a whole, possesses many redeeming points. It is called the Prince of Parthia, and considering the author’s mathematical predilections, and that he received but a common education in his mother tongue, is quite a creditable performance. Godfrey’s father was a companion of Eranklin when a youth in Philadelphia, and is mentioned in the Autohiogra][)hy. This concludes our summary of American literary achievements in this period, and if nothing decidedly great was produced, the fruits are at least valuable for the progress displayed towards excellence. A clear style grew into favour. Terseness and purity of expression are observable in nearly all the essays of the time; and as we approach the exciting dawn of the Re- volution, we cannot conceal our surprise at the force displayed in very many of the political pamphlets then published. These compositions show another advance-step in American letters, and they assuredly did much towards a habit of independent thinking among the people. So ends our colonial survey; and, taking the brief period into consideration, together with the duties incident to conquering a wilderness from savages, these contributions to a national literature are as meritorious and numerous as those of England in the corresponding period of her early history. CHAPTER III. FIRST AMERICAN PERIOD. Many causes were at work at the commencement of the American Revolu- tion, which tended to foster and develope both literary and oratorical talents. The oppressions of the mother country were not the least of these. At first silently endured, then received with murmurs of dissatisfaction, they finally produced boldly-expressed and manful opposition. Speeches and pamphlets were the weapons of attack; and in looking over the writings of those who took the Colonial side of the controversy, our admiration is fairly won by the high literary ability displayed in the written appeals to the parent country^ Lord Chatham declared the public documents of the principal statesmen of the American Revolution to be equal to the finest specimens of Greek or Roman wisdom. A clear and forcible form of expression characterises nearly all](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24877724_0058.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
