Post 3: Life Writing

Pick a database such as ECCO or American Historical Newspapers online. Pick a year associated with one of the readings for this week. Identify three to five primary documents from that year, and then generate a supplemental entry--either in the genre of the writer we studied, or across genres (so, a letter from Martha Ballard; journal entries for Benjamin Franklin) that makes use of the materials you found.


  • The year I chose to search was 1766 because that was the year that “JANE” was printed, as is discussed in Fuentes, Maria “Jane”.

  • Supplemental document I chose to find for this assignment was a letter written by Benjamin Franklin that could have been included in his journal.


Works Cited:


Franklin, Benjamin, et al. A letter to a friend in the country, containing the substance of a sermon preach'd at Philadelphia, in the congregation of the Rev. Mr. Hemphill, concerning the terms of Christian and ministerial communion. [Three lines of Scripture texts]. Printed and sold by B. Franklin at the new printing-office near the market, 1735. Eighteenth Century Collections Online, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CB0127720301/ECCO?u=umd_um&sid=bookmark-ECCO&xid=87e3026d&pg=1. Accessed 17 Oct. 2021.


Justice in masquerade, a poem. S.n., [1680]. Eighteenth Century Collections Online, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CW0115800626/ECCO?u=umd_um&sid=bookmark-ECCO&xid=4dff51a8&pg=1. Accessed 17 Oct. 2021.


Seymar, William. Joy and happiness to youth: or, The Young Men and Maidens Encouragement to Speedy Marriage: containing the wonderful felicity of a marriage state, and the admirable pleasures and blessings that ensue thereon: being curious instructions and profitable advice to all young me and maids to lead a peaceful and contented life, when joined in wedlock; also, how to get riches, and thrive in the world, in order to maintain themselves and their children in the best sort and condition. Printed, and sold by the booksellers of London and Westminster, 1700. Eighteenth Century Collections Online, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CW0116907868/ECCO?u=umd_um&sid=bookmark-ECCO&xid=003b213b&pg=1. Accessed 17 Oct. 2021.


Théatre Gaillard. Vol. 2, [s.n.], 17000000. [i.e. 1787]. Eighteenth Century Collections Online, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CB0128173303/ECCO?u=umd_um&sid=bookmark-ECCO&xid=8a67b3b4&pg=1. Accessed 17 Oct. 2021.