New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
MEN AND MANNERS SIXTY YEARS AGO.

1921, Harvard College). oVo" PIP 1V'
HTuthers -,
Itwas only a few weeks ago thar the veneraoIe
hand that wrote this book dropped the pen forever
md was shut away "wthin the House OF sleep
With the genial Quincy. the son oil the secohu
MAYOR of Boston, died the last chrohicler oi INC
time when that city was nearly week "'tah' from
New-York; when politicians were men Il learning
skilled in manners and lofty in rhetoric; whom
lnpe-breecLes verl still worn and powder had bu'
lust gone Out-a time when money-Se1ung
was less an end than a means. Strangely youthful
after al Gems the Republic when we c'iiLe that the
writer who has so lately LETT US protegc OF
President John Adams and that one OF the Trends
Of his young manhood was the trim and agreeable
lawyer who called Washington Uncle George
md had exchanged many joke with that august
Parsonage Mr.. Quncy's delightful "reminiscences
bring freshly before eyes the early years OF the
century and the men who then made American MS
tory-and bring them with humor, kindness
aud manly delicacy that are Irresistible. lie mas
proved that a daust can be captivating without be-
lug cruel that the court sy and weil-brcd retcence
which gentleman observes in converse ion may be
observed as we'll in his diary without spollihg
ths wit OF pictuTcsQu Of his record lhere is
en old-fashoncd grace about this htle bOOk-a
blending of simplicity, dignity and humor that
gives il n mellow charm II is the work OF man
Fielding; who knew something, moreover, OF the
classics and all whose carly associations were a.
learned and refined as Puritan Massachusetts, could
offer
still remained in NewEngland when Quincy was a
rchool-boy at Audover The spirit OF Master Cotton
Mather reigned in the stralt-laced town ana us
academy and modification OF the flesh was
tractsed t. a degree grievous to the youthful de-
. ID I.,vt, HON vyoa no IT Ter co
of stove and furnace in the old mceti!C-
house wherein on winter DAYS they
listened to spiritual instruction, and
The boys, mufted in comforters, shivered through
the long services and felt fewer terTors than might
otherwise have sezed them at the vivid descriptions
of that region in which the easiest pace, as Master
NiggleswOrth has informed Us, is reserved for IN
baptized infants. The chilly youths were expected
TO remember aud repeat the text and heads OF the
discourse. and found it not very diff
omit except when the sermon turned
upon the doctrine of election, as rot
inconsi tent with individual freedom. "Tais was
a craggy theme" SAYS Mr.. Quincy" with which the
Andover dvines were accustomed 20 grappe with
prea, shirt. They certainly showed, or appeared
10 show, that we were perfectly free to choose
destiny which, nevertheless, had been absolutely
decreed beforehand. but the reasoning which dis
solved this formidable paradox was altogether too
subtle for the youthful brain to follow" Mr..
Quincy's report of sermon on dancing illustrates
the gal ant style in which the Andlver ministers
faced sin:
II happened that proposition 10 teach dancing
in the town had been made by some rash professor
of that accomplishment. Under this visitation
there clearly hut one subject for tie next sun
dav's discourse. The good minister rose IN the pull
nil fully armed for the encounters hut he was not
Inc man 10 take unfair advantages. The adversary
should be allowed every point winch seemed 10
In h1c faVn N n of
design text was given out which certainly did
seem little awkward in view o. the deductions
the Book of Eccesiastes and was announced with
unAInohng emphasis, " There Is time TO dance
The preacher began by body facing the perform
ance of King David.
When before the Ark
His grand pas seUl excited some remark
But Notwithstanding the record We were assured
that David did not dance. a reference to the
steps" All he dio was 10 jump up and down in a
very innocent manner, and 1t was EVIDENT that
this r Ggisndsed Of the Rampe the ahe the
waywds clear to take up the assertion o. solomon
that there a time to dauce. Were TINS the case,
il were pertinent TO consider what that time might
be- Could man find tine 10 dance before H. was
converted 7 10 ask such q quest on as that was .
answer it, The terrible risks TO which The
unregenerate were exposed and the necessity that
was upon them TO take summary measures for their
avoidance, clearly left no time for dancing And
how was IL with a man while be beng con-
yertedf Overwhe lined with the S nSe Of SIN, and
diligently seeking the remedy, IL was simply pre-
posierous TO imagine that he could find time for
dancing And how was IL with the saints who had
been converted7 Surely such time as they had
must be spent III religious exercises for
the conversion Of Others obviously they had
no time TO dance. And 80 the whole of
human life had been cover. d. and the conclusion
was driven home with resistiess force. What time
for dancing solomon might have had IL mind II was
unnecessary TO inquire, Tor II was simply Demon
strable that he could not have referred to any
moment OF the time allotted % man on this EARTH
After this discourse II is needless TO say that no
dane ng-mas,er showed his face IN Andoyer Curng
my acquaintance with the town.
The Sunday laws enforced at AndOveT with
stern resolution, but not always successfully After
some scandalous breaking OF rules in the driving
about OF carriages a deacon joined the tithhg-iDcD
at the toli-gate Sunday with gOdly deter
mination 10 stop all wayiarers. A gentleman driy-
ing fine horse was seen 10 pas along the street,
and all the boys o. the academy waited with Ind
den glee to see him brought back 10y the good dea-
con in ignumnous captivity. Bur this part Of the
programme was not carried out and not
until the return of the deacon aud his guard at
set was the abominable revealed
The gentleman had been duly stopped at the toll
gate and informed that be could go further. The
willy fellow expressed no indgna ion but assured
the deacon that he delighted TO find that
AudOver was bent enforcing the admirable
Sunday laws aud had selected such
prompt and excellent agents :" But the law,
gentlemen" he continued, "as you well know, ex-
cepts these who travel upon erTands OF necessity
mercy; and / assure you that my mother is lying
dead In Boston" The gate upon This statement
was opened and the traveller went forward. When
fairly out Of danger this goddess
person turned himself about and shouted
Goodbye, DeaConi tell the busybodies Of Ando-
yer that my mother is lying dead i'll Boston-and
you may add, if you like, that che has been lying
dead there for the last twenty yearsw Mr. Quincy
does not forget to record that this doleful
rense was much improved as a text of q lecture to
thr bows on the SIN Of prevaricatiOD.