I wish to acknowledge here my great indebtedness to the descendants of Philip Freneau, especially Miss Adele M. Sweeney, Mr. Weymer J. Mills, Mrs. Helen K. Vreeland, and Mrs. Eleanor F. Noël, who have allowed me to consult freely all the papers and literary remains of the poet and have supplied me with all possible information. I would also express my great obligation to many librarians, collectors, and scholars, who have cheerfully aided me, especially to Mr. Wilberforce Eames, of the New York Public Library, the late Paul Leicester Ford, Mr. Robert H. Kelby, of the New York Historical Society, Mr. John W. Jordan, of the Pennsylvania Historical Society, Mr. A. S. Salley, Jr., of Charleston, S. C., Mr. E. M. Barton, of the American Antiquarian Society, and Dr. E. C. Richardson, of Princeton University, who with their courteous helpfulness have made possible the work. I wish also to express my thanks to Professor A. Howry Espenshade, and Mr. John Rogers Williams, to whose careful and patient work upon the proofs the accuracy of the text depends. F. L. P. STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Sept. 19, 1902. CONTENTS PAGE VOLUME I PREFACE v LIFE OF PHILIP FRENEAU xiii PART I _Early Poems. 1768-1775_ HISTORY OF THE PROPHET JONAH 3 ADVENTURES OF SIMON SWAUGUM 14 THE PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT 25 THE MONUMENT OF PHAON 30 THE POWER OF FANCY 34 THE PRAYER OF ORPHEUS 39 THE DESERTED FARM-HOUSE 40 THE CITIZEN'S RESOLVE 42 THE DYING ELM 45 COLUMBUS TO FERDINAND 46 THE RISING GLORY OF AMERICA 49 ON RETIREMENT 84 DISCOVERY 85 THE PICTURES OF COLUMBUS 89 EXPEDITION OF TIMOTHY TAURUS, ASTROLOGER 123 PART II _The First Poetic Period. 1775-1781_