The present collection of proverbs began as an incidental by-product of a study on the life and times of Lewis the Robber, central Pennsylvania's folk-hero.1 Examination of newspapers and other materials published in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, before 1820 revealed a wealth of proverbial material in dated occurrences prior to the starting date of Archer Taylor and Bartlett J. Whiting's Dictionary of American Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, 1820-80.
The Hamilton Library Association in Carlisle possesses nearly complete files of early local newspapers so that a comparative collection of proverbs appearing between the years 1788-1820 was easily possible. The following Carlisle papers were consulted: Carlisle Gazette (later Kline's Carlisle Weekly Gazette), August 6, 178 8-July27, 1791, Jan. 3, 1798-Dec. 28, 1804, Feb. 22, 1811, Jan. 27, 1815: Carlisle Herald, July 1, 1802 (first issue)-June 26, 1807; Cumberland Register, Sept. 20, 1805 (first issue)-Sept. 13, 1809; American Volunteer, Sept. 15, 181 4 (first issue)-Dec. 27, 182 1. A few miscellaneous papers existing in single copies or misbound with other volumes were also examined.
Shortly after the death of David Lewis the Robber on July 13, 1820, there appeared a spurious confession, purported to have been written and signed by him, but all evidence points to its having been written by John McFarland, a Carlisle printer and publisher of several newspapers.2 The confession was first published in McFarland's Carlisle Republican beginning August 1, 1820, and was later issued in booklet form.3
A few proverbs and phrases occurring in this booklet are also listed below.
Most of the proverbs and phrases included here appeared in articles written by the editors themselves, or in pseudonymous letters to the editor. Many of the phrases were used as headlines, as indicated below. Just as today's editorial cartoonists use proverbs as titles or themes for their drawings, so these early publishers used them to editorialize about current political affairs. The use of Latin proverbs and learned allusions suggests that the level of education and cultural development of several of these editor-publishers was high. This is especially true of William and James Underwood, publishers of the American Volunteer, and of Archibald Loudon, publisher of the Cumberland Register.4
Pennsylvania has produced few true folk heroes, but one of the best known has a close association with Cumberland County. David Lewis, better known as Lewis the Robber, is the subject of an extensive legend to which have accrued numerous deeds and attributes of other outlaw folk heroes.
During the 39-year duration (1879-1918) of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, students and faculty worked together to produce several news publications for the School’s students and those interested in its work.