Peter Parley's Own Story / From the Personal Narrative of the Late Samuel G. Goodrich, ("Peter Parley")

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by
THE HEIRS OF S. G. GOODRICH,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of New York.

Electrotyped by Smith & McDougal, 82 & 84 Berkman St.
Printed by C. S. Westcott & Co., 79 John St.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PAGE

Birth and Parentage—The Old House—Ridgefield—The Meeting-house—Parson Mead—Keeler's Tavern—The Cannon-ball—Lieutenant Smith

CHAPTER II.

The New House—High Ridge—Nathan Kellogg's Spy-glass—The Shovel—The Black Patch in the Road—Distrust of British Influence—Old Chich-es-ter—Aunt Delight—Return after Twenty Years

CHAPTER III.

Ridgefield Society—Trades and Professions—Chimney-Corner Courtships—Domestic Economy—Dram-drinking—Family Products—Molly Gregory and Church Music—Travelling Artisans—Festival of the Quilts—Clerical Patronage—Raising a Church—The Retired Tailor and His Farm

CHAPTER IV.

Habits of the People—Their Costume—Amusements—Festivals—Marriages—Funerals—Dancing—Winter Sports—My Two Grandmothers—Mechanical Genius—Importance of Whittling—Pigeons—Sporting Adventures

CHAPTER V.

Death of Washington—Jerome Bonaparte and Miss Patterson—Sunday Travelling—Oliver Wolcott—Timothy Pickering—American Politeness quite natural—Locomotion—Public Conveyances—My Father's Chaise

CHAPTER VI.

The Upper and Lower Classes of Ridgefield—Master Stebbins and his School—What is a Noun?—Deacon Benedict and his Man Abijah—My Latin Acquirements—Family Worship—Widow Bennett—The Temple of Dagon

CHAPTER VII.

The Clergy of Fairfield—A Laughing Parson—The Three Deacons

CHAPTER VIII.

Mat Olmstead, the Town Wit—The Salamander Hat—Solar Eclipse—The Old Hen and the Philosopher—Lieutenant Smith—Extraordinary Meteor—Fulton and his Steam-boat—Granther Baldwin and his Wife—Sarah Bishop and her Cave

CHAPTER IX.

Farewell to Home—Danbury—My New Vocation—My Brother-in-law—His Conversations with Lawyer Hatch—Clerical Anecdotes

108

CHAPTER X.

New Haven—Distinguished Men—Whitney's Cotton-gin—Durham—My Grandmother's Indian Puddings—In Search of a Doctor—Return to Danbury—The Cold Friday—Factory Workmen—Mathematics

117

CHAPTER XI.

Arrival at Hartford—My Occupation There—Restlessness—My Friend George Sheldon

129

CHAPTER XII.

War with England—In the Army—My Uncle's Advice—Campaigning—On the March—Our Military Costume—My first Soldier's Supper

134

CHAPTER XIII.

New London—Our Military Reputation—Sent with a Letter—British Cannon-balls—Out of Harm's Way—An Alarm—On Guard—Take a Prisoner—Strange Emotions—My Left-hand Chum—A Grateful Country

138

CHAPTER XIV.

Effects of War in New England—Personal Experience—News of Peace—Illuminations—Confessions

145

CHAPTER XV.

Evil Effects of Night Study—Commencement of a Literary Career—Thoughts on Dancing—New York—Saratoga—Death of my Uncle—Become a Bookseller—Cold Summer—T'other Side of Ohio

149

CHAPTER XVI.

Marriage—Walter Scott—Byron—Sidney Smith's Taunt—Publication of Original American Works—Mrs. Sigourney

159

CHAPTER XVII.

Domestic Troubles—Sketch of Brainard—Aunt Lucy's Back-Parlor—The Fall of Niagara—Death of Brainard

164

CHAPTER XVIII.

My First Visit to Europe—Hurricane—Arrival at Liverpool—London—Travel on the Continent—Return to Bristol—Interview with Hannah More—Design in Travelling—Visit to Ireland and Scotland

172

CHAPTER XIX.

The Edinburgh Lions—Literary Celebrities—Jeffrey in the Forum—Sir Walter at the Desk—Riding with Scotch Ladies—Beautiful Scenery—A Scotch Mist

179

CHAPTER XX.

Blackwood—The General Assembly—Sir Walter Scott—Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart—Origin of "Tam O'Shanter"—Last Words of Scott

187

CHAPTER XXI.

En Route for London—"The Laird o'Cockpen"—Localities of Legendary Fame—Difference between English and American Scenery

195

CHAPTER XXII.

London again—Jacob Perkins and his Steam-gun—Dukes of Wellington, Sussex, and York—British Ladies at a Review—House of Commons and its Orators—Catalani—Distinguished Foreigners—Edward Irving compared to Edmund Kean—Byron lying in State

202

CHAPTER XXIII.

Return to the United States—Boston and its Worthies—Business Operations—Ackermann's Forget-Me-Not the Parent of all other Annuals—The American Species—Their Decline

216

CHAPTER XXIV.

"The Token"—N. P. Willis and Nathaniel Hawthorne—Comparison between them—Lady Authors—Publishers' Profits—Authors and Publishers

222

CHAPTER XXV.

I become an Author—His real Name a profound Secret—How it was divulged—Great Success—Illness—The Doctors disagree—English Imitations—Conduct of a London Bookseller—Objections to Parley's Tales—Mother Goose

232

CHAPTER XXVI.

Children my first Patrons—A Visit to New Orleans—Feelings of Humiliation—The Mice eat my Papers—A Wrong Calculation

251

CHAPTER XXVII.

I make a Speech—Lecture on Ireland—Politics—Personal Attacks—Become a Senator—The "Fifteen Gallon Law"—A Pamphlet in its Favor—"My Neighbor Smith"—A Political Career unprofitable

257

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Am appointed U. S. Consul to Paris—Louis XVIII.—A few Jottings upon French Notabilities—Cure for Hydrocephalus—Unsettled State of Things in Paris

266

CHAPTER XXIX.

Louis Philippe and the Revolution—List of Grievances—The Mob at the Madeleine—Barricades—"Down with Guizot!"—The Fight commenced—Flight of the King and Queen—Scene in the Chamber of Deputies—Sack of the Tuileries

274

CHAPTER XXX.

After the Revolution—"Funeral of the Victims"—The Constituent Assembly—Paris in a State of Siege—Cavaignac—Louis Napoleon chosen President

296

CHAPTER XXXI.

The Author's Duties as Consul—Aspect of Things in Paris—Louis Napoleon's Designs—The 2nd of December, 1852—The New Reign of Terror complete—Louis Napoleon as Emperor—Out of Office—Return to New York—Conclusion

301

CHAPTER XXXII.

The Death of Peter Parley

313

ILLUSTRATIONS.

AUNT DELIGHT	(Frontispiece)
MAKING MAPLE SUGAR	37
DEACON OLMSTEAD	82
FIRST ADVENTURE ON THE SEA	119
THE COLD FRIDAY	124
WHITTLING	167

PETER PARLEY'S OWN STORY.

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