Chapter III: Part II: The Twilight of the Oligarchy--1660-1720

The spread of provincialism and the consequences. Formalism in the
church; superstition. The psychology of the Salem outbreak. The
muddling of the oligarchy and the end 85

I. Samuel Sewall--Yankee--First representative of the new order.
The Sewall of tradition; the real Sewall: middle-class, governed
by a prudential morality. Uncreative, conservative, conventional.
The other side--generous, kindly, the first embodiment of village
friendliness 88

II. The Mather Dynasty

I. Difficulties involved in attempting an estimate. Certain Harvard
contributions 98

II. Increase Mather: An arch conservative, bred by a conservative
environment. His sympathy for the Genevan system; attempts
to strengthen discipline; steps in his Presbyterianizing.
Intolerant--his biographer quoted. Unread in political
theory--dictatorial. As agent at the English court. His bitterness.
Not a great Puritan--compared with Samuel Hopkins. His _Illustrious
Providences_--not scientific. The last of the New England
Presbyterians 99

III. Cotton Mather: Victim of a provincial environment. Subject
for a psychologist. His egoism; his quarrels. The _Diary_. His
venture into politics. A natural Tory. His writings: _Wonders of
the Invisible World_; the _Magnalia_. The futility of his dream 106

III. Stirrings of Liberalism

I. John Wise--Village Democrat: Before Dudley; at Quebec.
Character--a liberal. His _Vindication of the New England
Churches_--based on the doctrine of natural rights. Defense
of democratic Congregationalism against the movement to
Presbyterianize. Comment of Cotton Mather. His contribution to the
paper-money controversy. His later influence 118

II. Social Drifts: Economic forces--a chasm opening between old
England and New England. The village and Toryism: Joseph Dudley
and the carters. First newspapers: _News-Letter_; _New-England
Courant_; _New-England Weekly Journal_ 125

Book II: The Colonial Mind

The middle eighteenth century undistinguished, yet it created the
individualism that was the source of a new democratic psychology 131