growing political turmoil, disappeared before the anniversary day was reached, and the records of the Old Colony Club itself, most of whose members were Loyalists, came to an abrupt end with an entry dated December 15, 1773.1 It is certain, however, that Mr. Turner's sermon was duly preached; and probably it was delivered before the Club, the town, and the First Parish.2

The celebration in 1774 was thus noticed in a Boston newspaper:

Messieurs EDES & GILL,

THE

HE 22d of December was celebrated at Plymouth, in commemoration of the first landing of our ANCESTORS in New-England: - A learned and ingenious Discourse was delivered on the Occasion, by the Rev. Mr. GAD HITCHCOCK, of Pembroke, from Genesis 1, 31; and Psalms 119, 134; which, for the honor of the dissenting Clergy, and for the benefit of mankind, will speedily be published. A splendid entertainment was provided at Mr. Howland's, and propriety and decorum marked the conduct of the day. We the Posterity of those illustrious Heroes are now suffering under the galling pressure of that power, an emancipation from which, was one grand object they had in view, in the settlement of this Western World; in the prosecution of which divine enterprize, they, with christian magnanimity, surmounted the most discouraging obstacles; and it may safely be affirmed, that all the potent thunders of Britain, cannot reduce us to more tremendous sufferings, than those distinguished patrons of religion and freedom, animated by a sacred ardour, patiently endured. But, wonderful as it may seem, a pitiful number, who bear the names, and descended from the loins of these ever to-be-revered Patriots, by their infernal intrigues, and persevering obstinacy, have involved their native Country, enriched with the Blood of their Fathers, in accumulated Calamities and Distresses; but (by the gracious munificence of Heaven) many rays of light breaks through the gloom which surrounds us; and, Nil desperandum, Deo duce, et auspice Deo.3

From 1774 to 1780, both included, Forefathers' Day was celebrated by the town of Plymouth. For the next twelve years —

1 Records, p. 444.

2 The dedication reads: "To the ancient and respectable town of PLYMOUTH, To all the descendants from the first PLANTERS of the OLD Plymouth ColoNY, and To his native Country, The following SERMON is inscribed By their assured Friend, and very humble Servant, C. TURNER."

• Boston Gazette, January 2, 1775, p. 2/3.

from 1781 to 1792, both included - there was no celebration. In 1793 the day was again celebrated, when a sermon was preached by the Rev. Chandler Robbins.1 Of the celebration in 1794, we have the following account:

FEAST OF GRATITUDE.

PLYMOUTH, december 23, 1794.

ESTERDAY, being the anniversary of the landing of our ancestors at this place, which was the first lasting settlement, made in NewEngland, a number of gentlemen of this and the neighboring towns convened to celebrate the day. With social glee and harmony, they partook of a frugal meal, which was designed to bring to remembrance the circumstances of those good and great men, whose memories they were assembled to revere. Various anecdotes, respecting their emigration and settlement, were related by those, acquainted with the early history of the country; and the mind was led to recollect, with veneration and sublime pleasure, the daring enterprise, the noble zeal, and the determined valor, of that illustrious band, who, in this place, laid the foundation of empire; and who prepared, in this western clime, an asylum for the persecuted and oppressed of the old world. Several toasts were given, pertinent and sentimental; and the following ode, written for the occasion, was sung and repeated, with the most sensible satisfaction and pleasure.2

Then follows the ode written by Judge John Davis. If the day was celebrated in 1795 and 1796, no accounts have been found; but the celebration in 1797 was thus described:

1 The only celebrations previous to 1797 of which I have found accounts in the newspapers are those of 1769, 1772, 1775, and 1794.

2 Federal Orrery, December 25, 1794, p. 2/2.

• Much confusion exists in regard to this ode, which is variously said to have been written in 1792, 1793, 1794, or 1799. The statement in the text would seem to be decisive in favor of 1794. It was printed not only in the Federal Orrery of December 25, but also in the Columbian Centinel of December 27, 1794 (p. 4/1), and very likely in other newspapers. It was also printed in the New England Palladium of December 25, 1801 (p. 1/2), under the heading "Native Poetry" and with this introductory note: "The following chaste and elegant production we believe has never been published. It deserves to be handed down with the memory of the interesting occasion which gave it birth." The "interesting occasion" is said to have been "the celebration of the Festival of the SONS of the PILGRIMS, at Plymouth, 1793;" but Judge Davis's name is not attached to

MR. RUSSELL,

Plymouth, Dec. 23, 1797.

AM aware it will be a political apostacy with some people to trace up a descent from the wicked island of Great-Britain. But from no country wicked as it is, had I rather be descended than from that. The

the ode. Neither Pilgrim nor Pilgrim Fathers occurs in the ode, which consists of eight stanzas, the first and sixth as follows (as printed in the Federal Orrery):

In every version of the ode I have seen from 1794 down to 1835, when it was included in the second edition of Thacher's History of the Town of Plymouth (pp. 342-343), the sixth stanza reads as printed above. But in Airs of the Pilgrims, appended to W. S. Russell's Guide to Plymouth, 1846, pp. 20-22, the sixth stanza reads as follows:

Columbia, child of heaven,
The best of blessings given,

Be thine to greet;

Hailing this votive day,
Looking with fond survey,
Upon the weary way,
Of Pilgrim feet.

Russell adds the following

NOTE. This copy has received the revisal of the venerable author of the composition, and is entirely conformable to the original, excepting in

manners, the religion, and the future policy of a country are influenced for ages by the manner, the religion, and the sciences of the country of the first settlers. To the country of our forefathers, long illustrious for their treatment there, as well as the virtue and sufferings in this, are we indebted, with our own improvements, for the most of our civil enjoyments. Accordingly it has been a custom to commemorate their landing in this town, on the 22d Dec. 1620, by some public testimony of a grateful recollection. This year it was likely to pass over in silence by the gentlemen-sensible of this advantage, the young Ladies took up the neglected outcast like the daughter of P HAR O AH, and nourished it for their own. In the evening they gave the Gentlemen an elegant Ball; and the taste and decorations of the entertainment, were equalled only by the splendor of the usual constellation of beauty in the hall. In the midst of festivity our pleasures were by no means destitute of sentiment. A beautiful Ode, composed sometime since by J. DAVIS, furnished an agreeable interlude, in which the fanciful antiquarian might think himself conversant with his "rude forefathers." Indeed, the whole went on with the regular confusion that gives fluidity to mirth, and dancing and careless conversation, and charming good humour gave way only to a spirited song composed by B. SEYMOUR, which finished the evening.

A. B.1

the fifth [error for sixth] verse, in which a variation has been introduced by him (p. 22).

It thus appears that the word Pilgrim was introduced into the ode at some time between 1835 and 1846. In 1871 the late William T. Davis prepared for the press the "Proceedings of the Celebration by the Pilgrim Society at Plymouth, December 21, 1870." In this volume (pp. 17-18) Judge Davis's ode is printed, as it appears in Russell's Airs of the Pilgrims (1846). At p. 198 Mr. Davis says: "The ode of Hon. JOHN DAVIS is here printed as revised and corrected by its author about fifty years after it was written;" and then proceeds to give the sixth stanza as originally written. This statement, made by Mr. Davis himself in 1871, had, not unnaturally, completely gone from his mind by 1906, in which year he published his Plymouth Memories of an Octogenarian, for in this work he said (p. 28): "The word Pilgrim, as applied to the Plymouth settlers, was never used, as far as I can learn, for more than a hundred and seventy years after the landing. They were called 'first-comers' or 'forefathers' until 1794, when Judge John Davis, in his ode written for the anniversary celebration in that year first used the word 'Pilgrim' in the following verse." Mr. Davis then quotes the revised version of the sixth stanza of the ode.

Judge John Davis graduated from Harvard College in 1781. 1 Columbian Centinel, December 27, 1797, p. 2/4.

Of the celebration in 1798, the following account has been preserved:

Celebration of our Forefathers.

Plymouth, Dec. 25.

HE 22d inst. being the anniversary of our forefathers landing in this place, was celebrated with every demonstration of decent conviviality and filial respect. This was not confined to a few individuals, but excited a general joy, that pervaded the bosoms of hoary age and prattling childhood. A discharge of cannon announced the dawn, and the vessels in the harbour, among others the Governor CARVER and MILES STANDISH, displayed their colours, in honor of those venerable worthies, whose names they bear.

At 11 o'clock, the inhabitants of the town, accompanied by several respectable gentlemen from the vicinity, assembled in the meeting-house, where the Rev. Dr. ROBBINS, in a reverential and impressive manner, peculiar to himself, offered a solemn tribute of thanks to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, for his divine and providential patronage, extended to the small though illustrious band of heroes, who at this inclement season began here, and by their indefatigable perseverance, effected a settlement, which, considered in all its circumstances, has scarcely a parallel in the annals of mankind. Doct. ZACHEUS BARTLETT, in an oration, replete with good sense and a knowledge of antient history, traced the general principles of emigration, feelingly pointed out the striking events which distinguished the enterprise of our ancestors, and introduced and enforced many excellent political observations.

A hymn adapted to the occasion, and the appropriate Ode of "Sons of renowned Sires," composed for a former celebration, closed the exercises. In the afternoon a large company partook of a dinner, provided by Mr. WETHRELL, in which were to be found all the varieties, that our bays, shores and woods afford, and the pleasures of the social board, decorated with a piece of the consecrated rock, were heightened by commemorating the eventful scenes, of which our mother town has been the theatre. The favorite songs of "Adams and Liberty," "Hail Columbia," and the aforementioned Ode were sung with great animation and applause, and among others the following toasts were drank.

1

1 Of these two "favorite songs," one was famous in its day and the other remains so. The following advertisement appeared in Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia) of April 25, 1798:

New Theatre. MR. FOX's NIGHT. This Evening, April 25, BY DESIRE. Will be presented, The Italian Monk. . . . After which, an intire new

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