The Olden Time Series Volume II Part 3

On the 30th of March, 1761, the "Boston Gazette" prints the following among its items of news:--

_The following Proverbs we hope will not be disregarded, tho' taken from a Book in the Hands of almost every Freeholder in this Province; for they are true English Proverbs_----

_LOOK before you leap--Wise Men think twice before they act once--Avoidance is better than late Repentance--Put your Hand in the Lion's Mouth, then get it out if you can--Haste makes Waste--Fast bind fast find--A Wedge once enter'd, the Log flies--You may add, when you cannot take away--Cut your Coat according to your Cloth--A rash Beginning makes a foolish Ending--Better late than never--He that acts for others, should act with Caution--Once well done is twice done--A wise Man foreseeth the Storm and secureth himself----Of all Murderers, Self-Murderers are the most stupid--A Snake in the Gra.s.s may bite before it is seen._

A Word to the Wise is sufficient. AMEN.

BOSTON IN OLDEN TIMES.--The "Boston Transcript," in a notice of the newspapers published in Boston in 1767, of which there were ten, says: The printer in those days was a man of "all work." If a negro or horse was up for sale, the printer was the seller. The advertis.e.m.e.nts in these old papers are curiosities in their line. The following notices appeared in the advertising columns of the "Boston Evening Gazette," in 1741:--

"To be sold by the Printer of this Paper, the very best negro woman in this town, who has had the small pox and the measles; is as hearty as a horse, as brisk as a bird, and will work like a beaver."

"To be sold by the Printer of this Paper, a negro man about thirty years old, who can do both town and country business very well, but will suit the country best, where they have not so many dram-shops as we have in Boston. He has worked at the printing business fifteen or sixteen years; can handle axe, saw, spade, hoe, or other instrument of husbandry, as well as most men, and values himself, and is valued by others, for his skill in cookery."

This item, from a paper of 1767, seems to show that the Government was not then obliged to have a "bill" to uphold silver, for it was evidently in the ascendency; but there was no Western territory at that time, or rather, it had not been discovered.

Gold as well as Silver will be taken for the Tickets, and the Prizes paid off in like Manner. Prizes not demanded within Twelve Months after Drawing, will not be paid, but will be deem'd as generously given for the Purpose aforesaid, and applied accordingly.

Tickets to be had of the respective Managers, and of Edes and Gill.

Fas.h.i.+onable weddings in the days of the spinning-wheel were not so fully described as they are at the present day. Nothing used to be said about the "magnificent dresses," "best man," "ushers," "contracting parties,"

"elegant presents," etc., etc.; there was a simple announcement of the fact. Here are specimens of marriage announcements,--persons belonging to the first families in Boston.

"Boston Gazette," Feb. 5, 1759.

Last Thursday Morning, was married at King's-Chappel, Dr.

THOMAS BULFINCH, Son of the late Dr. BULFINCH of this Town, to Mrs. SUSAN APTHORPE, Daughter of the late CHARLES APTHORPE, Esq; The Rev'd Mr. APTHORPE perform'd the Ceremony, before a very great Number of Spectators.

"Columbian Centinel," March 26, 1788.

----Mr. THOMAS H. PERKINS, merchant, to Miss SALLY ELLIOT, only daughter of Mr. SIMON ELLIOT.

"Gazette," Jan. 26, 1767.

BOSTON, January 26, 1767.

Tuesday the Honorable JOHN TEMPLE, Esq; Surveyor-General of North-America, was married to Miss BOWDOIN, Daughter of the Honorable JAMES BOWDOIN, Esq; of this Town.

Specimen of a house in "Corn-Hill," from the "Post-Boy," May 7, 1763.

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TO BE SOLD,

A Large and Commodious Brick Dwelling-House, pleasently scituated in Corn-Hill: For further particulars Enquire of _Green & Russell_ Printers in Queen-street.

The "Virginia Gazette" gives an account of an early and bold attempt at British impressment of seamen. This business caused us a great deal of trouble in after years, and was one of the causes of "Madison's War," as the old people were fond of calling it.

The press-gang was one of the peculiar inst.i.tutions of Great Britain.

BOSTON, October 26, 1767.

By the Virginia Gazette, of the first Instant, it appears that Captain Morgan, of the Hornet Sloop of War, concerted a b.l.o.o.d.y riotous Plan, to impress Seamen, at Norfolk, for which Purpose, his Tender was equipped with Guns and Men, and under Cover of the Night said Morgan landed at a public Wharff, having first made proper Dispositions either for an Attack or Retreat, then went to a Tavern, and took a chearful Gla.s.s, after which they went to work, and took every Person they met with, and knocked all down that resisted; and dragged them on board the Tender; but the Town soon took the Alarm, and being headed by Paul Loyal, Esq; a Magistrate, they endeavoured to convince Capt. Morgan of his Error, and being deaf to all they said he ordered the People in the Tender to fire on the Inhabitants, but they refused to obey their Commanders Orders, and he was soon obliged to fly, leaving some of the Hornets behind, who were sent to Gaol, but were afterwards released.

Mr. John Ashton, in his recently published work on "Social Life in England at the end of the Eighteenth Century," informs us that one evening in the year 1790, 2,100 men were pressed in London alone, besides many more at the seaport towns.

In the summer of 1762 there was a severe drought in Ma.s.sachusetts, and the Governor issued a proclamation recommending public prayers for rain; but it will be noticed that he says if rain should come before the day set apart for prayers, then, instead of humiliation, it would be the duty of the people to make it a day of thanksgiving. The proclamation referred to was published in the "Boston Post-Boy" of July 13, 1762.

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By HIS EXCELLENCY

FRANCIS BERNARD, Esq;

Captain-General and Governor in Chief, in and over His Majesty's Province of _Ma.s.sachusetts-Bay_ in _New-England_, and Vice-Admiral of the same.

A PROCLAMATION

_For a Day of Public Prayer._

IT having pleased Almighty G.o.d to visit this Province with another severe Drought, which, if it should continue much longer, cannot fail of bringing great Distress upon the Inhabitants thereof--We are again called upon to supplicate the Interposition of Divine Providence to relieve this Country from the imminent Danger with which it is threatned, by dispensing timely and plentiful Rain.

I HAVE therefore thought fit to appoint, and I do, by and with the Advice of His Majesty's Council, appoint Wednesday the Twenty-eighth Day of this Instant _July_ to be a Day of Public Prayer throughout the Province: Whereon the whole People may as at one Time humble themselves before Almighty G.o.d, acknowledging their great Unworthiness, and confessing their manifold Sins, and imploring the Supreme Dispenser of all Good, that He would be graciously pleased not to with-hold from them the Fruits of the Earth, but by seasonable and refres.h.i.+ng Rains bring what yet remains undestroyed to a due and seasonable Maturity.

AND WHEREAS some Places have been exempted from the general Want of Rain; and it is to be hoped that before the Day appointed as aforesaid, many others, and possibly the whole Province, may have a gracious and timely Relief: It will be our Duty to intermix Thanksgiving with Humiliation, in such a Manner as the State of the Province, and particular Parts thereof, shall at that Time require.

And I do order the said Day to be observed as a Day set apart for Religious Wors.h.i.+p, and that no servile Labour or Recreation be permitted thereon.

_GIVEN at the Council-Chamber in_ Boston, _the Ninth Day of_ July, 1762, _in the Second Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord_ GEORGE _the Third, by the Grace of G.o.d, of_ Great-Britain, France, _and_ Ireland, _KING, Defender of the Faith_, &c.