New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-21

.-,n,,, "a cheat the revenue that when serious
nor was made to enforce these laws the snug
ol.rs considered it all outrage. The colonsts, IN
foot were educated TO the conviction that Inc
revenue laws were made only to be VioIa'eo anu
since it was perfectly evident that the mercahtlf
polcy upheld by England aimed at the sacrihce
Of all independent colonial life and hope, IL was
not merely natural but inevitable that the Amer
lea s should grow more and more hilhicoI 10 'nis
alien and virtually hostile government, anu
should Ike ripe for revolt against n when 1t was
seriously determined to carry 1t INTO enec' IN
letter and spirit.
A. the beginning OF the eighteenth century
civilization hsh made marked advances. The
Introduction OF tea and coffee hnd important re-
sults. Malt wos superseded by alcoholic spirits
md by cider in New England, finally tea and
coffee supplantcd these as the common beverage
There were no tea-kettles as yet. and when the
ladies went for Q gossip ond drinking. each car
ried ler own teacup-very small-with saucer. and
spoon" BY l74O Bennett finds the ladies' In
Boston drinking tee and "indulgne every little
piece Of eentllty and neglecting the a1alrs OF
their families with good q grace AS the finest
ladies In London But the old fashions still
held with the majority. Madeira wine and rum
punch were the social drinks while the scner-
atty OF the people with their victuals drank cider
which was plentiful at three shilings the barrel
There was no good beer brcwed In the country at
this period nor until long after Food gcner-
ally was very cheap Benefits list Of Boston
prices puts beef, mutton. lamb and veal at two
pence per pound "venison plenty and cheap
poultry very cheap-turkcys Mt two shulnes.
which would BE- six or seven shillings in London
Wild pigeons abundant and cheap from June to
September: q twelve pound cod at two pence
smclts plenty; Mlmon about one penny pound.
HOLSTERS were three half-penoe and bn'ter eX-
cellent at three pence" Only cheese was poor
This was the dietary Of the rich and well-to-dO
The commonalty ate salt pork and fish. baked
beans, Indian pudding, rye-and-Indan bread lrlrh
eggs and black broth "boilcd dinner OF
salt meats, cabbage anil other vegetables. favored
together, WIS common dish. served generally in
wooden trenchers. Barley fire cake for break
fast, parchsd corn nocake, and ;cr company
cake made of parohed corn and strawberries. was
served Baked pumpkins common In win
fer Potatoes came into cultivation about lI20
About the same period forks began to he generally
used Before that the knife waR tile sole table
instrument, and was supplemented by plentiful
supply of napkins in the more advanced house.
holds.
There was not much reading. Literature was
at discount in the colonies until the middle OF
the eighteenth century Manners did not improv"
with time Much rum was consumed and still
more was traded away OIL the coast Of Africa for
black IVORY" Mr.. Weedcn presents solid evil
dence Of the extent Of the slave trade ana OF us
survival far beyond the period when II ceased To
br possible to condonc il on the ground That tue
moral sense Of the world not suhlcienty
awakened 10 condemn il. The New-England mer-
chants knew that It wrong. but II was 40
profitable that they could not bring themselves
70 abandon IL. SO they went 10 church regularly
and lived decorously before their neighbors. and
at their business offices directed the watering OF
the rum which WINS 10 r exchanged Tor human
beings According TO ono set OF tgures-which,
however II is fair 10 say, Mr. Wooden doubts b."
GAUGE Of tie magnitude Of the numbers-bctw wen
two and three thousand slaves wcre i'm
ported 10 Boston. on nm average every year Tor
twenty wears Ii may we'll hc hoped that f'">"
figures are wrong: but the ndlsputahlc 1ac'o ar"
bad enough, and not 10 hr made 10 consist with
the professions Of tho slave-drncrs. As has been
said. dancing was prohibited for many years. but
when i, did cot foothold the people began 10 make
TN for lost time. AT wedding dance III Nor
wicb. more elaborate than usual. with % guests,
there were recorded Q? jigs 80 oontrahancr~.
A. nlinucts. u hornpipes In Boston on one
occasion. a Drum or Rou;" broke into tho Sab
bath at a. m: vet IT does not appear that
any one was pursued or punished. Jollitications
Of a substantial kind, trlpc supprrs si1 thr'e
"frolick.," wer~ the order Of tho day. and NJ
these and other festivities there was of'en deep
drinking.
We have almost confined ontselves in This ~
view TO the social aspects Of Mr.. Wredens his
tory: but it's solid value consists In the economic
side which points ont the steps ny which tho
colonies developed material wr'l'h and acquired
| the habltudes and resources which prepared aud
enabled them 10 win Independence There Is not
a chapter in these volumes which il not deserving
| OF study and which does not throw new lch'
| upon trade or finance or coast"isr Or ocean COM
mcrce Mr. Wcrdcn's work will hr ap ind,rus'-
bic adIunci 70 all American histories and even 10
those not Interested In history its pages must APP
neal because Of th- store Of curious and rcconditc
social tradition ard "reminiscences they present. ma
! their vivid pictures OF stages OF National growth
20 which the passage Of time sres all the plctur-
| esaneness Of uediaevalism.