of goodness: he is, above all, an American, whose ideals and aims are
derived from that same self-reliant democratic ethos which Whitman and
Emerson were later to celebrate. Hired laborer, farmer, chain bearer,
hunter, trapper, Indian trader, merchant sailor, whaler, soldier,
courier, spy, carpenter, and beggar, through it all, Israel remains the
American, the man who, even in the hardships of exile, insists that all
will be well once he can again walk ‘on American ground.’
“This small book did not help Israel Potter achieve his objective: his
quest for a pension proved unsuccessful, and he died soon after, on
‘the same day,’ Melville tells us, ‘that the oldest oak in his native
hills was blown down.’ He took with him whatever was left of his dreams
and pride, an end which, to some extent, all victims share. ‘Kings as
Clowns,’ Melville wrote bitterly, ‘are codgers--who ain’t a nobody?’ It
is a fitting epitaph for all the Israel Potters.”
from the Introduction by Leonard Kriegel,
The City College of New York
_The American Experience Series_ is devoted to publishing new
editions of historic books which mirrored and shaped the growth of our
Nation from earliest times to the present.
_Consulting Editor_: Henry Bamford Parkes
=CORINTH BOOKS= _distributed by_ THE CITADEL PRESS
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Transcriber’s Note:
Spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been retained as published
in the 1962 source book except as follows:
Page iv
never as good, as enobling, or as fulfilling _changed to_
never as good, as ennobling, or as fulfilling
Page 22
than raging in his Majesty’s _changed to_
then raging in his Majesty’s
Page 59
surpassed in expresssions _changed to_
surpassed in expressions
Page 95
life was dispaired of _changed to_
life was despaired of
Page 99
his (the Consul.) on his arrival _changed to_
his (the Consul,) on his arrival
would to God it was to morrow _changed to_
would to God it was to-morrow
AE 6
campaining during the French _changed to_
campaigning during the French