Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

or work itself, nor do any of the letters preserved allude to any fuch modifications.

We must therefore judge them by their intrinfic merit, and by this criterion we can only decide that they cannot be attributed to Colden.

Dr. Colden extended the Introduction, but, as will be seen by the few annexed notices of alterations, elsewhere the work was retrenched. This would not be naturally the course of the author, and on examination these retrenchments are chiefly of Indian names, fpeeches and the like. Dr. Colden would not exclude names, which gave his history accuracy, exactness and point, nor omit the fpeeches to which he refers fo diftinctly in his preface; but we can well imagine that the London publisher, beginning with a view to economize, would propofe to reduce fpeeches, in which he could fee no remarkable beauty, or omit names which he could not pronounce.

The following are fome of the changes made:

In the Preface, p. vii, the words "and my endeavoring" to the clofe of the first paragraph are omitted.

"And this collection" down to "will be," omitted and altered.

The

The first sentence in the third paragraph altered.

P. viii. "I must confefs" to "defignedly," omitted.

ix. "For the Indians," altered and not improved.

"The History of Indians," altered. x. "Various" changed to "curious.'

"this firft Attempt of the Kind in this Country, with more than ufually favorable allowances," altered to "this first Attempt of this Kind, with more than ufual allowances."

"The first part" to the end, with the fignature, omitted.

xi. "By the Dutch living in the Province of New York," omitted.

xii. "But the French," &c., omitted. The remark is, however, valuable as showing how, while the French had begun to confound Wyandot and Teonontate, the diftinction between the two was obferved at New York.

In the Indian name for Lake Huron the word Quatoghe is omitted after Car matare, making it nonsense.

"The Island," &c., note after New York omitted.

"Nadoueffiaux-Naduiffeks," omit

ted.

"Onnontio

"Onnontio-Yonnondio," &c., omit

ted.

"The Dutch of this place," &c. Note on Albany omitted.

xiii. "Under this," &c., omitted.

Wagunhas altered to "Dewagunhas," and rest of note omitted.

The note at the foot of the vocabulary on the dialects and French and English notation, omitted.

xiv. Verbal alterations in first paragraph. xv. "But it is probable" to "theirs," omitted. It is important as fhowing early English knowledge of the mode in which the League grew up.

After Sachems," the words "or old men," are incorrectly introduced.

After "Republick, by itself," several words are introduced.

xvi. "If they fhould once," omitted, and the two following paragraphs transferred fo as to follow the citation from De la Potherie, and a statement inserted as to the Creeks.

"As I am fond"-whole paragraph omitted, and new matter introduced, extending to several pages.

1. The opening paragraph is altered, the opening being changed, the Indian name of the League omitted: "the Dutch

fettled

fettled New York," altered to "poffeffeffed themselves of New Netherlands, now called New York."

3, 4, 5. These pages are almost entirely omitted, and the brief ftatement lefs accurate than the original.

6. "Retired to the fouth of Cadarackui Lake," altered to "fly to the Banks of the Lakes." New matter is introduced into the London edition.

much The

7. The account of Champlain's battle on Lake Champlain is altered, abridged, and errors introduced. original has, "Mr. Champlain made his men keep their Canoes at fome diftance," &c., fhowing that he and his allies remained on the lake, which agrees with Champlain, while the London edition fays incorrectly "both fides went afhoar.'

10. The sentence beginning "It has been," entirely omitted.

II. Indian words are omitted as Saffakue, p.

11, or miffpelt as Wabmache, given as Wabmake; Yonnondio, as Yonnendio; Utawawas, as Atawawas; Saguenay, as Saquenay; to cite the errors that catch the eye on one fingle page (29) of the London edition. On the next page, Ilinois becomes Hinois; p. 27, Mahikanders

24.

kanders becomes Mahikindars; p. 31, Sufquehanna becomes Sufguehana; p. 57, Odianne, Cadianne.

"This Expedition." This whole paragraph is entirely altered.

28. The fentence beginning "In the year 1667" is in part omitted, and the whole matter concerning La Salle on pages 28, 29 is omitted.

31. After the word "Calamity," nearly half a page is introduced in the English edition. 32-35. The fpeech of Sweriffe is omitted and a brief abftract only given.

36-37. Speech omitted and fubftance only given.

40. The important claufe "Corlaer's Limits," omitted, and feveral others. 41. The names of Jehonongera and Kanohguage omitted.

43-47. Speeches given only in abstract. 58. "Let the river be secure," &c., omitted. Affarigoa is fubftituted for My Lord, throughout.

These few references will convince the reader that the original edition of Colden has no little value, and in the grave doubt that must exift as to the extent in which Dr. Colden contributed to the alterations which appear in the London edition must rank as vaftly fuperior to it.

For

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »