Excerpt from Collections of the Rhode Island Historical Society, Vol. 1
ON presenting the public with the second volume of the Collections of the rhode-island Historical Society, the Committee of Publication deem it proper, very briefly to state the reasons which have induced them to select the present work, for that purpose.
It has been the wish of the Society, to publish, in chronological order, all those works of the early settlers in rhode-island, which contain mate rials relating to the history of the State, or which would furnish means fora just estimate of the characters and conduct of those who were most distin guished during its early periods. That course would have been adopted and steadily pursued, had the resources of the Society been sufficiently ample, or ‘had a sufficient degree of interest in its general objects, been manifested by the public, to warrant such an undertaking. In the prosecution of that design, all the writings of Roger Williams which could answer either of the above purposes, would have been first republished, and have been followed in regular order, by those of his cotemporaries and successors. But with the limited degree of encouragement and assistance which the Society has as yet received, the course which it was so desirable to have pursued, and which would have added so materially to the value of the Collections as a whole, is known to be entirely impracticable. Such being the case, the Committee felt it to be their duty, to select from the mate rials at their command, some work, not only valuable in a historical point of view, but which, from its own peculiar character, would prob ably excite the most general interest. They were, therefore, happy to avail themselves of the labors of Mr. Staples, who had been for some time preparing for the press, an edition of Simplicity’s Defence; and who, as the Committee were well aware, had been indefatigable in his researches for such materials as might, in the form of Notes and Appendixes, enhance the value of the work, by explaining the references and allusions which it con tains, or which could throw any light upon the biography, the characters or motives of the individuals who are mentioned in the Narrative. This task, Mr. Staples has performed, fully and impartially. He has given every au thentic means of information in his power, on both sides of the question.
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