Chapter 8

_For thee--the lofty Cedar nods alone, The sturdy Oak its honours lopp'd deplores, The forest mourns its tallest beauties gone To waft Columbian treasure--to the Indian shores._

_Doom'd to resist the rage of warring waves, Whilst rushing winds impel your foaming way: The firm built sides their utmost fury brave. The tempest mock--and in the whirlwind play._

_Safe may you reach your distant--destin'd port, Nor rocks--nor treach'rous sands--oppose your fame, May gentle winds your swelling topsails court, And thousands shout you welcome home again._

_Salem Gazette,_ May 24, 1791.

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The oldest person who had lived in Salem up to 1791.

On Friday last, the venerable Mr. JOHN SYMONDS, of this town, entered the _one hundredth year of his age_. He is the only male person who has arrived at that great age, from the first settlement of the town by the English in 1629 to this day.

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Irish Litany.

DUBLIN, May 11.

_To the Printers of the_ Rights _of_ Irishmen.

GENTLEMEN,

I am enabled by an invisible power to communicate to you, a Litany sanctioned by me, and to be adopted by the professors of the patriotic religion of Ireland; a Litany which breathes the spirit of that freedom which I professed when on earth, and has been here on eternal record; if its principle and doctrine tend to enlighten and emancipate your country, it will add (if possible) to that indescribable happiness enjoyed by him, whom, without vanity, I may now call the virtuous and patriotic

MIRABEAU.

_Elysium, 5th Feb._ 1792.

_THE LITANY._

1st. Let there be a free, equal, and general representation of your people in Parliament.

And all the people shall say amen.

2d. Let there be a reform of your church, an abolition of tithes, and let each sect maintain its own pastor.

And all, &c.

3d. Let the people of my terrestrial country be an example to your people, and let their freedom be your freedom.

And all, &c.

4th. Let the fetters which the nobles of your land have forged, be broken asunder; and let those who earn, distribute the bread of Ireland.

And all, &c.

5th. Let each man freely worship God according to the dictates of his conscience.

And all, &c.

6th. Let christians be philosophers, and let philosophers be christians.

And all, &c.

7th. Let the rich few no longer be supported by taxes on the many and unrepresented poor.

And all, &c.

8th. Let all the sons of Hibernia be free--yea, even as free as the negroes[D] of Africa.

And all, &c.

9th. Let truth never be deemed a libel, and let the Liberty of your Press be extended.

And all, &c.

10th. Let the noble (tho enlisted) sons of Ireland never become the hired assassins of their countrymen.

And all, &c.

11th. Let the army which eats the bread of Ireland, be her guardian and protector, and not the base invader of her rights and liberties.

And all, &c.

12th. Let him who first proposed a mortgage on the revenues of Ireland, be accursed in the annals of your country.

And all, &c.

13th. Let yourselves no longer be the slaves of religion, or sect, or party, but the united sons of freedom and philosophy.

And all, &c.

14th. Let the majesty of your king reflect the majesty of your people.

And all, &c.

_Mirabeau scripsit._

_Salem Gazette,_ 1792.

[D] Vide Wilberforce on the emancipation of the slaves.

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Boston School of Fashion in 1807.

Robert Smallpeace,

_At his_ DRESSING ACADEMY, _and_ SCHOOL _of_ FASHION, _in_ MILK STREET, _opposite the South door of the_ Old South,

REMINDS the Sons and Daughters of Fashion and Beauty, that tho' they may possess every latent excellence, yet they require the improving hand of ART, like _rough_ diamonds, to obtain the polish and brilliancy of the _first water_. What is elegance of form or contour of beauty without improvement? like "a light hid under a bushel," or whatever can be conceived to be _most unlike_:--And it is a lamentable fact, that

_Full many a mind is rear'd with toil and care, To waste its worth--by_ SLOV'NLINESS _in_ HAIR.

The _tailor_, or _milliner_, may encase us with taste and elegance; the _dancing master_ teach us the steps of ease and dignity; the _musician_ instruct us in our throats and fingers; and the _preceptor_ may inform our minds; and yet, with all these _accomplishments_, can we even be PASSABLE, if the _highest_ accomplishment of all be neglected? and the HEAD be left to its own "disorder worse confounded," exhibiting a "_paltry crown of mud and straw_," placed upon an "_edifice of ivory and gold_!"--and further--

_What though the_ EYE _voluptuous roll,_ _The_ FORM _possess each heavenly grace_; _Say, can they_ ANY HEART _control,_ _Draw_ FRIENDSHIP _near--bid_ LOVE _take place,_ _'Till_ SMALLPEACE _touch them_!--he _whose trade is,_ _T' make_ Gods _of_ Men--_and_ Goddesses _of_ Ladies!

--> SMALLPEACE has elegant apartments for Ladies and Gentlemen; and will be found constantly at "the post of honour," and attendance, to wait upon them.

Oct. 17 [1807]. _Columbian Centinel._

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The novels of 1833; from the "Salem Observer," July 13.

The decidedly bad moral tendency of some of the most popular novels of the times is forcibly depicted in a magazine recently established in England, by two of the sons of William Cobbett, in the following language:--

"Would you seduce a wife? Falkland shall teach you to do it with gravity and dignity. Would you murder? Eugene Aram shall show you its necessity for the public advantage. Would you rob? Paul Clifford shall convince you of the injustice of security, and of the abominableness of the safety of a purse on a moonlight night.--Would you eat? Turn to Harry Bertram and Dandy Dinmont to the round of beef. Would you drink? Friar Tuck is the jolliest of companions. Would you dance, dress, and drawl? Pelham shall take you into tuition. Would you lie, fawn, and flatter? Andrew Wylie shall instruct you to crawl upward, without the slime betraying your path. Would you yawn, doze, sleep, or dream? Cloudesly shall do it for you, for the space of the first volume."

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THOMAS MOORE.

Hostile feelings to the Americans having been imputed to the poet MOORE in the first number of the (London) Westminster Review, the following paragraph appeared in the London Times of the 4th Feb., 1824.

"In the first number of the Westminster Review, just published, there is an article upon a late work of Mr. Moore's, in which the writer says, 'Mr. Moore has resided in America, and, we understand, speaks of the Americans with unbounded dislike and contempt.' In this assertion we can confidently state, the writer is entirely mistaken. Whatever opinions Mr. Moore may have hastily formed, when a very young man, with respect to the character and institutions of the Americans, we know that he has long since learned to correct them, and to feel towards that people all the admiration and respect which the noble example they set to the other nations of the world demands."

_Boston Telegraph,_ 1824.

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From the "Salem Gazette," Sept. 6, 1811.

Aiken's blood-letting Sermon

_for sale by Cushing & Appleton._

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From the "Boston Transcript," Dec., 1834.

OLD TIMES.--Mr. Thatcher stated, in his Lecture before the Boston Lyceum, that the Old Latin School in this City was commenced two hundred years ago, according to the records of the Town, which begin at the same year. For a long time it was the only school; and there was no writing school among us until November, 1684, (just 150 years since.) Master Cheever presided over the Latin 38 years, till he died at 93. He was the teacher of two of the Mathers, and the second Doctor said of him in an obituary essay, with his own peculiar felicity, that

----to vast age he grew, _Till Time's scythe waiting for him rusty grew._

Lovell was his second successor, and held on 92 years, till in 1776 he left the town a Loyalist. The old gentleman had a house furnished for him in School street, and a garden that reached nearly to Court street, which his best boys were allowed to till; and they had also the privilege as a reward of merit of sawing his wood and bottling his cider.--The Lecturer remarked that this was the first manual labor school he had heard of.

* * * * *

A quotation from Scripture.

"In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired."

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From the "Salem Observer," 1840.

LITERARY CURIOSITY. The following letter was written by a young gentleman to his "lady love," under the direction and eye of a rigid old father. The understanding, however, between the lovers, was, that she should read only every other line, beginning with the first. Love is full of expedients.

MADAM,--

The great love I have hitherto expressed for you _is false, and I find that my indifference, toward you_ increases daily; the more I see of you, the more _you appear in my eyes an object of contempt._-- I feel myself every way disposed and determined to _hate you. Believe me, I never had an intention to_ offer you my hand. Our last conversation has _left a tedious insipidity, which has by no means_ given me the most exalted idea of your character; _your temper would make me extremely unhappy,_ and if we are united, I shall experience nothing but _the hatred of my parents, added to their everlasting dis-_ pleasure in living with you. I have, indeed, a heart _to bestow, but I do not wish you to imagine it is_ at your service; I could not give it to any one more _inconsistent and capricious than yourself, and less_ capable to do honor to my choice and to my family.-- _Yes, Madam, I trust you will be persuaded that_ I speak sincerely; and you will do me a favor _to avoid me. I shall excuse your taking the trouble_ to answer this. Your letters are always full of _impertinence, and you have not the least shadow of_ wit or good sense. Adieu! Adieu! believe me, I am _so averse to you that it is impossible for me ever to be_ your affectionate friend and ardent lover.

Transcriber's note: Text version *** Represents Inverted Asterism --> Represents Right Index