The Merrimack River: its source and its tributaries. Embracing a history of manufactures, and of the towns along its course; their geography, topography, and products, with a description of the magnificent natural scenery about its upper waters./ By J. W. Meader.

t
THE TIERRI:VACK RIVER;
silent but unmistakable language of love, or by surreptitiously ob taining, an interview, and eloped, leaving their undivided interest in
the society for their interest in each other.
The social theory and practice of the Shakers may be the correct
one. Probably no one ever expressed or entertained a desire to
interfere with their faith or practice; but there are those who regard
it as simply absurd; while it is thought there are still many others
who would remain unregenerated heathen, preferring to take their
chance both in this world and the world to come, than be born
again under the dispensation of Shaker Christianity without this
dogma being expunged.
The Shakers are plain in language, manner, and dress, indus trious, temperate, and healthy. Shaker Village seems a beehive
where all are busy. Some one has said, no doubt a slander,
that implemients in the hands of the Shaker, whatever may be their
design, are used to kill time; that his life is aimless; that he has
no aspirations beyond his individual comfort; that he is destitute
of the incentive to energy, enterprise, and ambition; in brief, that
he is in the social order a nondescript; in religion a perpetual
penance-doer; and in community a nonentity; in conversation
' their yea is yea, and their nay nay." No one can dispute the
fact that they are excellent citizens, conforming to all the requirements of citizenship, except military drill, - eschewing this as well
as marriage as a part of their religion; and, taken as a whole, they
are utilitarians enough to do as little harm in the world as possible,
even though they may not do all the good they ought or might.
The surface of Pembroke is undulating. Its principal village,
parallel with the Merrimack River, is five miles from Concord on an
elevated ridge, and is between three and four miles long. Pembroke
Academy, which has long been famous as one of the.foremost educational institutions in the State, is on this street. A large tract of
territory, embracing this town, was formerly known as Suncook, and
was granted, under this name, by Massachusetts, in 1727, to Captain
Lovewell and his band of Indian fighters, sixty in number, threefourths of whom accompanied him in his last fatal expedition against
Pequauket. On May 1st, 1748, James Carr, of this town, was
killed by the Indians. Pembroke was incorporated under its present name in 1759.
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