Alfred H. Stone Collection
Volume: 47

1. C. Fletcher, Much in Little; Comprising a History of the Charters, Governments, and Relations of the Colonies; The Origin and History of Political Parties, and the Institution of American Slavery. Also, a Miscellaneous Department, Containing Historical Items, Interesting and Useful, Together with Manias, Superstitions, Speculations, and Curiosities of Literature (Boston: Hollis & Gunn, 1857). (204 p.)

Hodgepodge of historical trivia. The book’s scheme is described by the author in the first paragraph of the preface. “In this little book I have aimed to supply a want which has been felt by myself, and often expressed by others, to obtain essential items of history without the necessity of searching through many details to arrive at a few facts.” The chapter on slavery contains many gems, such as this one. “Man is naturally a tyrant, and wherever power can be exercised he loves its possession. When once he tastes the satisfaction of having his appetites administered to, all convictions of justice are made to yield to this form of iniquity.”