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VI. In speaking of the literature of a people whose whole time was almost indispensable for obtaining the first necessa- ries and comforts of life, it might be sufficient praise to say, that the love of letters was never extinguished. But much- and early attention was given to this important subject ; and if education was not as general among the inhabitants of Pennsylvania, as among those of New England, it should be ascribed rather to the heterogeneous character of her popula- tion, which even yet is not perfectly amalgamated, than to a want of due consideration of its value. In 1683, before our ancestors had covered themselves from the weather, a school was opened in the city of Philadelphia .* Within six years afterwards, the Friends' public school was established, and in 1697, it received from the proprietary its first charter of incorporation, which was enlarged in 1708 and 1711.
Other schools were also established before 1698. A pub-
* Journals of council.
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lic school or academy was opened at Germantown before 1749, and'a building was commenced by subscription, which was afterwards finished by lottery. In 1749, the academy and charitable school in Philadelphia was originated, and chartered by the proprietaries. In 1755 a college was engrafted on the original academy, and a new charter was granted, in- corporating " the college, academy, and charitable school of Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania," and granting to this institution the power to appoint professors, and confer degrees in the various arts and sciences. In 1764 the foundation of the present medical school was laid, and professors appointed in anatomy., botany, chemistry, the materia medica, the theory and practice of physic, and for the delivery of clinical lectures. This institution, afterwards erected into an university, was guided and directed by the intelligence, zeal, and public spi- rit of its provost, Dr. William Smith.
" Within four years from the time our ancestors landed in the wilderness, a printing press was at work in Philadelphia, sowing broad-cast the seed of knowledge and morality."* This press was owned and conducted by William Bradford, and an almanack was printed on it in 1687. During the Keithean controversy, many polemical pamphlets were pub- - lished, and the native literature of the province was pretty much confined to sectarian or political squabbles, in which, to the praise of the constitution be it spoken, much ink, but no blood was shed. Before the year 1697, a paper mill was erected in the province, near Germantown, by an ancestor of the celebrated Rittenhouse.
In 1719, a newspaper, the American Weekly Mercury, was first published by Andrew Bradford. Nine years after- wards, Keimer published a second newspaper, called the " Universal Instructer in all Arts and Sciences, and Pennsyl- vania Gazette," which laboured feebly under the neglect and inability of its first proprietor, but became a vigorous and efficient journal when subsequently owned and directed by Franklin. In 1739 a German paper was published at Ger-
* Notes on the literature of Pennsylvania, by T. J. Wharton.
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mantown, and in the succeeding year, another at Philadel- phia, by J. Crellius, under the direction of Dr. William Smith. The Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser was issued on the second of December, 1742, and several other journals shortly after arose with various success. In 1760 there were five newspapers published in the province, all weekly: three of them in the city, one in Germantown, and one in Lancaster. Between 1741 and 1776, several ma- gazines were attempted, none of which lived more than a year, except the Pennsylvania Magazine, printed by Aiken, and edited by the celebrated Thomas Paine, which flourished about eighteen months.
To Franklin, Pennsylvania is indebted for many institu- tions and improvements. Upon his suggestion, the college was founded, and in 1744 the American philosophical society was established. Out of a literary association formed by him, grew also the Philadelphia library, to which the present moral and literary character of Philadelphia may be justly ascribed. In 1769, the philosophical society having been joined by another association for promoting useful knowledge, established in 1766, was new modelled, retaining its former title. The first volume of its transactions, containing obser- vations on the transit of Venus in June, 1769, has been high- ly praised by the learned of Europe:
In most of the sciences and liberal arts, Pennsylvania possessed before the revolution distinguished men. Thomas Lloyd, David Lloyd, James Logan, Pastorius, Kelpius, and others of the early settlers, had the advantages of classical education, and were no mean scholars. James Logan was distinguished by his writings in the Latin tongue, and by his encouragement of literary and ingenious men. His library, which would have been worthy of note, as the collection of a private scholar, of limited means, in Europe, now forms a conspicuous part of the Philadelphia library, to which he was otherwise a great benefactor. In the academy, the zealous and learned provost, Dr. William Smith, who was esteemed in Europe and America, was aided by men of competent learning, such as Francis Allison, Beverly, Grew, and others.
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In mathematics and astronomy, Pennsylvania possessed Thomas Godfrey, the inventor of the (Hadley's) quadrant, the provost Smith, Dr. John Ewing, John Lukens, Andrew Ellicott, and Thomas Hutchins, and above all, the self-formed Rittenhouse, who, as a mechanician and astronomer, was second to none on earth.
In botany and natural history, the name of John Bartram, F. R. S. said, by Linnæus, to have been the greatest natural botanist in the world, stands pre-eminent. In the same de- partment his son became also distinguished, and their favour- ite science was systematically taught in the Philadelphia college, by Dr. Adam Kuhn, a renowned pupil of the great Swedish naturalist.
Medical science was early and constantly cultivated in Pennsylvania. Thomas Wynne and his brother settled in Philadelphia in 1662. They were succeeded by other able practitioners, among whom was Dr. Griffith Owens. He died in 1717. In the same year Dr. Græme settled in Philadel- phia. Dr. Lloyd Zachary, much distinguished and beloved, was his cotemporary. To these may be added the names of Doctors Kearsly, senior and junior, Cadwallader Evans, and the brothers, Thomas and Phineas Bond. Doctors William Shippen and John Morgan are remembered as the founders of the medical school of Philadelphia; and Dr. Benjamin Rush, the learned and able professor of the institutes of medi- cine, is known to both hemispheres as a man of general learn- ing, originality in his profession, and as a statesman and philanthropist.
In moral and natural philosophy, and in the science of the world, the venerable Franklin was unrivalled; with his name may be joined those of Dickinson and Hamilton, both re- markable for correct political views, and distinguished for their forensic eloquence.
Nor is provincial Pennsylvania altogether without claims to proficiency in poetry. Neither the Latin poems of Mackin, nor the more meritorious ones of Beveridge, are entitled to much consideration; but that the one was encouraged to write, and the other to publish poems, in a dead language, at the
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periods of their respective labours, is honourable to the pro- vince. Watson and Osborne were early poets, whose names have been rescued from oblivion by the memoirs of Frank- lin; and Ralph also, an associate of the philosopher, acquired reputation in London as an historian, and earned, perhaps by the caustic quality of his poetry, the lash of Pope, who has twice introduced him into the Dunciad. Thomas Godfrey, the younger, and his cotemporary and friend, Nathaniel Evans, were poets of taste and feeling, who died young, be- fore their minds were disciplined and matured. The works of both have been collected and published. Francis Hopkin- son claims a distinguished place in Pennsylvania history, as a poet, a wit, a mathematician, a chemist, a judge and pa- triot. His works were chiefly of a fugitive character, and originally appeared in the magazines and newspapers; but after his death, were collected and published in three volumes.
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NOTE A .- PAGE 7.
THE Hudson, like most distinguished streams of our country, has borne many Indian and other names. It would seem that the several tribes on its shores gave it different names, most probably in reference to different parts of the river, which have been taken by the Europeans as the proper names of the stream. Thus it was called Manahatta, from an Indian nation near its mouth, bearing that name; Mahakaneghtac, or Mohican-nittuck and Mo- hegan, from the Mohicans; Shattemuck, perhaps a corruption of the former; Cohetaba by the Iroquois, (See Moulton's New York, and authorities there cited.) By the Dutch and English it was termed the North, to distin- guish it from the Delaware, or South, river, and also the Hudson. These appellations are now indiscriminately given to it, by the whole American people. The Dutch also called it Mauritius river, in honour of their stadt- holder, prince Maurice. It was known by the name of the Riviere de Mon- tagnes, from the highlands, through which it ran. This was supposed to have been derived from the Spaniards; but professor Ebeling thinks it a corruption from Manahattans.
B .- 10.
The Delaware river was also known by several names among the Indians. Poutaxat, (See Campanius,) Marisqueton, Makeriskitton, and Makerisk-kis- kon, (See 2 Smith's Laws of Pennsylvania, 110,) Lenape-wihittuck, (See Heckewelder's Account of the Indians, ) or the stream of the Lenape. By the Dutch it was called Zuydt, or South river, Nassau river, Prince Hen- dricks, or Charles' river; by the Swedes, New Swedeland stream; and by the English, Delaware river. There is some doubt in regard to the origin of the latter name. Campanius says it was so named after Mons. De la Warre, a captain under Jacques Chartier; and that it was discovered in 1600. If this be true, it is singular and curious that it should have received the same name from two persons of different nations, each giving it his own. For Thomas West, lord Delaware, is said to have discovered this river, on his passage to Virginia, in 1610, and to have given it his name. Stith (Hist. of Virginia, ) informs us, that on his second voyage, in 1618, lord Delaware died near the mouth of the Delaware bay, which thence took its name from him. In Heylin's Cosmography, originally written in 1648, but continued by Edward Bohun to 1703, this river is called Arasapha.
C .- 14
It seems undoubtedly true, that the Delaware bay and river, below the falls, were entirely abandoned by the Dutch in 1630. But it is possible
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that the Minisink settlements on the Delaware, above the Kittatiny or Blue mountain, were made before that time, and were never discontinued. This settlement extends forty miles, on both sides of the river. Tra- dition, as rendered by Nich. Depuis, a descendant of an original settler, says, "That, in some former age, there came a company of miners from Holland, who were supposed to be rich and great people, from the great labour they had expended in opening two mines, one on the Delaware, where the mountain nearly approaches the lower point of Peraquarry Flat, the other at the north foot of some mountain, near half-way between Delaware and Esopus; and in making the mine road from Delaware to Esopus, a dis- tance of one hundred miles. That large quantities of ore had been drawn upon this road, but it was not known among the present inhabitants whe- ther of lead or silver."
" That the first settlers of the Minisinks came from Holland to seek a place of quiet, being persecuted for their religion: that they were Armi- nians. They followed the mine road to the large flats on the Delaware: that here the smooth cleared land, and an abundance of large apple trees suited their views: that they bona fide bought the improvements of the native Indians, most of whom then removed to the Susquehannah, and that, with such as remained, there was peace and friendship until the year 1755."
In 1729, it is said that the government of Pennsylvania first became ac- quainted with the settlements at Minisink: they declared, by law, that pur- chases made there from the Indians should be void; and that the purchaser should be indicted for forcible entry and detainer, according to the laws of England. (I have not, in my researches, discovered this act.)
Nicholas Scull, surveyor-general, was appointed by the government to visit the settlement and investigate the facts. He made his visit, accom- panied by John Luken, in 1730. " The Minisink flats were all settled with Hollanders; with several they could only be understood in Indian. At the venerable Samuel Depui's, they found great hospitality, and plenty of the necessaries of life." The admiration of the visiters was much excited by a grove of apple trees, of size far beyond any near Philadelphia.
"S. Depui told them, that, when the rivers were frozen, he had a good road to Esopus from the mine holes, on the mine road, some hundred miles; that he took his wheat and cider there for salt and necessaries; and did not appear to have any knowledge or idea where the river ran, Philadelphia market, or being in the government of Pennsylvania.
"They were of opinion that the first settlements of the Hollanders in Minisink were many years older than William Penn's charter. As S. De- pui had treated them so well, they concluded to make a survey of his claim, in order to befriend him if necessary. When they began to survey, the Indians gathered round: an old Indian laid his hand on N. Scull's shoulder, and said, 'put up iron string; go home:' that they quit and returned." -- Letters from Samuel Preston of Stockport, June 6 and 14, 1828, published in the Register of Pennsylvania, vol. i. No. 28, July 12, 1828.
D .- 22.
We are assured by Lindstrom, that a silver mine existed on the eastern shore of the Delaware, in the vicinity of the falls; and that gold was found in considerable quantities higher up the river, on the Jersey side. "The shore before the mountain is covered with pyrites. When the roundest are broken, kernels are found as large as small peas, containing virgin silver. I have broken more than a hundred. A savage Unapois beholding a gold ring of the wife of governor Printz, demanded, why she carried such a trifle. The governor replied, "if you will procure me such trifles, I will reward you with other things suitable for you." "I know," said the Indian, " a mountain filled with such metal." "Behold," rejoined the governor, " what I will
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give you for a specimen;" presenting to him at the same time a fathom of red and a fathom of blue frize, some white lead, looking-glasses, bodkins, and needles, declaring, that he would cause him to be accompanied by two of his soldiers. But the Indian, refusing this escort, said, that he would first go for a specimen, and, if it gave satisfaction, he might be sent back with some of the governor's people. He promised to give a specimen, kept the presents, and went away; and, after some days, returned with a lump of ore as large as his doubled fist, of which the governor made proof, found it of good quality, and extracted from it a considerable quantity of gold, which he manufactured into rings and bracelets. He promised the Indian further presents, if he would discover the situation of this mountain. The Indian consented, but demanded a delay of a few days, when he could spare more time. Content with this, Printz gave him more presents. The savage, having returned to his nation, boasted of his gifts, and declared the reason of their presentation. But he was assassinated by the sachem and his companions, lest he should betray the situation of this gold mine; they fearing its ruin if it were discovered by us. It is still unknown."-Ex- tract from Lindstrom's MS. Journal. Am. Phil. Soc.
E .- 25.
The following is the frame of government designed for this vice-royalty: " First, the lord head governor, a deputy-governor, secretary of estate, or seal-keeper, and twelve of the council of state or upper house; and these, or five of them, is also a chancery court. Next, out of counties and towns, at a free election, and day prefixed, thirty burgesses or commons; once yearly, the 10th of November, these meet as a parliament, or grand assembly, and make laws, &c .- Appeals are here also tried, all criminal cases for life, above only by two jurics, or actions at law a jury on either side may be called, and by them tried; and any before judgment may stop the law and be tried in equity. The two months' court may try, before four justices of peace, any action not exceeding 10/. or 1500 lbs. of tobacco, at 4s. charge only, and plead without atturney : an appeal lyeth thence to each quarter, or chancery first court above, and from thence an appeal to the grand assembly; any matter under 40s. value, or 200 lbs. of tobacco, to be ended by the next justice, at 1s. charge; no deposition to be taken but before two justices, whereof one of the quorum, or in court, or before a council, or of estate: and here is no jeofails, nor demurrers, but summary hearing, and a sheriff and clerk of court, with small fees, ends all, for the most part, in a few words."
On religious subjects, the views of the adventurers were liberal for the age. Our author says, "For religion, it being in England yet unsettled, several translations of Bibles, and those expounded to each man's fancy, breeds new sects, I conceive the Holland way, now practised, best to con- tent all parties; first, by act of parliament, or grand assembly, to settle and establish all the fundamentals necessary to salvation, as the three creeds, the ten commandments, preaching on the Lord's day, and great days, and catechizing in the afternoon, the sacrament of the altar, and baptisme; but no persecution to any dissenting, and to all such, as to the Walloons, free chapels; and to punish all, as seditious, and for contempt, as bitter rail and condemn others of the contrary; for this argument or perswasion, all re- ligion, ceremonies, or church discipline, should be acted in mildness, love, and charity, and gentle language, not to disturb the peace or quiet of the inhabitants, but therein to obey the civil magistrate."
Among other inducements to adventurers, the following description is given of a part of the country: "Not far off are rich lead mines, contain- ing silver tried, and iron stone, and by it, waters and falls to drive them, in " an uninhabited desert; no Christians or Indians neer it; where elkes, stagges, and deer, are most quiet, most fat, and not disturbed, so as five men, in three
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or four days, kill and salt sixty deer, or a hundred and twenty sides, for sum- mer's food; four or five hundred turkeys in a flock, swans, hoopers, geese, ducks, teles, and other fowles, a mile square, and seven mile together, on the shores, for here is all chesnuts, wallnuts, and mastberries, and March seeds, wild oates, and vetches, to feed them. Neer hand is also, in August, custard-apples, and papawes, to make the best perry English, for 100 tuns in a place, and all plums, hurtle-berries, black cherries, wilde anniseed, persimenas, and other dainty fruits and roots are had, as in all the hugh long meads and marshes, sweet seg-roots, ground nuts, tucaho and cuttina- men roots for hogs, and whole warrens, and berries of sweet muskrats; and here black bears and lions, feeding on sweet foods, are killed and eaten. By the head of Chesapeake river, by Tompkins and Walton, was seen a camel mare, brown-black, seven feet high, of which three hundred mile westward are stores; their skins, brought and sold by the Indians, confirm it."
The cost of equipping and transporting a man to this country, was esti- mated at 10/ .: and "all adventurers of 500/. to bring fifty men, shall have five thousand acres, and a manor with royalties, at 5s. rent, and whosoever is willing so to transport himself or servant, at 10/. per man, shall for each man have one hundred acres freely granted for ever, and at, may be instructed how in a month to pass, and in twenty days to get fit servants, and artificers, for wages, diet, and clothes, and apprentices, according to the three statutes 5 Eliz., all which, after five years' services, are to have thirty acres of free land, and some stock, and bee freeholders."
BOUNDARY OF THE GRANT TO THE DUKE OF YORK.
The following was the boundary of the grant to the duke of York in 1674. All that part of the main land of New England, beginning at a cer- tain place called or known by the name of St. Croix, next adjoining to New Scotland, in America; and from thence, extending along the sea-coast, unto a certain place, Pemaque or Pemaquid, and so up the river thereof to the furthermost head of the same, as it leadeth northward; and extending from thence to the river of Kimbequin, and so upwards and by the shortest route to the river of Canada northward: and also all that island or islands commonly called by the several name or names Meitowacks, or Long island, situate and lying towards the west of Cape Cod, and the narrow Higansetts, abutting upon the main land between the two rivers, there called or known by the several names of Connecticut and Hudson rivers; and all the land from the west side of Connecticut river to the east side of the Delaware bay; and also all those several islands called or known by the name of Martin's Vineyard, or Nantuck, otherwise Nantucket, &c.
F .- 35.
This was the Indian money, by the natives called wampum, an Iroquois word, meaning a muscle; by the Dutch sewant. It is worked out of shells into the form of beads, and perforated to string on leather. Six beads were formally valued at a stiver, twenty stivers made a guilder, valued at six-pence currency, or four-pence sterling. The white wampum was worked out of the inside of the great conques. The black or purple was formed from the clam or muscle shell. These strung on leather formed strings; and several strings, increased according to the importance of the occasion, formed a belt of wampum .- 1 Proud, 134.
Before the advent of the Europeans, the Indians made their strings and belts chiefly of small pieces of wood, stained black or white. For want of proper tools, few were made of shells, though such were highly valued. But the Europeans soon manufactured them of the latter material, neatly, and in
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great abundance, which they used with great advantage in their trade with the Indians, and caused the disuse of the wooden beads.
Among the Indians, the wealth of an individual was computed from the quantity he possessed of this article. It was used not only as a medium of commercial exchange, but for the registry of important public and private transactions, and as an instrument of solemn communication between tribe and tribe, by which their messages were explained and preserved, and their agreements sanctioned.
G .- 36.
The magistrates appointed by commission of Andross for one year were, For the up-river jurisdiction, Peter Cock, Peter Rambo, Israel Holme, Laes Andriesson Woole, Swaine, Otto, Earnest Cock.
For the jurisdiction of Newcastle and its dependencies, John Moll, Henry Ward, William Tomm, William Foppe Outhout, John Paul Jaquett, Garrett Otto.
For the jurisdiction at Hoarkill, Hermanus Wiltbank, Edward Southcrew, Alexander Moleston, John King, and Paul Mash.
Three of these justices formed a quorum.
H .- 49.
The rights exercised by the Mengwe over the Delawares, &c., were certainly those of conquest. They maintained their right to the lands far south of New York, and east and west of the Allegheny mountains. In 1768, the king of England purchased from the Six nations the country between the Virginia parallels of latitude west of these mountains. And these tribes also claimed the soil of Pennsylvania, but frequently gave large portions of the consideration received at sales, to the Delawares, whom they always reproved for their presumption, when they attempted to sell lands in their own right. A memorable instance of this occurred at a treaty with governor Thomas at Philadelphia, in 1742. A dispute existed between the proprietaries and a tribe of the Delawares, relative to a purchase of lands in the forks of the Delaware, usually called the walking purchase. The latter not only refused to yield the lands they had sold, but threatened to maintain possession by force. Under these circumstances, the influence of the Six nations was solicited by governor Thomas. They sent down two hundred and thirty warriors. At the council then held, Canassatego, a Mengwe chief, "in the name of the deputies, told the governor, 'That they saw the Delawares had been an unruly people, and were altogether in the wrong; that they had concluded to remove them, and oblige them to go over the river Delaware, and quit all claim to any lands on this side for the future, since they had received pay for them, and it is gone through their guts long ago. They deserved,' he said, 'to be taken by the hair of the head, and shaken severely, till they recovered their senses, and became sober; that he had seen with his eyes a deed signed by nine of their ances- tors above fifty years ago for this very land, (1686,) and a release signed not many years since, (1737,) by some of themselves, and chiefs yet liv- ing, (Nutimus and Sassoonan then present, ) to the number of fifteen and upwards; but how come you,' continued he to the Delawares, 'to take upon you to sell lands at all? We conquered you; we made women of you; you know you are women, and can no more sell land than women; nor is it fit you should have the power of selling lands, since you would abuse it. This land that you claim is gone through your guts; you have been furnished with clothes, meat, and drink, by the goods paid you for it, and now you want it again, like children as you are. But what makes you sell lands in the dark? Did you ever tell us that you had sold this land? Did we ever receive any part, even the value of a pipe shank, from you for it?
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