Linda, I've only ever used the 1890s edition. I was not aware that the Admiral subjected it to such a radical reorganization. Still, despite his prejudice--his popular narrative best-seller was called Builders of the Bay Colony so you can see his bias--it is a readable text. Buy the hardcover for appendices and notes. Now I don't find Bradford that hard to read but then I've read a lot of that stuff anyway. Your comment on Mr Weston's sentence shows you've actually understood what he's "saying" re use of contradictory words, you've just forgotten the word. Its called sarcasm. Mr. Weston was being sarcastic as he had every right to in this instance. "Debts Hopeful & Desperate" they had indeed. A true modern scholarly edition with fuller notes and emendations etc which respected Bradford's style would indeed be welcome. But I didn't have that career so its not on my To-Do list.Robert M. GerrityYANKEE ANCESTRYP. O. Box 2814Acton, MA 01720> Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 16:48:29 -0600> From: smit8698@bellsouth.net> To: mayflower@rootsweb.com> Subject: Re: [MFLR] MORISON--> Query re Bradford's book> Thanks for the tip about the Morison book. I haven't seen it, of course, but if Jeremy is accurate in his assessment of it, then I would agree that it would have been much better to keep it in order just like Bradford wrote it. However, if one keeps that in mind and tries to use it for reference, it should be a lot of help. It isn't just the spelling that is difficult for me; it is the phraseology and the old manner of speaking. An example is the sentence from 'one of Mr. Weston's letters' : "That you sent no lading in the ship is wonderful, and worthily distasted." I believe he is referring to the fact that the Mayflower returned to England without being loaded with goods for the merchant adventurers, but I still don't understand that sentence. 'Wonderful' and 'worthily distasted' seem contradictory to me, so it doesn't make sense. . Undoubtedly, that's because I am unfamiliar with how those words and phrases were used in the 17th century. There are many phrases such as that which contain old terminology that is lost in today's vernacular. I wish someone would translate it in the proper order, text, etc., just like it was meant to be read, but with today's language, spelling, and grammar. I wish also that someone would translate the Robinson sermons and other related materials the same way. I think it would help a lot in understanding the mindset of the day, which, (I agree with Jeremy) was VERY important and contains lessons that we would do well to pay attention to and learn from today. It could be done in a book in which the old and new were side by side, even, so it could be easily referenced if desired. At any rate, I'm probably wishing for the moon Thanks again for the Morison tip; I shall purchase a copy!> > Bangsflynn@cs.com wrote:> > Samuel Eliot Morison considered the Pilgrims "of slight importance in their own time." He also proclaimed that “The insignificance of the Plymouth Colony in the colonial era is one {issue} upon which almost all American historians are agreed.”> >> > (I happen to be in the minority not in agreement there.)> >> > His view explains why he re-arranged the text of Bradford's history Of Plymouth Plantation, placing over a quarter of it at the end, thus destroying Bradford's narrative order and explicitly indicating that the religious and financial history Bradford found significant was in Morison's view uninteresting to the modern reader.> >> > I haven't decided yet whether or not to modernize the spelling of quotations that will be included in my book on the Pilgrims. I prefer retaining the old spelling. But some people find the barrier that this creates to be off-putting. There is, I think, some value in taking the effort to become familiar with the ways of speech (and thought) that the Pilgrims familiarly used. On the other hand, a friend of mine who is an expert on this period and has both written about it and edited manuscripts thinks that it is in keeping with the spirit of the seventeenth century to modernize the spelling in order, like the Pilgrims, to attempt to tell the story in a plain style.> >> > He may be right. But Morison was not, in editing the presentation all out of shape.> > And to make it worse, the paperback version that most college students read, omits all the material Morison put at the end in appendices.> > cheers,> >> > jeremy bangs _________________________________________________________________ Shed those extra pounds with MSN and The Biggest Loser! http://biggestloser.msn.com/