Counting bodies : population in colonial American writing

297 Pages·2016·19.346 MB·English

by  Farrell, Molly

Counting Bodies

COUNTING BODIES
Population in Colonial
American Writing

m o l ly fa r r e l l
1
1
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Farrell, Molly.
Title: Counting bodies : population in colonial American writing / Molly Farrell.
Description: New York : Oxford University Press, 2016. | Includes bibliographical
references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015040571| ISBN 9780190277314 (cloth) |
ISBN 9780190277321 (updf) | ISBN 9780190607654 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: American literature—Colonial period, ca. 1600–1775—History
and criticism. | American literature—Revolutionary period, 1775–1783—History and
criticism. | Population in literature. | Minorities in literature. | Literature and society—
United States—History.
Classification: LCC PS195.P66 F38 2016 | DDC 810.9/355—dc23 LC record available
at https://lccn.loc.gov/2015040571
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed by Sheridan Books, Inc., United States of America
For Jesse and Hattie
And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel,
and he moved David against them to say,
Go, number Israel and Judah.
— 2 Samuel 24:1
It is a negative concept this multitude: it is that which
did not make itself fit to become people.
— Paolo Virno, A Grammar of the Multitude
Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction: Stories of Cataclysm and Population 1
Chapter 1
Poetics of the Ark Ashore 33
Chapter 2
Measuring Caribbean Aesthetics 77
Chapter 3
Counting in King Philip’s War 127
Chapter 4
The Death and Life of Colonial Mortality Bills 156
Epilogue: Mourning the Figure of Three- Fifths 208
Notes 235
Index 267

Acknowledgments
This book would not have been possible, materially or intellec-
tually, without the work of feminist, anti- racist, and other anti-
oppression movements. I thank all those who have dedicated
themselves to these ongoing struggles.
At a crucial time, a fellowship from the American Society for
Eighteenth Century Studies at the American Antiquarian Society
supported my work on this project. More personally, it appears
thanks to the generosity of friends and colleagues, many of whom
I am lucky to consider as both. My early Americanist colleagues
have been tremendous sources of wisdom and assistance, and I am
particularly grateful to Elizabeth Maddock Dillon, Donald Pease,
Cristobal Silva, Kathleen Donegan, Jason Shaffer, Jeffrey Glover,
Dennis Moore, Timothy Sweet, Duncan Faherty, Paul Erickson,
Meredith Neumann, Susan Scott Parrish, Kristina Garvin, Anna
Brickhouse, Russ Castronovo, Monique Allewaert, Jonathan
Senchyne, Brigitte Fielder, and Justine Murison. Beginning
when I was at Yale and continuing well beyond, I have benefitted
from the invaluable insights and support of Wai Chee Dimock,
Caleb Smith, Elliott Visconsi, Linda Peterson, Katie Trumpener,
Sam See, Sarah Novacich, Julia Fawcett, Laura Saetveit Miles, Liz
Appel, Caroline Murphree, Hilary Menges, Andrew Heisel, David
Currell, and Daniel Gustafson. Since coming to Ohio State I have