Blogging, 19th-century Style
Created | Updated Feb 10, 2019
Blogging, 19th-century Style
This page is taken from Isaac Bullock's 1857 Journal. Isaac Bullock (1800-1870) was an extremely well-read sailor from Massachusetts. He kept notes on his travels and books he read, and threw in loose-leaf letters and poems like this one. People back then used to write poems in each other's albums, just like people today post Instagrams of their lunches.
The note under the poem is particularly interesting for two reasons: it tells us when and how and why the poem was written, and it shows Bullock as a self-critical writer. Good for him. We think his penmanship is remarkable, so we'll leave you to read this in his own hand. From the past to us, courtesy of digital technology.
