Voynich Manuscript

Voynich Manuscript (Wikipedia) is an illustrated book written in code which has remained an undeciphered mystery ever since it was discovered in 1912 by Polish-American book dealer Wilfrid M. Woynich. The book is thought to have been written in unknown language sometime in the 15th or 16th century. It is currently stored in Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library (Wikipedia).

The New England Gazetteer

The New England Gazetteer

By John Hayward
Author of the Columbian Traveller, Religious Creeds, &c. &c.

The preparation of a Gazetteer of New England, worthy the patronage of its enlightened citizens, is no easy task: those only who have attempted it can from a just conception of its difficulties. Long and wearisome journeys must be performed; hundreds of volumes and local histories must be consulted, and thousands of letters must be written.

Although a kind Providence has blessed the editor with health, and with numerous friends, in all parts of New England; yet, after a long period of devotedness, he is mortified that his work is not more complete.

It will be percieved that there are many towns, particularly in the eastern section of New England, whose names are merely mentioned; and that notices of others, in many cases are exceedingly deficient. Had our means permitted, fair representations of the character and resources of those towns might have promoted individual and public interests; and enhanced the valuse of our volume. There are lakes and rivers in the northern and eastern parts of New England, whose beauty, volume of water, and hydraulic power, might vie with the Winnepisiogee and Merrimack, but whole locations and even names are but indistinctly known… Download The New England Gazetteer in PDF

What They Say in New England

What Do They Say in New England

Collected by: Clifton Johnson
Boston, 1879

WHEN I began to collect these signs and sayings, it was with the idea of gathering them for my own entertainment. In days like the present of universal books and schools, I thought I could hope to get only a few remnants of the thought and notions that have descended to us from the illiterate 11 and superstitious ages of the past; and I supposed that by the time I had picked up two or three scores of these oddities the subject would be exhausted as far as New England was concerned. But when I began to notice, I found that people in their everyday conversation were constantly dropping remarks on the significance of all sorts of things that were a part of this old folk-lore. When questioned, nearly every one, old and young, could repeat a few sayings of the kind I sought, and among these were almost always some I had not heard before.

My collection grew until I saw the possibility of a volume, and I could not but wonder what the superstitions of the Dark Ages were like if these were only remnants. Not only was the number of sayings floating about astonishing, but it was remarkable how much belief there was in them… Download What They Say in New England in PDF