The Story of Kennett

by Bayard Taylor

This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

469 pages

First published January 1, 1866

About the author

Bayard Taylor was a poet, literary critic, translator, fiction and travel author.

His interest in poetry was coached by the influential critic and editor Rufus Wilmot Griswold, who encouraged him to write a volume of poetry. Published at Philadelphia in 1844, Ximena, or the Battle of the Sierra Morena, and other Poems was dedicated to Griswold. It made little income, but indirectly was a means of his introduction to The New York Tribune.

With the money from his poetry and an advance for some journalistic work to be done in Europe, Taylor set sail for Europe. The young poet spent a happy time in roaming on foot through certain districts of England, France, Germany and Italy; this tour of almost two years cost him only £100. The accounts which he sent from Europe to The New York Tribune, The Saturday Evening Post, and The United States Gazette were so highly appreciated that on Taylor's return to America, he was advised to compile his articles into book form.

In 1846, he published Views Afoot, or Europe seen with Knapsack and Staff (2 vols, New York). This book's success brought Taylor recognition as an author. He was asked to serve as an editorial assistant for Graham's Magazine for a few months in 1848. That same year, Horace Greeley, then editor of the Tribune, placed Taylor on his staff, thus securing Taylor a certain if moderate income.

His poem "Greetings to America" was set to music by Julius Benedict and performed by the singer at numerous concerts on her tour of the United States.

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love it when there’s a book and author out there, under my radar, totally unknown to me, that purely by chance comes to my attention. While reading the multi-volume Abraham Lincoln biography written by Hay and Nicolay (1890), I discovered that the celebrated author and poet Bayard Taylor once visited Lincoln in the White House. I had never before heard of him, so once I found out that he wrote a novel centered in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, virtually in my backyard, I had to read it. I’m so glad I did. I have roots in the environs of that town, which made the effort all the more pertinent. I love this book. It is filled, like most novels, with its ample share of heroes and villains, but the suspense that permeates throughout the novel, a guarded family secret, made the plot and characters so much more interesting. Add to that the inclusion of a real-life villain, the notorious highwayman Sandy Flash, and you have the making of a 5-star novel that I found very hard to put down. Likewise, as one book led to another, in my discovery of this novel through a biography, this book leads to another biography, this one on Sandy Flash, which is my next read. Who knew that in all my years of reading, there was a domino effect waiting in the wings.

[Erich C · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy five stars and Book 2 in the Lineal Challenge (one book per year of publication, 1865-2000)! This book is available to read online at archive.org and Project Gutenberg.

The story is set in 1796 in Kennett, Pennsylvania. Gilbert Potter, 24 years old, is close to paying off the mortgage on his farm. During his life in the insular Quaker town, Gilbert has suffered the shame of carrying his mother's name. Mary Potter insists that he was born in wedlock, but for some mysterious reason she has vowed not to reveal the name of his father. She promises Gilbert, though, that when some event occurs she finally be free to speak.

Gilbert has fallen in love with Martha Deane, the daughter of the local doctor, who opposes the match because of Gilbert's poverty and illegitimacy. At the same time, the notorious highwayman Sandy Flash is terrorizing the neighborhood. Can Gilbert solve the mystery of his parentage, win the woman he loves, and free the community from Sandy Flash?

This book should be MUCH more widely read. The writing is beautiful, and Taylor describes Quaker customs and the historical context of the story in a completely accessible way. The characterizations are also strong and true-to-life, and the female characters (the steady Martha Deane, the outcast Deb Smith, and the irascible spinster Betsy Lavendar) are particularly wonderful. The plot is intriguing and kept me guessing about the solution to the central mystery, and exciting adventures interplay with more idyllic scenes.

Overall, this is a fantastic read that deserves a place in the American Middlebrow Canon. And if I ever get a horse, I'm definitely going to name him Roger!

[Claire Binkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally read some 19th-century literature about twenty years ago - it was Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass - but this is much more local to me. I remember going the way of the pictures since I have relatives who come from this specific area and it was mandatory to attend the family get-together every single holiday.

I am particularly fond of the baroque curliques on the edges of the pages and the beginning of the chapters though.