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Enoch Lincoln entered the Sophomore class of Harvard College in 1806. He subsequently received the degree of Master of Arts from Bow- doin College, studied law with his brother Levi, at Worcester, and was there admitted to the bar in 1811. He began practice in Salem, but soon returned to his native town, where he practiced with considerable reputa- tion, but in 1812 he removed to Fryeburg in Maine.
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Fryeburg has had the distinction of numbering Daniel Webster among the preceptors of her famous academy ; she has given the state many emi- nent men, among whom may be mentioned the Fessendens and John W. Dana, governor of the state from 1847 to 1850; but it may be accounted not the least among her claims to consideration that it was amid her beau- tiful scenery that our poet-governor conceived and executed his poem of "The Village". It is her scenery that is described in this poem, and its pictures of rural life are drawn from the pursuits and occupations of her people.
As a young practitioner, just entering upon his career at the bar, Mr. Lincoln, then in his twenty-fifth year, had much leisure upon his hands. With his studious habits these hours could not be idly spent, and he made the Indians still remaining in the neighborhood, the subject of his researches. It was his custom to spend some weeks or months in each year rambling in the woods, and holding converse with nature and her simple children. His hatred of oppression led him to sympathize with the Indian in his fallen condition, and he spent much time in collecting all those objects and documents, which might throw light upon the manners, customs, habits and dispositions of the ancient lords of the soil.
He removed to Paris in 1817, and March 16, 1818, was elected to Con- gress to fill out the unexpired term of the Hon. Albion K. Parris, who had been appointed judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maine.
Mr. Lincoln served eight years in Congress, viz., 1818 and 1819, the unexpired term of Mr. Parris; then three full terms, 1819 to 1825, and also 1825 and 1826, when he resigned because of his election as Governor of Maine.
As governor of the state, he was distinguished by a zealous devotion to its interests, and the scholarly character of his state papers. His mes- sages were noted for their suggestiveness, pointed brevity and good taste. One of his Thanksgiving proclamations was so brief and comprehensive, and was so popular, that it was printed by his admirers on satin for preserva- tion.
During Mr. Lincoln's administration as governor, the question of the northeastern boundary of our state acquired serious and alarming dimensions. He vindicated the rights of the state to the territory in ques- tion with great energy and earnestness. He took strong state sovereignty ground, boldly and decidedly denying the right of the national govern- ment to cede any portion of the territory of the state without its consent.
It was during Governor Lincoln's administration also, at a session of the governor and council held at Augusta in June, 1827, that Capitol Hill in Augusta was determined on as the future site of the capitol.
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In the month of July of that year, 1829, he delivered an oration at the ceremony of laying the cornerstone of the capitol. In the following October he was again called to Augusta to deliver an address at the estab- lishment of the Cony Female Academy.
On the day when he delivered the address, he had been quite unwell before he made the attempt ; during the delivery he grew so ill that he was obliged to sit down, and after he had finished, he went straightway to bed -the bed of death.
Governor Lincoln died October 8, 1829, having nearly completed his forty-first year. He was never married. He was buried with public honors on the grounds fronting the Capitol at Augusta, where his remains still repose.
A marked characteristic of Mr. Lincoln's character was his enthusi- astic love of rural nature. This led him, while residing at Fryeburg, to visit the retired haunts of the aborigines, and make acquaintance with the lingering remnants of the large and powerful tribe that once occupied that beautiful region.
It was the charm of this varied scenery that inspired him to the composition of the poem entitled "The Village", which was published in 1816, in Portland, by Edward Little & Co. It is a descriptive and didactic poem of more than two thousand lines, written in the heroic measure, and marked by smoothness of versification and elevation of sentiment. One detects at times an echo of Pope in the structure of the lines, and the influ- ence of the author's classical studies is evident throughout. Though pro- fessedly descriptive of rural scenes, the local coloring is not strong, much the larger portion of the poem being devoted to general views of society and mankind at large. It would appear that the poet set out with the pur- pose of sketching the scenery and the conditions of society around him, but not finding the task congenial, gladly launched out into general dis- course on human nature and the various classes of society. He apologizes in his preface for this divergence from his theme, and the diffuseness with which it is pursued, alleging that the vocations of business had pre- vented his filling out the poem in those proportions which were necessary to complete its plan. His mind naturally expanded to wide views of human nature, as seen in the light of history, rather than confining itself to minute observation of the conditions of life around him. With all his love of nature he depended rather on books than on personal observation and experience for the materials of his verse. This is seen in the copious appendix which takes rather the form of essays than of notes. It con- sists of three parts, the first of which is devoted to a history of slavery, the second to a learned review of lawyers, the principles of criminal law, and the modes of punishment in different countries, and the third to a dissertation on religious persecution. These essays show the result of
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wide reading, and the influence of classical studies, the experience of Greece and Rome being constantly cited.
What is most remarkable about the poem is its advanced sentiments on all humane subjects. As regards slavery, the treatment of the Indians, the education of women, and the ill-treatment of brutes, the poem is far in advance of the views generally held when it was published, ninety- four years ago, and anticipates many of the reformatory and humane movements of our day. It is something of a surprise withal to find this young man, notwithstanding his inexperience of the ways of life, dealing so caustically with the faults of the learned professions, and betraying no little knowledge of the crooked courses pursued by many of their mem- bers. He has considerable power of satire, and a noble scorn of all that is low, mean, or oppressive of the rights of the poor and the humble. He holds up a high standard throughout, and is ever true to the highest con- victions of truth and duty.
His poem deals with the following subjects: View of the Mountains; Account of Their Formation; Description of the Aboriginal Natives; The Rattlesnake; The Saco; Lumbering and Clearing; The Maple; Slavery; Freedom in This Country ; Ill Treatment of Brutes; Hunting; Reflections on Women; The Lawyer; Criminal Law; The Clergyman, and Reflections on Superstition; The Physician; Education; Intemperance; Scandal; Party Spirit.
We must bear in mind that when this poem appeared in 1816, very little poetry had been written in America. Longfellow, Whittier, Holmes, the illustrious trio who have given American poetry a place in the world's literature, were boys at school. No poem of so wide scope and sustained length as "The Village", dealing with nature and with man in so many of their aspects, had then appeared in our land. As the production of a young man with no wide experience of the world, it must be considered remarkable, not only for its high standard of right, and its advanced moral sentiment, anticipating many of the reforms of our day, but also for its erudition and its evenly-sustained poetical merit.
Governor Lincoln's name has no place in the cyclopedias of Ameri- can literature. Undoubtedly the fact that the poem was published anon- ymously in a small provincial town, such as Portland then was, had much to do with its falling into obscurity. Its great length would also deter many from reading it. This is due to the diffuseness with which the author treats his topics. Not content with making his point, he, with a lawyer-like habit, restates it and wanders wide over all collateral themes. With greater conciseness, not so much in expression as in treatment, this would have been a very readable poem. As it is, it justifies the poet's aspiration in his closing lines, and one sympathizes with his regret in throwing aside the harp, which he seems never again to have taken up.
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MADAM WOOD
CHAPTER XXIX
THE FIRST NOVELIST
Among the priceless treasures of the Maine State Library, none is valued more highly than the four volumes written by the first writer of fiction in Maine, Madam Wood. Her family was one of the most distin- guished in York County, which in her day comprised the entire District of Maine.
Madam Wood was the daughter of Capt. Nathaniel Barrell, whose father was a Boston merchant. Capt. Barrell won his commission at the siege and capture of Quebec, where he was promoted for his gallantry. He married Sally Sayward, daughter of Judge Sayward of York, at whose home their child, Sally Sayward Barrell, was born October 1, 1759.
The story of the Sayward family is one of thrilling romance. The original Sayward came from England and settled in York. In the year 1692, while he was away from home, the Indians attacked the town. Twenty-six of the inhabitants were murdered and eight-five were carried away into captivity. It was at this time that the wife and children of Rev. Shubael Dummer were massacred. Sayward's wife and all his chil- dren with the exception of one daughter were killed. This daughter, who was captured by the Indians, was afterwards ransomed by a French lady of Quebec, who educated her in a convent of which she became the Lady Abbess.
The father of Hannah Sayward, the Lady Abbess of the Quebec con- vent, married again and had two sons, Jeremiah and Jonathan. This Jonathan was the father of Judge Sayward, who was the grandfather of Sally Sayward Barrell. She lived with her grandfather until her marriage with Richard Keating, November 23, 1778. Two daughters and a son were born to them. Her husband died in 1783.
Judge Jonathan Sayward at one time before the war of the Revolu- tion was, next to Sir William Pepperell, the richest man in Maine. He was an active merchant and man of all business. He had the confidence of his townsmen and for seventeen years was elected to the office of rep- resentative to the General Court. He was judge of the Court of Common Pleas and judge of probate for York County. These offices he held at the beginning of the revolutionary troubles.
The home of the judge is still standing unaltered with the same fur- nishings, and owned and occupied by one of his descendants. It would
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give one a better opinion of the sturdy old Loyalist to visit that house and see the expression of his countenance in his full length portrait, which hangs on the wall. There are also portraits of his wife and daughter by Blackburn, painted between 1750 and 1765, as Blackburn left Boston for England in the latter year.
Mrs. Keating continued to live for twenty-one years in the house pre- sented to her by her father as a wedding gift. It was during these years that she developed her gifts as a writer. The tragic history of her family, the incidents of the war and the experiences of her own life furnished the motives of authorship.
Her first book was "Julia." The writer has not been able to learn the date of this book or the name of the publisher. Her second book was "Dorval, or the Speculator, a novel, founded on recent facts, By a Lady, author of Julia," published by Nutting and Whitelock, Portsmouth, N. H., for the author in 1801. The preface of this book is worth reading for the information it furnishes about the ideals and customs of that far away day.
"While every library is filled with romances and novels, some apology is perhaps necessary for adding to the number, and introducing a similar work to the public. Wishing to avoid the imputation of arrogance, I will only say, that while society is so fond of literary amusements, some, and I believe, a large number, will be tempted to devote a part of their time to the perusal of the works of fancy and imagination; and while reading is so much in fashion, romantic tales will be read with avidity, and the works of the novelist will claim their station in almost every library. Hitherto we have been indebted to France, Germany and Great Britain, for the majority of our literary pleasures: Why we should not aim at independ- ence, with respect to our mental enjoyments, as well as for our more sub- stantial gratifications, I know not. Why must the amusements of our leisure hours cross the Atlantic ? and introduce foreign fashions and for- eign manners, to a people, certainly capable of fabricating their own. Surely we ought to make a return in the same way. I should indeed be vain, if I indulged for a moment an idea that any of my productions were worth transporting to another climate, or that they could be read with any satisfaction, where the works of a Moore, a Burney, a Kotzebue, or a Rowland had originated. But the attempt will be forgiven where the design is good; and it may possibly call forth the pens of some of my coun- try women, better qualified to instruct and amuse. I hope no one will suppose that I entertain ideas so fallacious as to imagine it necessary for a female to be a writer : far from it. I am sure
'That woman's noblest station is retreat ;'
and that a female is never half so lovely, half so engaging or amiable, as when performing her domestic duties, and cheering, with smiles of unaffected good humor, those about her. But there are some, who, forgetful
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of those sacred duties, or viewing them all in a circle very circumscribed, devote a large portion of time to dissipation, and such fashionable occupa- tions, as waste many hours that might be devoted to better purposes. If a small share of that time were attached to the pen, I am certain no future author would agree with the Abbe Rayal, 'That America had produced but few persons of genius:' Envy would be banished from society; and while a woman was drawing a picture of virtue and amiableness from imagination, she would imperceptibly follow the example and copy the portrait.
"A small, a very small portion of praise, will, I am sure, be awarded to the novelist. The philosopher will turn with disgust from the pages of romance; and the prudent will think that time lost that is spent in perusing fictitious sorrow and fictitious joys; the gay and the giddy will prefer the ball room or the card table; and the idle cannot find time or inclination to read. But there are some, who, retiring from domestic occu- pations, and whose time is not wholly spent in the city, will open, with pleasure, a volume which is meant to convey a little instruction, while it amuses an idle or a leisure hour; who can enjoy the well meant fiction, and, 'shed a tear on sorrows not their own'.
"The following pages are wholly American; the characters are those of our own country. The author has endeavored to catch the manners of her native land; and it is hoped no one will find, upon perusal, a lesson, or even a sentence, that authorize vice or sanction immorality. It has been her wish to show by example the evils that have arisen from specu- lation, and which have fallen upon the virtuous and the good, as well as the wicked. She cannot help saying, in her own vindication, that. the most vicious character is not the creature of imagination, 'the vagrant fancy of a woman's brain.' With regard to the other characters, it is left to the world to determine whether they are visionary beings, or copied from real life. It is hoped, however, while they acknowledge the possibility of the existence of such a being as DORVAL, they will believe it more than probable that an Aurelia, a Burlington, and many others, are still inhabitants of the world.
When the following pages were written, it was the warmest wish of the author's heart to dedicate them to a lady, whose goodness and- virtues had deeply impressed her heart. But that lady's modesty has forbidden that public tribute. To admire in silence those qualities, which must cre- ate and rivet the esteem of all that know her, is all that is permitted.
"The volume will of consequence appear without a patron to protect or acknowledge it. The author has only to beg that candor instead of criticism may be extended towards it. Not expecting that it will meet with applause, she only hopes it will not be too severely condemned."
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Her third novel, "Amelia: or the Influence of Virtue, an Old Man's Story, by a Lady of Massachusetts", was printed at the Oracle Press, by William Treadwell & Co. The volume bears no date, but her next book printed in 1804 states that it was written by the author of "Julia", "The Speculator" and "Amelia", therefore making the date of "Amelia" some- where between 1801 and 1804.
In the list of books credited to Madam Wood by Williamson in his bibliography of Maine is "The Old Man's Story". This is undoubtedly an error. Williamson probably did not have a copy of "Amelia" before him, or he would have known that this was the old man's story. "Amelia" is a story told by a great traveler, who having seen all the world except America, decides to visit that country. He visits Washington at Mount Vernon, Adams in Massachusetts, and while he is the guest of a family in Boston, the conversation turns on the question of the influence of virtue. The traveler then tells the story of "Amelia".
Mrs. Keating was married in 1804 to General Abiel Wood, a gentle- man of wealth and a prominent citizen of Wiscasset. Here Mrs. Wood enjoyed every comfort that wealth and the best society could give; and, in the companionship of friends of refined manners and tastes similar to her own, continued her literary work.
The year of her marriage to General Wood she published her fourth novel, "Ferdinand and Elmira: a Russian story, by a Lady of Massachu- setts; author of Julia, the Speculator and "Amelia", printed for Samuel Butler, by John West Butler, Baltimore, 1804. This volume is intro- duced by the following advertisement, evidently written by Samuel Butler :
"The writer of this instructive and amusing Work, has heretofore published the effusions of her Pen in New-England; and there, where the flights of Fancy, (as if chilled by the frigid blast of the north) are not received with that friendly welcome which they experience in the more genial climate of the south and middle States, commanded that applause, which Genius and Fancy never fail of producing on those liberal and candid Minds who will take the trouble to discriminate between the ordinary day- labor of the common English Novelist, who works for a living similar to a Mechanic, and has no other end in view than to bring forth a fashion- able piece of Goods, that will suit the taste of the moment, and remunerate himself, and the Lady of refined sentiments and correct taste, who writes for the amusement of herself, her Friends and the Public.
"The work has been carefully corrected and revised; and the Pub- lishers trust that its general execution, and its own intrinsic merit, are such as will insure an ample and speedy sale to this its FIRST edition."
The following brief outline indicates the character of the story :
Empress Elizabeth of Russia fell in love with Count Peletre, the Polish Ambassador. He, however, had secretly married Emma, the daugh-
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ter of the Russian Count Laprochin. When the Empress revealed her love to him which he could not return, he fled with his wife and her father to Poland. The Empress vented her spite on the elder daughter of Count Laprochin, who was at her court, by punishment and banishment. Countess Laprochin, as she was called, was married to an Englishman named Old- ham, who had returned to England, taking their little son Ferdinand with him. When Count Peletre arrived in Poland, he found that the Empress had anticipated him there and he was banished from Poland as well, and had to remain in hiding. Here the old Count died and Elmira, the daugh- ter of Count Peletre and Emma, was born. Hearing nothing of Oldham and his unfortunate wife, the Countess, Count Peletre went to England. He found Oldham gone, but he brought back little Ferdinand to live with them. After some years Countess Laprochin found them and was united to her family. When Ferdinand was eighteen, a chance visitor revealed to him and Elmira who they really were, for they had never been told. Both of them were made to promise that they would never reveal the hid- ing place of their family. Ferdinand joined the Prussian army, with which he fought against Russia. Ferdinand and Elmira were to be mar- ried within a year. Just before the time of their waiting was over, Elmira was kidnapped and taken to a residence some distance from her home. There it was found that she had been mistaken for the eloping daughter of the house. Since she could not tell where she lived, there was trouble about her return, but a "man in the gown" offered to take her nearly there and promised never to reveal where he went. On the way to her home they met Ferdinand, who was under sentence of death, having got into trouble with his colonel. He had gone home for a last visit to his family, only to find them gone. The "man in the gown" and Elmira accom- panied him back to camp. He was just about to be shot when the general of the regiment arrived and saved him. The "man in the gown" turned out to be Oldham. Meanwhile the Empress had died and her son Peter ruled in her stead. He had immediately pardoned Count Peletre and the Countess Laprochin and sent for them to appear at court. The whole family was now reunited and went to England to live. Ferdinand and Elmira were married there and lived happy ever after.
In 1811 General Wood died, and a few years later Madam Wood removed to Portland, probably on account of her son, who had become a ship captain and was sailing out of this port. He married a Miss Emer- son of York, a sister to the first mayor of Portland. William T. Vaughan, the first clerk of the courts of Cumberland, after the separation from Massachusetts, married Madam Wood's second daughter, Miss Keating. She died leaving two children.
Madam Wood's last printed book was "Tales of the Night, by a Lady of Maine, author of 'Julia,' 'The Speculator,' 'The Old Man's Story,' etc.,
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etc., Portland," printed and published by Thomas Todd, 1827. The above list omits "Ferdinand and Elmira," and one etc. probably stands for this book, the other possibly for the "Illuminated Baron". "Tales of the Night" was written when Madam Wood lived in Portland. The Tales are a part of a series, which the author intended to publish in 'two volumes. However, only one volume was printed. This book contains two stories, "Storms and Sunshine", or the "House on the Hill", and "The Hermitage".
The first of these is the story of Henry Arnold, who, because of a seri- ous controversy over a large estate which he had inherited, was obliged in 1790 to return to his native state of Massachusetts after long residence in England. His wife, two daughters and one man servant accompanied him.
Misfortune camped on their trail. A tempestuous voyage, a dis- agreeable journey by land, a Maine blizzard, the serious illness of Mrs. Arnold, scarcity of food, the death of Mrs. Arnold's sister, news of the loss of the ship bringing their household goods, failure of the father's banking house, brought the family to the lowest depths of despondency. The situation is relieved by a rapid succession of happy events-Mrs. Arnold recovers, the deed to the valuable estate is found and the title cleared, the will of Mrs. Arnold's sister bequeaths them a fortune, the ship with the household goods arrives after being driven from its course instead of lost, and the older daughter is thus enabled to take the man of her choice whom she had first refused because of her penniless condi- tion. The younger daughter marries a "good man" and even the man ยท servant gets the fever and takes unto himself a wife.
"The Hermitage" is the story of Marcia Vernon, who, at the age of thirteen, entered the employ of Governor and Mrs. Wellington. Her beauty and deportment made her a favorite with everyone in the family, the members of which vied with each other in completing her training and education. Two years after the death of Mrs. Wellington, Marcia was married to the Governor. Her consent to this union was given only because she believed her lover to be dead and because she had promised to care for the Governor as long as he should live. Ten years after her marriage Colonel Mortimer (Marcia's lover) reappeared with a .satisfac- tory, although startling, explanation of his long absence. Marcia con- tinued a dutiful and constant wife and the Governor accommodatingly died within a short time, leaving a letter to Marcia and the Colonel request- ing them "to form the engagement which would secure them happiness for life, and embalm his memory with their continued affection".
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