TABLE OF CONTENTS

[THE OLDEN TIME SERIES]

Ye Olden Time Series.

During the Spring of 1886 Ticknor and Company began the publication of "Ye Olden Time Series, or Gleanings from the Old Newspapers, chiefly of Boston and Salem," with brief Comments by Henry M. Brooks, of Salem, Massachusetts. Six volumes are now ready: each in 1 vol. 16mo. Cloth. Price, 50 cents per vol.

Of this Series there are now ready:—

Vol. I. CURIOSITIES OF THE OLD LOTTERY.
Vol. II. DAYS OF THE SPINNING-WHEEL IN NEW ENGLAND.
Vol. III. NEW-ENGLAND SUNDAY.
Vol. IV. QUAINT AND CURIOUS ADVERTISEMENTS.
Vol. V. SOME STRANGE AND CURIOUS PUNISHMENTS.
Vol. VI. LITERARY CURIOSITIES.

The Series will be continued, and the following are some of the titles of forthcoming volumes:—

"New-England Music in the Latter Part of the 18th and in the Beginning of the 19th Century."

"Travel in Old Times, with Some Account of Stages, Taverns, etc."

"Curiosities of Politics, among the Old Federalists and Republicans."

"What Mr. Brooks has thus gleaned has a noteworthy interest, not only as offering a fund of amusement to young and old, but as having a certain value to the student of New-England history, and an instructiveness for the general reader."—Boston Advertiser.

"A treat of good things out of the past. While not professing to be history, they will contain much material for history."—Literary World.

Sold by all Booksellers. Sent, post-paid, on receipt of price by the Publishers,

TICKNOR AND COMPANY, Boston.

THE OLDEN TIME SERIES

LITERARY CURIOSITIES

Newspapers will ultimately engross all literature.—Lamartine.

The careful reader of a few good newspapers can learn more in a year than most scholars do in their great libraries.—F.B. Sanborn.

No good book, or good thing of any sort, shows its best face at first.—Carlyle.

THE OLDEN TIME SERIES.

GLEANINGS CHIEFLY FROM OLD NEWSPAPERS OF BOSTON
AND SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS

SELECTED AND ARRANGED, WITH BRIEF COMMENTS

BY

HENRY M. BROOKS

Literary Curioſities

"Old and new make the warp and woof of every moment. There is no thread that is not a twist of these two strands. By necessity, by proclivity, and by delight, we all quote."—Emerson

BOSTON
TICKNOR AND COMPANY
1886

Copyright, 1886,
By Ticknor and Company.

All rights reserved.

University Press:
John Wilson and Son, Cambridge.

INDEX OF NAMES.

LITERARY CURIOSITIES.

The following humorous lines well describe the difficulty that editors find in pleasing the public. They are expected to know everything, and to be able to satisfy all tastes and capacities. No imperfections can be excused in conductors of newspapers; they are not even allowed to be unfortunate.

THE EDITOR.

That editor who wills to please,
Must humbly crawl upon his knees,
And kiss the hand that beats him;
Or, if he dare attempt to walk,
Must toe the mark that others chalk,
And cringe to all that meet him.

Says one, Your subjects are too grave,
Too much morality you have,—
Too much about religion;
Give me some witch and wizard tales
Of slip-shod ghosts with fins and scales,
Of feathers like a pigeon.

I love to read, another cries,
Those monstrous, fashionable lies,—
In other words, those novels,
Composed of kings and queens and lords,
Of border wars, and gothic hordes
That used to live in hovels.

No, no, cries one, we've had enough
Of such confounded love-sick stuff,
To craze the fair creation;
Give us some recent foreign news
Of Russians, Turks, the Greeks, or Jews,
Or any other nation.

The man of dull scholastic lore
Would like to see a little more
In scraps of Greek or Latin;
The merchants rather have the price
Of southern indigo and rice,
Of India silks, or satin.

Another cries, I want more fun,
A witty anecdote or pun,
A rebus or a riddle;
Some long for missionary news,
And some, of worldly, carnal views,
Would rather hear a fiddle.

The critic, too, of classic skill,
Must dip in gall his gander quill,
And scrall against the paper:
Of all the literary fools
Bred in our colleges and schools,
He cuts the greatest caper.

Another cries, I want to see
A jumbled-up variety,
Variety in all things,—
A miscellaneous, hodge-pod print,
Composed (I only give the hint)
Of multifarious small things.

I want some marriage news, says miss:
It constitutes my highest bliss
To hear of weddings plenty;
For in a time of general rain
None suffer from a drought, 'tis plain,—
At least, not one in twenty.

I want to hear of deaths, says one,
Of people totally undone
By losses, fire, or fever:
Another answers full as wise,
I'd rather have a fall and rise
Of raccoon skins and beaver.

Some signify a secret wish
For now and then a favorite dish
Of politics to suit them.
But here we rest at perfect ease,
For should they swear the moon was cheese,
We never should dispute them.

Or grave or humorous, wild or tame,
Lofty or low, 'tis all the same,
Too haughty or too humble;
And every editorial wight
Has nought to do but what is right,
And let the grumblers grumble.

From a Salem paper of 1828; author not stated.

"All are needed by each one,
Nothing is fair and good alone."

Emerson.

In "old times" almost all the young ladies upon their marriage were "amiable" and "agreeable"; at least they are so represented in most of the announcements. The "maiden aunt" could not speak plainer in writing for the "Boston Sunday Gazette." We copy some specimens from Boston and Salem papers.

On Thurſday laſt, in the Forenoon, was married Mr. Benjamin Davis of this Town, Merchant, to Mrs. Anstess Greenleaf, ſecond Daughter of Stephen Greenleaf Eſq; High Sheriff of the County of Suffolk.

The ſame Evening Mr. Oliver Wendell, of this Town, Merchant, was alſo Married to Mrs. Mary Jackson, only Daughter of the late Mr. Edward Jackson; both young Ladies of great Merit.

Sept. 13, 1762.

On Thurſday Evening laſt Mr. Phillip Dumareſq, Merchant, was Married to Mrs. Rebecca Gardiner, third Daughter of Sylveſter Gardiner, Eſq; of this Town, an agreeable young Lady.

Dec. 19, 1763.

MARRIED]—Mr. Samuel Smith, to Mrs. Abigail Pittengill, an agreeable young widow.

Dec. 22, 1790.

Thurſday evening laſt, John Whitney, Eſq. merchant, of the ſtate of Georgia, to the amiable Mrs. Bridget Seymore, of Weſport.

June 2, 1792.

—At Plainfield, Mr. Hezekiah Spalding, a batchelor of large fortune, aged 68, to the amiable Miſs Mary Williams, aged 22!

1790.

MARRIED]—At Cambridge, Dr. J. Jennison, to the amiable Miſs Belcher, daughter of his late Excellency Governour Belcher, of Nova Scotia, and grand daughter of his Excellency Jonathan Belcher, Eſq. deceaſed, formerly Governour of the then provinces of Maſſachuſetts Bay and New-Hampſhire.

Aug. 31, 1790.

—At Newbury-Port, Mr. WILLIAM YOUNG, of Boſton, to the amiable Miſs JUDITH WILLIAMS, of that town.

June 7, 1788.

NEWPORT, Nov. 24.

The 16th Inſtant, Mr. William Checkley, Son of the Rev. Mr. Samuel Checkley of Boſton, was married to Miſs Polly Cranston, a young Lady of genteel Acquirements, and of a moſt amiable Diſpoſition.

Dec. 19, 1766.

BOSTON, January 12 [1767].

Laſt Thurſday Evening Duncan Stewart, Eſq; Collector of His Majeſty's Cuſtoms for the Port of New-London, was married to Miſs Nancy Erving, youngeſt Daughter of the Hon. John Erving, Eſq; of this Town; a moſt amiable and agreeable young Lady.

Thurſday laſt was married, at Newport, John Coffin Jones, Eſq. of Boſton, merchant, to the truly amiable and accompliſhed Miſs Abigail Grant, daughter of the late Alexander Grant, Eſq. a Lady of real merit, and highly qualified to render the connubial ſtate deſirable and ſupremely happy.

May 22, 1786.

—By the Rev. Dr. Stillman, Mr. Caleb Loring, diſtiller, to the agreeable Miſs Polly Selsbry.

May 25, 1792.

MARRIED]—At Billerica, Mr. James Breed, to the amiable Miſs Elizabeth Parker.—At Newtown, Mr. John Walter, A.B., to the agreeable Miſs Polly Bullard.

March 24, 1792.

Married,

At Topsfield, by the Rev. Mr. Huntington, Mr. Joseph Averell, to the accompliſhed Miſs Eunice Lamson.

Salem Register, 1801.

Editors were formerly very fond of curious matter for their lists of marriages and deaths. In the "Massachusetts Centinel" for 1789 the marriage of Pork and Hogg has a doubtful look, although it used to be supposed that everything in the paper was true.

MARRIED]—Lately in Delaware, Mr. ROBERT PORK, merchant, to Miſs CATHARINE HOGG.—At Pepperell, Mr. GILES RICHARDS, of this town, to the amiable Miſs SALLY ADAMS, youngeſt daughter of the late Rev. Mr. Adams, of Roxbury.—At Hull, Mr. SPENCER BINNEY, to Miſs POLLY JONES, daughter of Mr. Thomas Jones, of that place.

A Boston paper of 1795 prints the following:—

MARRIAGES.

At Concord, Ebenezer Woodwrod, A.B., Citizen Bachelor, of Hanover, N.H., to the amiable Miſs —— Robinſon. At Longmeadow, Mr. John M. Dunham, Citizen Bachelor and Printer, as aforeſaid, to the amiable Miſs Emily Burt.

The promptneſs and deciſion which the said Citizens have ſhown——

"In all the fond intrigues of Love,"

is highly worthy of imitation; and the ſucceſs that has ſo richly crowned their courage and enterprize, muſt be an invincible inducement to the fading phalanx of our remaining Bachelors, to make a vigorous attack on ſome fortreſs of female beauty, with a determined reſolution,

——"Ne'er to quit the glorious ſtrife,"
'Till, dreſt in all her charms, ſome blooming fair
Herſelf ſhall yield, the prize of conquering love!

In the "Salem Mercury," June 17, 1788, we find the following announcement, which reminds us of "Solomon Grundy, who died on Monday."

Died—At Rehoboth, Mr. Henry Bowen. He went to a wedding, well, on Thurſday, taken ſick on Friday, died on Saturday, buried on Sunday.

"Virtuous and amiable" were terms used frequently in the lists of deaths.

—At Portſmouth, Mrs. Jane Hill, the virtuous and amiable Conſort of Mr. Eliſha Hill. [1790]

The following is a list of marriages and deaths at various dates, taken from Boston and Salem papers:—

"Salem Gazette," July 19, 1811.

......MARRIAGES......

In Williamsborough (N.C.), Major Smith, of Prince Edwards (Va.), to Miss Charlotte B. Brodie.—This match, consummated only a few days since, was agreed upon thirty-one years ago at Camden (S.C.), when he was captured at the battle of Camden; and being separated by the war, &c., each had supposed the other dead, until a few months since, when they accidentally met, and neither plead any statute of limitation in bar of the old bargain.

"Salem Mercury," Oct. 21, 1788.

Married—In England, Mr. Matthew Rouſby, aged 21, to Mrs. Ann Taylor, aged 89. The lady's grandſon was at this equal union, and was 5 years older than his grandfather.

"Salem Gazette," 1817.

MARRIED,

In this town, Mr. Schuyler Lawrence, to Mrs. Chloe Minns, Miſtreſs of the African School in Salem, and who has deſerved well of the town and of the African race.

"Salem Register."

MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1827.

MARRIED

At New-York, by Rev. Mr. Hart, M.M. Noah, senior editor of the Enquirer, to Miss Rebecca, only daughter of Mr. Daniel Jackson, of that city. The junior editor of the Enquirer was on the same day killed in a duel. An old Bachelor at our elbow thinks the fate of the surviving editor most deserving of commiseration!

"Salem Gazette," 1811.

......DEATHS......

A short time ago, at the romantic village of Laughton-en-le-Morthen, in Yorkshire, England, Farmer Paul Parnell, late of the Ewes Farm House, age 76 years, who during his life, drank out of one silver pint cup with two handles, upwards of 2000l. sterling worth of nut-brown Yorkshire stingo (good old ale), being much attached to stingo tipple, of the best double stout, home-brewed quality. N.B. This calculation took at 2d. each cupfull.

"Essex Register," Feb. 5, 1824.

MARRIAGES.

In Solon, by Rev. Moses French, Josiah French, Esq., aged 48, to Miss Betsey Jackman, aged 40, being his fifth wife.

"Salem Gazette," Oct. 17, 1825.

At Rochester, N.Y., Capt. Samuel Currier to Miss Sally Clough—his sixth wife!

"Independent Chronicle," Nov. 23, 1797.

At Glouceſter (R.I.), Mr. Elisha Herrenden, Æt. 83, to Mrs. Elenor Lushure, Æt. 88, being his eighth wife!

"Salem Gazette," 1829.

By Rev Mr Upham, Mr Lewis Plum, of Newark, N.J., to Miss Eliza P. Lemon, of this town.

"Essex Register," Dec., 1820.

At Beverly, on Wednesday evening last, by the Rev. Mr. Oliphant, Mr. Larkin Moore, travelling preacher, physician, poet, trader, &c., to Mrs. Nancy Cook.

"Salem Gazette," 1790.

Died]—At Horſeley, in Derbyſhire, England, a venerable matron, named Frances Burton, aged 107. She had practiſed midwifery upwards of 80 years. The huſband of the above old lady was ſexton of the pariſh church 70 years; and this ancient pair frequently boaſted, that ſhe had brought into the world, and he had buried, the pariſh twice over!

1807.

......DIED......

Near Glouceſter, Virg., Elizabeth Wagner, aged 107. She never took medicine of any kind in her life.

From "Salem Gazette," 1811. Appropriate name for a rope-maker.

Mr. William Tarring, rope-maker, 38.

"Massachusetts Mercury," Dec. 27, 1799.

Died,

At Hamilton, Eſſex County, Plato Whipple, aged 103, one of God's images in ebony.

"Salem Gazette," 1811.

Mr. Jack Daland, a very worthy black man, aged 65. He was brought from Africa to the West Indies at about 11 years of age; but instead of being eaten, as he expected, by the white men, he was transferred by purchase to a happy asylum in this place, where he has spent upwards of 50 years of his life, respected by the whole town, as a faithful, industrious, pleasant-tempered, intelligent man. His honest industry was rewarded by the acquisition of a comfortable property, which he has left for the enjoyment of his family. The long train of white people who followed his remains to the grave, testify to the esteem in which he was held.

The following is a notice of a "distinguished merchant" and "literary" character of Newburyport, Mass. In the appendix to "Lord" Dexter's great production—where all the stops are placed together on the last page, so that "people can salt and pepper as they please"—we find these lines:

"All men inquire, but few can tell
How thou in Science doth excel!"

Timothy Dexter. The subject of the present sketch, according to his own account, was born in Malden, Massachusetts. "I was born," says he (in his celebrated work, "A Pickle for the knowing ones"), "1747, Jan. 22; on this day in the morning, a great snow storm in the signs of the seventh house; whilst Mars came forward Jupiter stood by to hold the candle. I was to be a great man."

Lord Dexter, after having served an apprenticeship to a Leather dresser, commenced business in Newburyport, where he married a widow who owned a house and a small piece of land, part of which, soon after the nuptials, were converted into a shop and tanyard.

By application to his business his property increased, and the purchase of a large tract of land near Penobscot, together with an interest which he bought in the Ohio Company's purchase, afforded him so much profit, as to induce him to buy up Publick Securities at forty cents on the pound, which securities soon after became worth twenty shillings on the pound.

His Lordship at one time shipped a large quantity of warming pans to the West Indies where they were sold at a great advance on prime cost, and used for molasses ladles. At another time, he purchased a large quantity of whalebone for ship's stays; the article rose in value upon his hands, and he sold it to great advantage.

Property now was no longer the object of his pursuit; but popularity became the god of his idolatry. He was charitable to the poor, gave large donations to religious societies, and rewarded those who wrote in his praise.

His lordship about this time acquired his peculiar taste for style and splendour; and to enhance his own importance in the world, set up an elegant equipage, and at great cost adorned the front of his house with numerous figures of illustrious personages.

By his order, a tomb was dug under the summer house in his garden, during his life; which he mentions in 'A Pickle for the knowing ones,' in the following ludicrous style:—

"Heare will lie in box the first Lord in Americake the first Lord Dexter made by the voice of hampsher state my brave fellows Affirmed it they give me the titel and so Let it goue for as much as it will fetch it wonte give me Any breade but take from me the Contrary fourder I have a grand toume in my garding at one of the grasses and the tempel of Reason over the toume nand my coffen made and all Ready I emy house painted with white Lead an side and outside touched with green and bras trimmings Eight handels and a good Lock, I have had one mock founrel it was so solmon and there was so much Criing about 3000 spectators I say my house is Euqal to any mansion house in twelve hundred miles and now for sale for seven hundred pounds weight of Dollars by me

TIMOTHY DEXTER."

Lord Dexter believed in transmigration sometimes; at others he was a deist. He died on the 22d day of Oct. 1806, in the 60th year of his age.

Salem Observer, Dec. 17, 1825.

From what we have heard and read of Mr. Dexter, it is a matter of surprise to us how such eccentricities could have attracted the attention they evidently did. It is doubtful if so much folly and conceit could now interest many people for any length of time.

Curious old almanacs.

An Old Almanack. A friend has handed us an almanack one hundred and fifty years old, which is quite a curiosity in its line. The following is the title:

"The New-England Almanack for the Year of our Lord MDCCIII. Being Third after Leap-year, and from the Creation, 5652. Discovery of America by Columbus, 211. Reign of our Gracious Queen Anne, (which began March 8, 1702,) the 2 year. Wherein is contained, Things necessary, and common in such a Composure. As the Quarters of the Moon, Aspects of the Planets and Weather set down Exactly according to the Aspects, Courts, Spring Tides, Rising and Setting of the Sun, Sun and Moons place, time of Full Sea at Boston, the Eclipses, High Ways, &c., with several other Curiosities. Calculated for the Meridian of Boston, the Metropolis of New-England, Lat. 42, 24, but may serve any part of the Country, (even as far as New-York,) without sensible Error. By Samuel Clough.

The Heavens to us, God's Glory do make known,
By th' Firmament, his handy work is shown.

Licensed by His Excellency the Governour. Boston: Printed by B. Green and J. Allen, for the Booksellers, and are to be Sold at their Shops. 1703."

Then follows a short address "To the Readers" of the Almanack. The figure of "Man's Body" with the "Twelve Signs of the Zodiack," is headed with the following lines:

The Anotomy must still be in,
Else th' Almanack's not worth a pin:
For Country-men regard the Sign
As though 'Twere Oracle Divine.
But do not mind that altogether,
Have some respect to Wind and Weather.

The months of the year are introduced as follows:

January.
Cold Weather now 'gins to be fierce,
And Norwest Winds our bodys pierce.

February.
The Weather still continues cold,
Therefore warm cloaths are good we hold.

March.
'T is the best Month of all the year,
Wherein to brew good napping Beer.

April.
Now Leaves on Trees begin to spring,
And Birds on Hedges sit and sing.

May.
To walk Five Miles in his own Farm,
Will do a Husbandman no harm.

June.
Now Countrymen each Sun shine day,
Mow down their Grass, and make it hay.

July.
If Mildew now blasts English Grain,
'Twill make poor Husbandmen complain.

August.
But if from Blasting it be free,
The Farmers then should thankful be.

September.
The Leaves from Trees now fall away,
And sweetest Flowers do decay.

October.
If Barns are full, though Fields be empty,
It doth prognosticate a plenty.

November.
One day this Month each Fruitful year,
Give thanks to GOD, and Eat good chear.

December.
The Weather now 'gins to be cold,
Which makes to shrink both young and old.

SATURDAY, DEC'R 24, 1853.

The Salem Observer.

Another Old Almanack. In our last we gave an account of an old Almanack for the year 1703. Since then we have seen another some sixteen years older, printed for the year 1687. It was bound in with an old account book that formerly belonged to the Rev. Thomas Barnard, a minister of Andover, from 1682 to 1718,—the great-grandfather of the Rev. Thomas Barnard, D.D., the first minister of the North Church in this city, who died Oct. 1, 1814, in the sixty-seventh year of his age, also an ancestor of Capt. Edward Barnard, of this city. We insert the title page and other extracts therefrom, which we trust will impart the same interest to our readers as we derived from its perusal.

It is prefaced by the following:

Novemb. 24th, 1686. I have Perused the Copy of an Almanack for the Ensuing Year, Composed by John Tulley, and find nothing in it contrary to His Majesties Laws, and therefore Allow it to be Printed, and Published by Benjamin Harris, Book-Seller in Boston.

Edward Randolph, Secr.

The following is the title:

Tully 1687. An Almanack for the Year of Our Lord MDCLXXXVII. Being the third after Leap-year, and from the Creation 5636. The Vulgar Notes of which are Prime 16—Epact 26—Circle of the ☉ 16—Domin: Letter B. Unto which is annexed a Weather Glass, whereby the Change of the Weather may be foreseen. Calculated for and fitted to the Meridian of Boston in New-England, where the North Pole is elevated 42 gr. 30 m. By John Tulley. Boston, Printed by S. Green for Benjamin Harris; and are to be Sold at his Shop, by the Town Pump near the Change. 1687.

Then follows "A Table of Kings," from William the Conqueror, 1066, to James 2d, 1685, closing with the lines—

Now may we look on Monarchy and sing,
In health and peace long live great JAMES our King.

And concluding with the "Weather Glass," &c., &c., which follow:

Prognostica Georgica: Or the Country-man's Weather-Glass.

Prognosticks of Tempests. The obscuring of the smaller stars is a certain sign of Tempests approaching, the oft changing of the Winds is always a forerunner of a storm.

Of Winds. The resounding of the Sea upon the shore, and murmuring of the Winds in the Woods without apparent Wind, shew wind to follow; shooting of stars (as they call it) is an usual sign of wind from that quarter the star came from, Redness of the Skie in the morning is a token of Winds, or Rain, or both: if the circles that appear about the Sun, be red and broken, they portend wind: if thick and dark, Winds, Snow, or Rain: The like may be said of the Circles about the Moon.

Of Rain. If two Rainbows appear, they are a sign of Rain: If the Sun or Moon look pale, look for Rain: if a dark Cloud be at Sun-rising, in which the Sun soon after is hid, it will dissolve it, and Rain will follow: if the Sun seem greater in the East than commonly, it is a sign of Rain, if in the West about Sun-setting there appear a black Cloud, you may expect Rain that night, or the day following, if in the winter time thick white Clouds appear in the South-east near the Horizon at Sun rising, they portend Snow, a day or two after: If black Clouds appear there, it is a sign of Rain.

Of Fair Weather. If the Moon look bright and fair, look for Fair Weather. Also the appearing of one Rainbow after a storm, is a known sign of Fair Weather. If Mists come down from the Hills, or descend from the heavens, and settle in the valleys, they promise fair hot weather: Mists in the Evening shew a fair, hot day on the morrow: The like when mists rise from the waters in the evening. Much more might be added, but I would not tire the reader.

It appears by the following that the first form of government, under the King, was accepted by the people in 1686.

May 14, 1686. Arrived from England, His Majesty's Commission to divers worthy Gentlemen, to be a President and Council for the management of his Majesty's Government here, and accordingly on the 25th of May, '86, the President and Council being assembled in Boston, the exemplification of the Judgment against the Charter of the Late Governour and Company of the Massachusetts-Bay in N E together with His Majesty's Commission of Government were publickly read, and received by persons of all conditions with general Acceptance.

It will appear by the following advertisement that a market was then first appointed by authority to be kept in Boston.

Advertisement. There is Appointed by Authority a Market to be kept in Boston, and a Committee is ordered to meet and state the place, and days, and other circumstances relating to the good settling thereof: Of which a more particular Account may be speedily expected.

This Almanack was published only 67 years from the settlement at Plymouth, and 59 from that of Salem.

In the eyes of the old New England people the almanac stood next to the Bible in importance. Almost the only knowledge we have of many events of those early days has been obtained from diaries kept in interleaved almanacs. It is true, important facts are often found recorded in connection with trifling or quite unimportant matters.

The venerable Dr. Holyoke, of Salem, president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, who died in March, 1829, at the age of one hundred years and eight months, wrote a letter, a few months before his death, in answer to a request that he would furnish some particulars of his mode of living. Dr. Holyoke was through life noted for being remarkably temperate in all things. After his death it was reported that some physician said (perhaps in fun) that if Dr. H. had not been in the habit of using intoxicating liquors he might have lived to a good old age.

We give here a copy of this interesting letter.

Salem.

SATURDAY MORNING, AUGUST 1, 1829.

Dr. Holyoke. The Medical Society of this District have rendered an appropriate tribute of respect for the memory of their venerated associate, the late Dr. E.A. Holyoke, by publishing an elegant little volume, containing a memoir of the deceased, prepared by a Committee of the Society, and a few of his writings. We have selected from the latter the following articles, which will interest the reader. The first is an account of Dr. Holyoke's habits of life, diet, &c., furnished by him in a letter to one of his friends; the others are a historical memorandum and a fragment of the Doctor's poetical effusions.

To —— —— —— Williamsville, Person County,
North Carolina.

Salem, Oct'r—1828.

Sir,—I received yours of the 20th ult. on ye 30th, wherein you wish me to give you some Account of my Mode of Life, &c.—In answer to which I would first mention that I was providentially blessed with an excellent Constitution—that I never injured this constitution by Intemperance of any kind—but invigorated it by constant Exercise, having from my 30th to my 80th Year walked on foot (in the Practice of my Profession)—probably as many as 5 or 6 miles every day, amounting to more than a million[A] of miles, and tho' sometimes much fatigued, the next Night's refreshing Sleep, always completely restored me. In early life, between 20 and 30, I used to ride on Horse back, but being often pestered by my Horses slipping their Bridles I found it more convenient to walk.

As to my Diet, having been taught to eat of any thing that was provided for me, and having always a good Appetite, I am never anxious about my food, and I do not recollect any thing, that is commonly eaten, that does not agree with my Stomach, except fresh roasted Pork, which tho' very agreeable to my Palate, almost always disagrees with me; for which however I have a remedy, in the Spirit of Sal Amoniac. Eight or Ten drops of Aqua Ammonia pura in a wine glass of Water, gives me relief after Pork, and indeed after anything else which offends my stomach. As to the Quantity, I am no great Eater, and I find my appetite sooner satisfied now than formerly;—there is one peculiarity in my Diet which as it may perhaps have contributed to Health I would mention; I am fond of Fruit, and have this 30 or more years daily indulged in eating freely of those of the Season, as Strawberries, Currants, Peaches, Plums, Apples, &c., which in summer and winter I eat just before Dinner, and seldom at any other time, and indeed very seldom eat any thing whatever between meals.—My Breakfast I vary continually. Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, with toasted bread and butter, Milk with Bread toasted in hot weather, but never any meat in my Life—seldom the same Breakfast more than 2 or 3 days running. Bread of Flour makes a large portion of my Food, perhaps near 1-2. After Dinner I most commonly drink one glass of Wine—plain boiled rice I am fond of—it makes nearly 1-2 of my Dinner perhaps as often as every other Day—I rarely eat Pickles or any high seasoned Food—Vegetable food of one kind or other makes commonly 2-3 or 3-4 of my nourishment—the condiments I use are chiefly Mustard, Horse radish and Onions. As to Drinks, I seldom take any but at meal times and with my Pipe—in younger Life my most common draft was Cider, seldom Wine, seldom or never Beer or Ale or distilled Spirits—But for the last 40 or 50 years, my most usual drink has been a Mixture, a little singular indeed, but as for me it is still palateable and agreeable, I still prefer it—The Mixture is this, viz. Good West India Rum 2 Spoonfuls, Good Cider whether new or old 3 Spoonfuls, of Water 9 or 10 Spoonfuls—of this Mixture (which I suppose to be about the strength of common Cider) I drink about 1-2 a Pint with my Dinner and about the same Quantity with my Pipe after Dinner and my Pipe in the Evening, never exceeding a Pint the whole Day; and I desire nothing else except one glass of Wine immediately after Dinner the whole day. I generally take one Pipe after Dinner and another in the Evening, and hold a small piece of pigtail Tobacco in my mouth from Breakfast till near Dinner, and again in the Afternoon till tea; this has been my practice for 80 years—I use no Snuff—I drink tea about sunset and eat with it a small slice of Bread toasted with Butter—I never eat any thing more till Breakfast.

I have not often had any complaint from indigestion, but when I have, abstinence from Breakfast or Dinner, or both, has usually removed it; indeed I have several times thrown off serious Complaints by Abstinence.—As to Clothing, it is what my Friends call thin; I never wear Flannel next my Skin tho' often advised to it, and am less liable to take cold, as it is called, than most people—a good warm double breasted Waist-Coat and a Cloth coat answers me for winter, and as the season grows warmer I gradually conform my Covering to it. As to the Passions, Sir, I need not tell you that when indulged, they injure the Health; that a calm, quiet self-possession, and a moderation in our Expectations and Pursuits, contribute much to our Health, as well as our happiness, and that Anxiety is injurious to both.

I had a good Set of Teeth, but they failed me gradually, without Pain, so that by 80 I lost them all.

Thus, Sir, you have, blundering and imperfect as it is, an answer to your Requests, with my best wishes that it may be of any service to the Purpose for which it was made—But must rely upon it that Nothing I have written be made public in my Name.[B] Wishing you long Life and many happy Days,

I am Yours, &c.

E.A. HOLYOKE.

P.S. I forgot to speak of my repose. When I began the practice of Physick, I was so often call'd up soon after retiring to Rest, that I found it most convenient to sit to a late Hour, and thus acquired a Habit of sitting up late, which necessarily occasioned my lying in bed to a late Hour in the Morning—till 7 o'cl'k in Summer and 8 in Winter. My Business was fatiguing and called for ample repose, and I have always taken care to have a full proportion of Sleep, which I suppose has contributed to my longevity.

Recollections & Memorandums of Past Events.

The first thing that I entirely remember was the funeral of Aunt Oulton, which was on July 18, 1732.

The first Aurora Borealis I ever saw, the Northern or rather Northeast Sky appeared suffused by a dark blood-red colored vapour, without any variety of different colored rays. I have never since seen the like. This was about the year 1734. Northern lights were then a novelty, and excited great wonder and terror among the vulgar.

In 1737, Square Toed Shoes were going out of fashion; I believe few or none were worn after 1737. Buckles instead of Shoe Strings began to be used about the same time, but were not universal in the country towns till 1740 or 1742. Very broad brim'd Hats were worn as early as I remember. My father had a beaver whose Brims were at least 7 inches; which when he left off, I remember I used to wear in the Garden, or in a shower, by way of Umbrella. They were all cock'd triangularly. And pulling them off by way of salutation was invariably the Fashion by all who had any Breeding.

Boots were never worn except on horseback, or snowy or rainy weather. They frequently had large broad Tops that reach'd full half way up the Thigh. But Boots did not come into general use till the close of the revolutionary war.

Funerals were extravagantly expensive. Gold Rings to each of the Bearers, the Minister, the Physician, &c., were frequently given when the family could but ill afford it. White gloves in abundance, burnt wine to the company, &c., &c. This extravagance occasioned the enacting sumptuary laws, which though they check'd did not entirely suppress the complaints till the commencement of the revolutionary war.

In 1749, it was reported the train band list of the town of Marblehead was equal to that of the town of Salem. The difference is now very great. I suppose Salem has at least twice the number of Marblehead.

[1749.][C] The Houses (in Salem) were generally very ordinary. The first handsome house was built by Mr. Jno. Turner, then Col. Pickman, then Mr. J. Cabot, &c.

There was but one ropewalk, and that was on the neck, inside the gate. But one tavern of any note, and that was an old house at the corner now occupied by Stearns' brick store. The Houses for public worship were only the old (first) church—the eastern parish—the secession from the first church—the Friends' meeting house, and the Episcopal church.

The number of Inhabitants was estimated at between 5 and 6000.

The Commerce of this town was chiefly with Spain and Portugal and the West Indies, especially with St. Eustatia. The Cod fishery was carried on with success and advantage. The Schooners were employed on the fishing banks in the summer, and in the autumn were laden with Fish, Rum, Molasses, and the produce of the country, and sent to Virginia and Maryland, and there spent the winter retailing their cargoes, and in return brought Corn and Wheat and Tobacco. This Virginia voyage was seldom very profitable, but as it served to keep the crews together, it was continued till more advantageous employment offered.

There were a few Chaises kept by gentlemen for their own use, but it was no easy matter to hire one to go a journey.

Salem Observer.

[ [A] This seems to have been a slip of the pen; the following is his own calculation, made in 1823, and which from his great degree of exaggeration falls short of half the actual amount. "If from my age of 20 to 80 years I have walked 5 miles a day, which is a moderate calculation, I must have gone in that 60 years,

[B] This prohibition could only have regard to the period of his life time and was occasioned by that extreme modesty which always rendered it painful to the Doctor to be held up to the public notice.

[C] These remarks refer to the period of Dr. Holyoke's residence in Salem, preceding the revolution.

Dr. Holyoke during his whole life, it is said, was never fifty miles distant from the spot where he was born. He was the first person to receive the degree of M.D. from Harvard College; was the first president of the Massachusetts Medical Society; and he made in the course of his life three hundred and twenty-four thousand professional visits.

Antiquity of Nursery Rhymes.—Many of these productions have a very curious history, if it could only be traced. Some of them probably owe their origin to names distinguished in our literature; as Oliver Goldsmith, for instance, is believed in his earlier days to have written such compositions. Dr. E.F. Rimbault gives us the following particulars as to some well-known favorites: "Sing a Song of Sixpence," is as old as the sixteenth century. "Three Blind Mice" is found in a music-book dated 1609. "The Frog and the Mouse" was licensed in 1580. "Three Children Sliding on the Ice" dates from 1633. "London Bridge is Broken Down" is of unfathomed antiquity. "Girls and Boys come out to play" is certainly old as the reign of Charles II.; as is also "Lucy Locket lost her Pocket," to the tune of which the American song of "Yankee Doodle" was written. "Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat, where have you been?" is of the age of Queen Bess. "Little Jack Horner" is older than the seventeenth century. "The Old Woman Tossed in a Blanket" is of the reign of James II., to which monarch it is supposed to allude.

Salem Gazette.

Some British opinions of Benedict Arnold.

"The good whigs of America," ſays a late paper, "may be aſſured, that the infamous Benedict Arnold's manſion is the very next to Tyburn,—a well choſen habitation for ſuch an abandoned traitor: A ſtep or two conveys him to that fatal ſpot, where the moſt guilty of all the miſerable beings who have ever ſuffered, was perfectly innocent compared with him.—He lives deſpiſed by the nobility and gentry, and execrated by the people at large—countenanced by none excepting their Britannic and Satanic Majeſties, and ſuch of their adherents, reſpectively, who are looking for promotion under their royal maſters."

By a gentleman from the ſouthward we learn that it is expected Congreſs will fix their permanent reſidence at Philadelphia.

Salem Gazette, Feb. 26, 1784.

NEW-YORK, November 16.

By very recent accounts from St. John, Nova-Scotia, we are informed that Benedict Arnold, having attempted to JOCKY ſome of the inhabitants out of their property, but being detected, and the people being much exaſperated, offered to deliver him up to the Americans for ten dollars; but alas! before the bargain was firmly agreed on, he made his eſcape to Halifax, and there got protection from the populace.

We are informed that Benedict Arnold lately ſailed from New-Brunſwick for London. It is ſaid that his reſidence in America, even among the provincial Loyaliſts, was rather uncomfortable; he therefore wiſely preferred being enveloped in the atmoſphere of London to reſiding on a continent which had been the theatre of his traitorous acts, and conſequently the occaſion of more frequent reflections on the infamy of his crimes.

Massachusetts Gazette, November, 1786.

Receipt for apple-pudding, in 1788, with the apple and the pudding left out.

For the HERALD of FREEDOM.
How to make an APPLE PUDDING.
Being a curious, elaborate and ſublime Dissertation,
never before publiſhed.

By YANKEE DOODLE, Eſquire.

(In Continuation.)
Chapter.—How and about NAMES.

Nugæque canoræ. Hor.

I LOOK upon it as the greateſt happineſs of my life, that fortune has given me a name that correſponds with my nature and conſtitution. Patriotiſm is the ſtrongeſt paſſion; and I glory in being a Yankee.—A Yankee is any man born in New-England—and New-England contains the three northern States, and a certain little, peſtiferous, pſeudo Iſland. My countrymen generally have the credit of being a good-natured, pſalm-ſinging, religious kind of men, very honeſt, but plaguy hard in their dealings—inſomuch that a Carolinian or a Georgian frequently ſwear that the very Satan himſelf could never get to windward of them.

This puts me in mind of a ſtory.—A certain Boſton ſea Captain, of a ſloop of 60 tons burthen, coming with a cargo of New-England rum, ſhoes, cheeſe, potatoes, and other valuable commodities, into Broadway, which you muſt know is a very narrow paſſage in the Appomatax, a branch of James River in Virginia.—Before I proceed I muſt acquaint the ſerious reader—and who is there but muſt be ſerious in reading the ſolemn truths I am about to declare—that every iota of what I ſhall delineate in theſe ſacred depoſitories of facts, is TRUTH.——I am now about to elucidate the pſalm-ſinging, religious character of Yankees, by a TRUE STORY, never before publiſhed.——When our Boſton ſea Captain, therefore, came into Broadway, a Virginian comes a-board of him—and as he goes down into the cabbin, had to ſtoop a little, becauſe the cabbin was low—for, as I ſaid before, the ſloop was 60 tons, although our religious ſea-captain entered but 40 tons at the Naval-Office: Howſomever he had a reſerve of conſcience, for the Naval-Officer charged him for light money, when there was not one light-houſe in all the ancient dominion.—But this is nothing to my ſtory.