derness," thought and wrote after fashions which Europe had discarded for above a generation. Published in the eighteenth century, the Magnalia, both substantially and formally, is a work of the school of Burton, or of Fuller, or of whoever else made the quaintly garrulous folios of seventeenth century literature. Fairly to judge it, we must compare it not with its contemporaries, but with its predecessors. It has the fantastic oddity, the far-fetched pedantry, the giant-winded prolixity of the days when folios were normal. It has meanwhile positive merits of style which have not been so clearly remembered. It is never obscure; it never lacks spirit; and it possesses a rhythmical dignity, a sustained and sonorous movement, beyond the power of later times. These formal traits, as one grows to know them, become fascinating; nor is the fascination of the Magnalia merely a matter of form. Its ideals of life, which Cotton Mather tried to show that the fathers of New England realized on earth, stand forth by and by as heroic. Until very lately the struggle between the austere Calvinism of which he was the champion, and the devout free thought with which New England has replaced it was still so fresh that no one who could frankly sympathize with either side, could be quite fair to the other. At last, however, like the older struggles between Guelphs and Ghibellines, or Cavaliers and Roundheads, the heartbreaking controversies of God-fearing New England are fading, with New England herself, into an historic past. Few men to-day, of any creed, believe what Cotton Mather wrought through his whole life to maintain; and had he not failed, the hatred of his memory might still inevitably persist in all its freshness. But to-day theocracy with all its vices and all its heroisms, is as dead as the gods of Olympus. Regardless of the cause to which its epic champion devoted his life, we can now do justice to his spirit and his character. So judging him, not only as a writer, but as a man, one grows more and more to feel that whatever his oddities, whatever his faults and weaknesses, he belongs among the great men of our country. In the sustained faithfulness of his devotion to those ideals which for him constituted the truth, he was a brave and worthy precursor of any braveries to come.

BARRETT WENDELL

THE CHURCHES OF NEW ENGLAND

I WRITE the Wonders of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION, flying from the Depravations of Europe, to the American Strand: And, assisted by the Holy Author of that Religion, I do, with all Conscience of Truth, required therein by Him, who is the Truth it self, report the Wonderful Displays of His Infinite Power, Wisdom, Goodness, and Faithfulness, wherewith His Divine Providence hath Irradiated an Indian Wilderness.

I Relate the Considerable Matters, that produced and attended the First Settlement of COLONIES, which have been Renowned for the Degree of REFORMATION, Professed and Attained by Evangelical Churches, erected in those Ends of the Earth: And a Field being thus prepared, I proceed unto a Relation of the Considerable Matters which have been acted thereupon.

I first introduce the Actors, that have, in a more exemplary manner served those Colonies; and give Remarkable Occurrences, in the exemplary LIVES of many Magistrates, and of more Ministers, who so Lived, as to leave unto Posterity, Examples worthy of Everlasting Remembrance.

I add hereunto, the Notables of the only Protestant University, that ever shone in that Hemisphere of the New World; with particular Instances of Criolians, in our Biography, provoking the whole World, with vertuous Objects of Emulation.

I introduce then, the Actions of a more Eminent Importance, that have signalized those Colonies; Whether the Establishments, directed by their Synods; with a Rich Variety of Synodical and Ecclesiastical Determinations; or, the Disturbances, with which they have been from all sorts of Temptations and Enemies Tempestuated; and the Methods by which they have still weathered out each Horrible Tempest.

And into the midst of these Actions, I interpose an entire Book, wherein there is, with all possible Veracity, a Collection made, of Memorable Occurrences, and amazing Judgments and Mercies, befalling many particular Persons among the People of NewEngland.

Let my Readers expect all that I have promised them, in this

Bill of Fair; and it may be that they will find themselves entertained with yet many other Passages, above and beyond their Expectation, deserving likewise a room in History: In all which, there will be nothing, but the Author's too mean way of preparing so great Entertainments, to Reproach the Invitation.

§ 3. It is the History of these PROTESTANTS, that is here attempted: PROTESTANTS that highly honoured and affected The Church of ENGLAND, and humbly Petition to be a Part of it : But by the Mistake of a few powerful Brethren, driven to seek a place for the Exercise of the Protestant Religion, according to the Light of their Consciences, in the Desarts of America. And in this Attempt I have proposed, not only to preserve and secure the Interest of Religion, in the Churches of that little Country NEW-ENGLAND, so far as the Lord Jesus Christ may please to Bless it for that End, but also to offer unto the Churches of the Reformation, abroad in the World, some small Memorials, that may be serviceable unto the Designs of Reformation, whereto, I believe, they are quickly to be awakened. . . . In short, The First Age was the Golden Age: To return unto That, will make a Man a Protestant, and I may add, a Puritan. 'Tis possible, that our Lord Jesus Christ carried some Thousands of Reformers into the Retirements of an American Desart, on purpose, that, with an opportunity granted unto many of his Faithful Servants, to enjoy the precious Liberty of their Ministry, tho' in the midst of many Temptations all their days, He might there, To them first, and then By them, give a Specimen of many Good Things, which He would have His Churches elsewhere aspire and arise unto: And This being done, He knows not whether there be not All done, that New-England was planted for; and whether the Plantation may not, soon after this, Come to Nothing: Upon that Expression in the Sacred Scripture, Cast the unprofitable Servant into Outer Darkness, it hath been imagined by some, That the Regiones Extera of America, are the Tenebræ Exteriores, which the Unprofitable are there condemned unto. No doubt, the Authors of those Ecclesiastical Impositions and Severities, which drove the English Christians into the Dark Regions of America, esteemed those Christians to be a very unprofitable sort of Creatures. But

behold, ye European Churches, There are Golden Candlesticks [more than twice Seven times Seven!] in the midst of this Outer Darkness; Unto the upright Children of Abraham, here hath arisen Light in Darkness. And let us humbly speak it, it shall be Profitable for you to consider the Light, which from the midst of this Outer Darkness, is now to be Darted over unto the other side of the Atlantick Ocean. But we must therewithal ask your Prayers, that these Golden Candlesticks may not quickly be Removed out of their place!

[Magnalia Christi Americana; or, the Ecclesiastical History of New-Eng land, from Its First Planting in the Year 1620 unto the Year of our Lord, 1698. By the Reverend and Learned Cotton Mather, M. A. And Pastor of the North Church in Boston, New-England. London: Printed for Thomas Parkhurst, at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside, 1702. General Introduction, sections 1, 3.]

THE PHANTOM SHIP

Behold, a Fourth Colony of New-English Christians, in a manner stoln into the World, and a Colony, indeed, constellated with many Stars of the First Magnitude. The Colony was under the Conduct of as Holy, and as Prudent, and as Genteel Persons as most that ever visited these Nooks of America; and yet these too were Try'd with very humbling Circumstances.

Being Londoners, or Merchants, and Men of Traffick and Business, their Design was in a manner wholly to apply themselves unto Trade; but the Design failing, they found their great Estates to sink so fast, that they must quickly do something. Whereupon in the Year 1646 gathering together almost all the Strength which was left 'em, they Built one Ship more, which they fraighted for England with the best part of their Tradable Estates; and sundry of their Eminent Persons Embarked themselves in her for the Voyage. But, alas, the Ship was never after heard of! She foundred in the Sea; and in her were lost, not only the Hopes of their future Trade, but also the Lives of several Excellent Persons, as well as divers Manuscripts of some great Men in the Country, sent over for the Service of the Church, which were now buried in the Ocean. The fuller Story of that grievous Matter, let the Reader with a just

Astonishment accept from the Pen of the Reverend Person, who is now the Pastor of New-Haven. I wrote unto him for it, and

was thus Answered.

"REVEREND AND DEAR SIR, In Compliance with your Desires, I now give you the Relation of that Apparition of a Ship in the Air, which I have received from the most Credible, Judicious and Curious Surviving Observers of it.

"In the Year 1647 besides much other Lading, a far more Rich Treasure of Passengers, (Five or Six of which were Persons of chief Note and Worth in New-Haven) put themselves on Board a New Ship, built at Rhode-Island, of about 150 Tuns; but so walty, that the Master, (Lamberton) often said she would prove their Grave. In the Month of January, cutting their way thro' much Ice, on which they were accompanied with the Reverend Mr. Davenport, besides many other Friends, with many Fears, as well as Prayers and Tears, they set Sail. Mr. Davenport in Prayer with an observable Emphasis used these Words, Lord, if it be thy pleasure to bury these our Friends in the bottom of the Sea, they are thine; save them! The Spring following no Tidings of these Friends arrived with the Ships from England: New-Haven's Heart began to fail her: This put the Godly People on much Prayer, both Publick and Private, That the Lord would (if it was his Pleasure) let them hear what he had done with their dear Friends, and prepare them with a suitable Submission to his Holy Will. In June next ensuing, a great Thunder-Storm arose out of the NorthWest; after which, (the Hemisphere being serene) about an hour before Sun-set a SHIP of like Dimensions with the aforesaid, with her Canvas and Colours abroad (tho' the Wind Northernly) appeared in the Air coming up from our Harbour's Mouth, which lyes Southward from the Town, seemingly with her Sails filled under a fresh Gale, holding her Course North, and continuing under Observation, Sailing against the Wind for the space of half an Hour. Many were drawn to behold this great Work of God; yea, the very Children cry'd out, There's a Brave Ship! At length, crouding up as far as there is usually Water sufficient for such a Vessel, and so near some of the Spectators as that they imagined a Man might hurl a Stone on Board her, her Maintop seem'd to