The Works of John Greenleaf Whittier, Volume VI. (Of VII) / Old Portraits and Modern Sketches, Plus Personal Sketches and Tributes and Historical Papers

The volume assembles sketches and essays that portray notable religious and literary figures alongside personal tributes and compact historical studies. One section presents portrait-like accounts of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century dissenting ministers, writers, and reformers; another offers memorials and character sketches of contemporaries and public figures; a third collects historical papers on episodes of colonial and national interest, including accounts of popular customs, conflicts, and the roles of marginalized people. Across the pieces the author reflects on conscience, faith, civic memory, and the moral lessons drawn from lives and local history, blending literary appreciation with anecdote and documentary detail.