The King of Prussia's Cupbearer: The Sources of Venture Smith's Biblical Allusions

A central problem in consideration of Venture Smith's Narrative is the question of authorial voice. Whose voice is narrating the text? Does the language of the document belong principally to Venture, or to his transcriber/editor, perhaps the schoolteacher Elisha Niles? This paper investigates the question of the origins and sources of the language of the Narrative, focusing on the biblical allusions and terminology and exploring their possible sources in contemporary texts. By comparing the style and syntax of Venture's Narrative with the extensive existing diaries of Elisha Niles, infused with the nearly constant religious searching of their author, it is possible to rule out Niles as the architect of the Narrative's distinctive style. It is also significant that, in contrast to Niles' writings, Venture's text shows no trace of the language of 18th-century ministers and their formulaic and highly structured sermons. The everyday language of his masters, neighbors, and fellow laborers can account for most of the biblical inflections in Venture's text. A small number of unusual terms stand out, however, making possible the attribution to specific textual sources. An analysis of word-searchable online databases including the Evans Early American Imprints, Series I and Newsbank's Early American Newspapers, strongly suggests Venture's acquaintance, possibly at first hand, with regional printed periodical literature. This evidence, in conjunction with internal textual analysis, calls into question the common assumption (implied but never stated in the Narrative) of Venture Smith's illiteracy.