THE HISTORIC TREES OF MASSACHUSETTS 



and in settling a town, commenced an em- 

 pire!" 1 In like manner, any person whether 

 Mayflower descendant or not, who claims 

 America as his own, his native land, has 

 found occasion to glory in "the consummate 

 prudence of Bradford, the matchless valor 

 of Standish and the incessant enterprise 

 of Winslow." 



Not only have the writers of our country 

 given praise to whom praise is due, but those 

 of other lands have recognized in the coming 

 of the Pilgrim fathers an inspired event. 

 Such a writer was Carlyle, who said, "Hail 

 to thee, thou poor little ship 'Mayflower'! 

 poor, common-looking ship hired by common 

 charter-party for coined dollars, calked with 

 mere oakum and tar, provisioned with vulgar 

 biscuit and bacon; yet what ship 'Argo' 

 or miraculous epic ship built by the sea-gods 

 was other than a foolish bombarge in com- 

 parison? Golden fleeces or the like they 

 sailed for with or without effect. Thou 

 little 'Mayflower' hadst in thee a veritable 

 Promethean spark the spark of the largest 



1 Baylie's "New Plymouth," Preface 



