Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-21
THE LIBRARY TABLE
By The Bookloper

has often been compared with the
diaries of John Evelyn and Samuel
Pepys in English letters. Sewalls diary
covers long period--from 1878 10 lfay
and discloses man of many inter-
ests and prominent In the affairs OF the
Massachusetts, colony He wrote II WIN
out self consciousness or purpose OF
publication. and 1t was not until 1878
1882 that 1t was printed by the Massa-
chusetts Historical Society, in three VOL
umes. It throws much light upon the
life of Massa chusetts and the neighbour
ing colonies In those early days. Samuel
sewall was graduate Of Harvard, Wnefe
he studied divinity. entered the minis
try, held many Offices In the colony De.
came Judge of the Superior Court, ana
later It's chief JUSTICE. He was In ONCE
at the time of the trials Of the Salem
witches. and Joined In the prevailing
belief In Witchcratt. He was more I'D
eral. or perhaps more honest. tnan SoItis
of his contemporaries, however, iol HsS
! years after the trials he MADE pup4ie
! confession in church that he had p2en
in error In his judgment, and regretted
his part In sending innocent persons W
their deaths. Though this cnutd ioS
benefit the victims. IL was more tiia'.
was ever done by the Mather3 VINO, II
ever they felt that they had been ms
| taksn did no. make their change OF
opinion public. Church activities play
an important part In the diary. az 90
weddings, christcnings. funerals ana
Journeys to settlements nearby. Frlvo!-
ity. such as dancing and May day ies-
tivities. and the lawlessr11ss OF tne
| sailors about Boston. as well as Inc I'M
morality Of some OF the regular irnaoi-
tants. are severely condemned.
## *%
.iamuel Sewail was three times mar
risd. and was the father of ID children.
His first wife. Hannah Scrall, died In
her sixtieth year. The hereaved nus
band recorded In the diary; God is
teaching me new Lesion. to i've
Widowers Life" But the lesson was
evidently not to his taste, for before
four months had passed he was visiting
the elderly widow. Madam winthrop
whose husband had recently died. The
discreet description Of the courtship OF
Madam Winthrop Is one OF the most
interesting parts of the diary On one
of the early visits SeWall understand
ingly played upon the string OF mutual
sympathy: Il ask her to give and take
Coincidence" Before going farther he
gave some thought to his intentions .
This morning wandering in my mind
whether to live Single or Married
Life" His mind was evidently soon set
tied In the direction of matrimony but
meanwhile another widow had eclipscd
Madam Winthrop certain Mrs Dani-
son, whose husbands will Sewall had
lust proved. Business visits to the widow
were followed b. frequent visits OF q
more social nature. and within few
months he was attempting to adjust
terms of marriage settlement with her,
She seems to have been less anxious
than he to change the widowed condi-
ton, for one entry in the diary reads:
Il told her ! was willing to give her
Two Hundred and Fifty pounds per
annum during her life, II II should
please God to take me out OF the
world bstore her. She answered she
had better keep as she was than give a
Certainty for an uncertainty" Having
/ resolved upon matrimony, and being
diverted for some reason from Madam
Winthrop. he soon began calling upon o
third widow Mrs. Tiily commended
by his daughter. Judith--and this time
had better success, He and Mrs, T.1y
we're married after the briefest Of court
ships. but the bride was taken III on her
wedding day with Fit of the Ttssiek,
splitting, partly blood" and died in about
six months. Again widower, sewali
Winthrop II went to Madam Win
throps just at g. spake TO her. saying,
my loving wife died SO soon and sud-
denly twas hardly convenient for me
10 think of Marrying again: however. !
came to this Resolution. that would
not make my Court to any person with
out first Consulting with her" The
diary entries at this time show deter
mined purpose on the part of Sewall,
but unresponsiveress from Madam VIM
throp. Madam ssem'd TO harp upon
the same string, Must take care OF her
Children: could not leave that House
and Neighborhood where she had dwelt
so long. told her she might doe her
children as much or more good BY be-
slowing what she laid out In House
keeping. upon them I'm the Evening
visited Madam Winthrop. who treated
me with great deal OF Curtesy. Wine,
darmalade. Madam Winthrop's
Countenance was much changed from
what twas on Monday. look'd dark and
lowering, At last ! got my
Chair In place had some Converse, but
very Cold and indifferent TO what twas
before, Ask'd her to aequit me OF Rude
ness II / drew of her Glove. Enuuiring
the reason. told her twas great odds
between handling = dead Goat and
LIVING Lady" In the Evening visited
Madam winthrop who Treated me
Cautiously, but not In Clean Linen as
sometimes" About 9 ,--clock | go to
| Madam Winthrops She re-
Iceiv'd me Courteously. ask'd when our
proceedings should be made pubiick;
She said They were like to be no more
publick than they were already, Of
fer'd me no Wine that remember /
rose up at IL a-clock TO come away.
saving ! would put ON my Coat; She
offer'd not to help me. pray'd her
that Juno might light me home, she
opan'd the shutter, and said twas
pretty light abroad: Juno was weary
and gone to bed" After various other
discouraging visits. the elderly sutton
pronounced the end Of the atfaid with
the entry: Dine at Rror Stoddard's:
were so kind as 10 enquire of me If they
should invite Madam winthrop: I an
swer'd No." He was married for the
last time to Mrs. Mary Gibbs OF Newton.
and about three years later recorded I'm
this diary the death of Madam VIM
throp. Mrs. Katherine winthrop, Rel
let of the honbie, Waitstill Winthrop
esqr, died. aetatis 81 Was
buried in the South-burying place. In a
Tomb near the Northeast Corner. win
be much miss'd,"
n
An Artist In the Family" by Sarah
Gertrude Millin, Is study OF artistic
cnacentricity Theo Blssaker, son OF an
East African family. Ii sent by his
father at some sacrific~ to Cambridge
to be educated In the LAWS sent, but
does not 60, He goes instead to Italy
to paint. and arranges circuitous
route for his correspondence with his
parents. by way OF Cambridge. He pur-
sues his career by returning to Africa.
al ri tpl&n,t. ba nf,s. ast hntnn