The sun., 1882-08-20
SOME NEW BOOKS.
A New England Pepys-A Diary that Throws
Much I.Ight Ipon CoIOnInl TIme..

one OF the most useful and certainly tho
most entertaining of the publications for which
the student Of early New England history is in
dcbtcd 10 the Massachusetts, Historical Society
Is the collection ut "Scwall Papers" Judge
Sewall was in the habit II seems u Keeping
minute diary OF the events which took place in
the community and in his domestic circle. Tho
journals now made public cover n period OF
nearly sixty years viz. from 1913 to lI29 and
they contain u vast amount Of information re-
latn- to the social. religious. and political CON
dtion Of society in the Mussnchusetts colony
during the long period mentioned. Tho d-
vcrinE features of tho record arc tho naive
disclosures Of the wrtcr's personal foibcs and
experiences in courtship and marriage. There
is no doubt that ludg" Sewa WIS Il man Of
sterling qualities. but he also had not fcw
oddities and petty vnnitics the unconscious
revelation Of which rondcrs somc portions of
his journal rs amusing us that OF Samuel pepys.
We should add that. following the practice Of
his time. he calls n spade u spadc-a circum-
stance which rcn,ttrs it impossible to repro
duce some of the most curious passages.
II may be we'll to preface some extracts from
this interesting publication by brief account
of the author II appears that the grandfather
of the Judge had cmigratcd to tho Massnchu-
setts colony in 1854 but his father and mother
returned to England. where. in 1852 at bishop
Stoke. in Hampshire. their eldest son. samuel
was born. The family returned to New Eng
land in 1861. and again took up their residence
Al Newbury Samuel was admitted into iar.
yard College at the age oi ID by the very
learned and pious Mr.. Charles ChGunccy.' who
gave him his degree Of A. B. in 1911. In
the year 1873 he married Mistress Han
nah. the sole daughter and horess Of the
Hon. John Hull. Esq. OF Boston with
whom he had n plentiful estate Thereupon.hc
settled in Boston. and lived and died. so we are
told an honorable member Of the South Church
He had been for time undecided whether toe
ter the ministry or to follow merchandise. We
road. for instance. under date of April l. 1873
that he preached in the afternoon at Nowbury
being afraid to look on the hour glass; igno-
rantly and unwillingly | stood two hours and Il
half" In 1854 he was chosen a magistrate of
tho Massachusetts colony, and four years after
ward was appontedby King William and Queen
Mary in the new charter one OF the first Council
for their Majesties in the province of Massachu-
sets. He was annually chosen to the Council
and sat until 1926. having outlivcd all the 9TH
ers nominated in that fundamental constitu-
ton. In 1862 he was also made one of the
Judges and in l7lS Chief Justice. of the Supe-
rior Courts of judicature in the prov
ince He kept his seat upon the bench
until 1928. when his growing inhrmi-
ties compelled him to resign. He is said
to have lived happily with the wife of his
youth for about forty three years. and had
fourteen children by her. After her death. in
1Tl7. he married second and "A third wife the
latter Of whom survived him. Some of the
Quaintest and most amusing passages Of the
diary relate to the efforts of the wldower OF
sixty-fve to console himself for the loss of his
first wife.
This diary fills three large octave volumes.
enah riSin urs af
tho three volumes begins with the year 1913.
when the author was a tutor at II; ward Col
leEe. and brings us down to the close Of the
seventeenth century. Among the earlier
extracts worth citing is the following account
OF the punishment inflicted on IN undergradu-
ate for basphcmy. This. II appears. was his
sentence: That being convicted Of speak NJ
blasphemous words concerning the H. G.. Holy
Gbostl. he should be therefore publicly whipped
before all the scholars. =. That he should be
suspended as to taking his degree Of Bachelor.
3. Sit alone by himself in the Hall. uncovered
at meals during the pleasure of the President
of the Fellows. and be in all things obedient
doing what exercise was appointed him by the
President. or else be finally expelled the Col
ledge. The first was presently put in eXecu-
tion in the Library before the scholars He
knee!ed down. and the instrument Goodman
Heiy. attended the Presidents word as tosthe
performance of his part OF the work. Prayer
was had before and after by the President"
From the following passage We learn that
when Puritan fell in love his passion was apt
to take the form Of an acute cerebral disorder.
Under date OF Saturday, Aug II. 1856 we read
that JUS. as prayer ended Tim. Dwight sank
down in a Swoun. and for good space was as
II he perceived NOT what was done TO him;
after. kicked and sprawlcd. knockin: hi, hands
and feet upon tho floor like a distracted man.
Was carried pickback to bed by John Alcock
there his cloaths pulled off. In the night it
seems ne talked Of ships. his mustcr father
and Unckie Eliot. The Sabbath following Father
went to him. spakc 10 him to know what
allied him, asked if lie would l." prayed
for. and for what he would desire his
friends to pray. lie answered. for more
sight Of sin. and Gods healing grace. asked
him. being alone with him. whether his trou-
bles were from some outward cause or spirit
ual. He answered. spiritual. asked him why
then. he could not tell it his master, as we'll as
any other. since it is the honor OF any man to
gee sin. and be sorry fori it, lie gave no answer
as | remember. Asked him if lr would goc TO
meeting. He said 'twos in vain for him; his
day was out. asked. what day: ho answered
ot Grace. told him twas sin for any one to
conclude themselves Rcprobatc. lie said he
would speak more, hut could not. Notwitn-
standing all this Semblancc of compunctiOn for
sin. It's to be feared that his trouble arose from
maid whom lie pussonatny loved; for that
when Mr.. Dwight and his master had agreed to
let him goe to her, he ettsuuue got we'll
In October, 1916, Nh. SrwaI! undertook a
journey from Boston into the Plymouth colony
in the course Of which he vent as far as Sand
wich. II seems that there WAS talk ut that
time Of rmting canal across the neck Of the
Cape Cod peninsula. The account given by
the young Puritan Of this adventurous jour
ney is entertaining his description Of tho
trouble lie had to manage his mare recalling
the ballad Of " John Gipin.' We quote somN
entries in the diary relating 10 tho subject.
Having ridden out about twelve miles beyond
Sandwich Mr.. Sewal came upon some horses
grazing Ave Of which belonged to his father.
He goes on to note that on Oct. % Took up
the young yoar-oll mare, slit tn" two
near ears Of the colts; their color WAS a Ghost
nut-Sorrel. whtish Names and Tails. The Hair
of the Tails cut Suunrp with tho kpifa