Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1843, by In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Rhode-Island. PREFACE. THE only historical publications relating to Rhode-Island, which have emanated from Rhode-Island men, are, Simplicity's Defence against Seven-Headed Policy, Callender's Century Sermon, Hopkins' History of Providence, Potter's Early History of Narragansett, Pitman's Centennial Discourse, and Bull's Sketches of the History of the State. The first of these, is the production of Samuel Gorton, one of the first settlers of Warwick. It was originally published by him in London, in 1646. It has since been re-published, as the second volume of the Collections of the Rhode-Island Historical Society. It contains a narration of some events which transpired in Warwick, during a few of the first years after its settlement. Callender's Sermon, is a historical discourse which was delivered by John Callender, pastor of the first Baptist church in Newport, in 1738, at the close of the first century of the exist ence of the English settlements on the island of Rhode-Island. It embraces a brief history of those settlements, together with the events of general interest which had occurred in other parts of the colony. No publication of the kind deserves higher praise for impartiality, candor, and research. An edition of this work was published in 1838, with extensive notes by Professor Elton. Valuable as the original work is, the notes of Mr. Elton have added much of value and interest to it; but the historical events are not brought down, beyond the time of its delivery. Hopkins' History of Providence first appeared in the Providence Gazette, in 1762. It has since been re-published in the Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society. The author was Stephen Hopkins, who for several years, sustained the office of Governor of the Colony of Rhode-Island. It contains the history of the Town of Providence, from its settlement down to 1645. It is entitled to confidence, for its general correctness. |
