When John Foster (the first who carried on printing in
Boston) died in 1681, the town was without the benefit of
the press; but a continuance of it being thought necessary,
_Samuel Sewall_, not a printer but a magistrate, and a man
much respected, was selected as a proper person to manage
the concerns of it, and as such was recommended to the
general court. In consequence of this recommendation, the
court, in Oct. 1681, gave him liberty to carry on the
business of printing in Boston. The _license_ is thus
recorded: "Samuel Sewall, at the instance of some Friends,
with respect to the accommodation of the public, being
prevailed with to undertake the Management of the Printing
Press in Boston, late under the command of Mr. John Foster,
deceased, liberty is accordingly granted to him for the same
by this court, and none may presume to set up any other
Press without the like Liberty first granted."
Sewall became a bookseller.--Books for himself and others
were printed at the press under his management; as were
several acts and laws, with other works for government.
Samuel Green, jun., was his printer. In 1682 an order passed
the general court for the treasurer to pay Sewall ten pounds
seventeen shillings, for printing the election sermon,
delivered that year by the Rev. Mr. Torrey.
In 1684, Sewall, by some means, was unable to conduct the
press, and requested permission of the general court to be
released from his engagement. This was granted; the record
of his release is in the words following.
"Samuel Sewall by the providence of God being unable to
attend the press, &c., requested leave to be freed from his
obligations concerning it, which was granted, with thanks
for the liberty then granted."
In 1684, and for several subsequent years, the loss of the
charter occasioned great confusion and disorder in the
political concerns of the colony. Soon after Sewall resigned
his office as conductor of the press in Boston, he went to
England, and he returned in 1692. He was undoubtedly the
same Samuel Sewall who, when a new charter was granted by
king William, was for many years one of the council for the
province, and who, in 1692, was appointed one of the Judges
of the Superior Court; in 1715 Judge of Probate; and in
1718, Chief Justice of Massachusetts. He died Jan. 1, 1729,
aged 78 years.--_Boston News Letter._
* * * * *
Knowledge of natural history at the Isles of Shoals in the early part of
the last century.
A CENTURY AGO. The N. York Gazette relates that when Rev.
Mr. Tuck, in the early part of the last century, was
ordained minister of Star Island, one of a cluster called
the Isles of Shoals, his parish offered him, beside the
usual parsonage house, a quintal of fish each family, but no
money, as a salary. It is well known that the fish cured at
these islands are called dun fish, and have the highest
reputation for excellence wherever known. They are caught in
the depth of winter, and are fit for market before the hot
weather. They derive the name of _dun_ from the color which
they assume. There were at the period of which we speak,
about fifty families in the cluster, giving him fifty
quintals per year. The average price of a dun fish is about
ten dollars, and the worthy pastor always procured a ready
sale for them, thereby realizing his five hundred dollars
per annum. With this stipend he flourished, and brought up
a family, whom he educated himself, and fitted one of his
sons for entrance into Harvard College. The lad had never
been away from the Shoals till he reached Long wharf on his
way to Cambridge. He had never seen a horse, nor heard a
church bell. On landing, he saw many horses attached to
various vehicles; and speaking to his father, said, "Only
see what queer cows they have in Boston! they are not shaped
like ours, and are all without horns." In passing by the Old
South, in Cornhill, the big bell of that church struck up a
peal, the effect of which nearly drove the young man mad.
_Salem Observer_ [1829].
What Captain Hall, R.N., thought of a Salem gentleman.
_From Capt. Basil Hall's Travels in America--just
published._
We reached the town of Salem in good time for dinner; and
here I feel half tempted to break through my rule, in order
to give some account of our dinner-party, chiefly, indeed,
that I might have an opportunity of expatiating--which I
could do with perfect truth and great pleasure--on the
conversation of our excellent host. For I have rarely, in
any country, met a man so devoid of prejudice, or so willing
to take all matters on their favorable side, and withal, who
was so well informed about every thing in his own and in
other countries, or who was more ready to impart his
knowledge to others.
To these agreeable attributes and conversational powers he
adds such a mirthfulness of fancy, and genuine heartiness of
good-humour, to all men, women, and children who have the
good fortune to make his acquaintance, that I should have no
scruple--if it were not too great a liberty--in naming him
as the person I have been most pleased with in all my recent
travels.
After dinner, we repaired to the Museum, the rich treasures
of which have been collected exclusively by captains or
supercargoes of vessels out of Salem, who had doubled one or
other of the great southern promontories,--the Cape, and the
Horn, as they are technically called by seamen. As my eye
fell on numberless carefully cherished objects, which I had
often seen in familiar use on the other side of the globe,
my imagination revelled far and wide into regions I may
never live to see again.
_Salem Observer,_ 1826.
* * * * *
_Compliment to New England._ In a speech made by Mr. Lyell,
the eminent geologist, at a late meeting of the British
Geological Association, he said--"Were I ever so unfortunate
as to quit my native land to reside permanently elsewhere, I
should without hesitation choose the United States for my
second country, especially New England, where a population
of more than two millions enjoys a higher average standard
of prosperity and intellectual advancement than any other
population of equal amount on the globe."
_Salem Observer,_ 1843.
* * * * *
Mrs. Trollope avers that pigs are caressed by the ladies and gentlemen
of New York.
"REFUGEE IN AMERICA."
NEW-YORK AND BOSTON. Mrs. Trollope, in her new work, called
the Refugee in America, introduces some queer comparisons
between the manners of the two cities. We quote for
example:--"In Boston, there are no persons allowed to vote
at the elections of President or Governor of that province
but native born yankees; while at New-York, emigrants are
forced from the ships in which they arrive directly to the
hustings, which are kept open the first two weeks of every
month at Mason's lodge, Broadway, where they are allowed to
jostle off the sidewalks the most respectable inhabitants.
If they are reproved for such conduct, the answer invariably
is,--'Isn't this a land of liberty?' I was one forenoon
myself stopped at the lodge and offered a vote, with the
preliminary question,--'Are you a Clay or a Jackson man?' In
Boston, a person seen with a segar in his mouth in the
street, is counted a blackguard; but in New-York no
gentleman makes his promenade without one. In Boston, a
housekeeper would be placed at the Sessions dock for
suffering the refuse of his mansion to be thrown into the
street; while in N. York he would be fined $1 if he allowed
it to be thrown elsewhere near his premises. Swine is a
Bostonian's bane, and a N. Yorker's antidote,--indeed this
animal is as much caressed by the ladies and gentlemen of
the latter city, as a lap-dog in London or Paris. The
Governor and his twenty chosen ministers have made it a
capital offence to molest one of these interesting
quadrupeds while roaming the streets!"--[Oh! what a lying
jade!]
_Salem Observer,_ Oct. 13, 1832.
* * * * *
EARLY ACCOUNTS OF NEW-ENGLAND. The first settlers of
New-England must have been blessed with singular powers of
vision. One of them speaks of lions in Cape Ann: another
(Josselyn), who arrived at Boston in 1663, and resided in
this Colony about eight years, says of our frogs, "some,
when they sit upon their breech, are a foot high, and some
as long as a child one year old." He likewise says "old
barley frequently degenerates into oats" in New-England.
* * * * *
"Enthusiasm" is described as a nervous disorder by Dr. Douglass, author
of the Historical Summary.
DR. DOUGLASS'S NOTICE OF SALEM. In looking over Dr.
Douglass' historical summary, we found the following note on
Salem. The author formerly lived in Boston, and after his
removal to England, published his work in 1749. As he was a
physician, he probably considered himself authorized to
broach new theories. He certainly showed his ingenuity in
imputing to our soil a tendency to produce the diseases of
which he makes mention. It is perhaps fortunate for us that
the Doctor did not live in our day, as he would have found
in the excitement which has recently prevailed here in
relation to the Mill Dam, Theatre, &c., new proofs of the
correctness of his hypothesis.
"In Salem and its neighborhood _Enthusiasm_ and other
_nervous disorders_ seem to be _endemial_. _Hypochondriack_,
_hysterick_, and other _maniack_ disorders prevail there,
and Ipswich adjoining, to this day."
_Salem Register,_ 1826.
* * * * *