Diary of Anna Green Winslow, a Boston School Girl of 1771 Part 10

"To be seen at Mrs. Hannah Teatts Mantua Maker at the Head of Summer Street Boston a Baby drest after the Newest Fashion of Mantuas and Night Gowns & everything belonging to a dress. Latily arrived on Capt. White from London, any Ladies that desire it may either come or send, she will be ready to wait on 'em if they come to the House it is Five Shilling, & if she waits on 'em it is Seven Shilling."

These models of fashion were employed until this century.

NOTE 65.

We can have a very exact notion of the books imported and printed for and read by children at that time, from the advertis.e.m.e.nts in the papers. In the _Boston Gazette and Country Journal_, of January 20, 1772, the booksellers, c.o.x and Berry, have this notice:--

The following Little Books for the Instruction & Amus.e.m.e.nt of all good Boys and Girls.

The Brother Gift or the Naughty Girl Reformed.

The Sister Gift, or the Naughty Boy Reformed.

Hobby Horse or Christian Companion.

Robin Good-Fellow, A Fairy Tale.

Puzzling Cap, A Collection of Riddles.

The Cries of London as exhibited in the Streets.

Royal Guide or Early Introduction to Reading English.

Mr Winloves Collection of Stories.

" " Moral Lectures.

History of Tom Jones abridg'd from the works of " " Joseph Andrews H. Fielding.

" " Pamela abridg'd from the works of " " Grandison S. Richardson, Esq.

" " Clarissa

NOTE 66.

General John Winslow was but a distant kinsman of Anna's, for he was descended from Edward Winslow. He was born May 27, 1702; died April 17, 1774. He was a soldier and jurist, but his most prominent position (though now of painful notoriety) was as commander of that tragic disgrace in American history, the expedition against the Acadians. It is told in extenuation of his action that before the annihilation and dispersion of that unfortunate community he addressed them, saying that his duty was "very disagreeable to his natural make and temper as it must be grievous to them," but that he must obey orders,--and of course what he said was true.

NOTE 67.

The exercises attending this election of counsellors must indeed have been an impressive sight. The Governor, attended by a troop of horse, rode from the Province House to Cambridge, where religious services were held. An Election Sermon was preached. Volleys and salutes were fired at the Battery and Castle. A protest was made in the public press, as on the previous year, against holding this election in Cambridge instead of in the "Town House in Boston, the accustomed Ancient Place," and also directly to the Governor, which was answered by him in the newspapers; and at this election a most significant event occurred--John Hanc.o.c.k declined to accept a seat among the counsellors, to which he had been elected. The newspapers--the _Ma.s.sachusetts Spy_ and the _Boston Gazette and Country Journal_--commented on his action thus:--

"Mr Hanc.o.c.ks declining a seat in the Council Board is very satisfactory to the Friends of Liberty among his const.i.tuents. This Gentleman has stood five years successively and as often Negativ'd.

Whatever may have been the Motive of his being approbated at last his own Determination now shows that he had rather be a Representative of the People since he has had so repeatedly their Election and Confidence."

NOTE 68.

Boston had two election days. On Artillery Election the Ancient and Honorable Artillery had a dress parade on the Common. The new officers were chosen and received their new commissions from the new Governor. No negroes were then allowed on the Common. The other day was called "n.i.g.g.e.r Lection," because the blacks were permitted to throng the Common and buy gingerbread and drink beer, as did their betters at Artillery Election.

NOTE 69.

Col. Thomas Marshall was a Revolutionary officer. He commanded the Tenth Ma.s.sachusetts Regiment at Valley Forge. He was Captain of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery from 1763 to 1767, and at one time commanded Castle Island, now Fort Independence. He was one of the Selectmen of Boston at the time when the town was invested by troops under Washington. He died at Weston, Ma.s.s., on November 18, 1800.

NOTE 70.

A night gown was not in those days a garment for wear when sleeping, but resembled what we now call a tea-gown. The night attire was called a rail. Both men and women wore in public loose robes which they called night gowns. Men often wore these gowns in their offices.

NOTE 71.

Many Boston people agreed with Anna in her estimate of Rev. Samuel Stillman. He was called to the First Baptist Church in 1765, and soon became one of Boston's most popular and sensational preachers.

Crowds thronged his obscure little church at the North End, and he took an active part in Revolutionary politics. Many were pleased with his patriotism who did not agree with him in doctrine. In the curious poem on Boston Ministers, already quoted, we read:--

Last in my list is a Baptist, A real saint, I wot.

Though named Stillman much noise he can Make when in pulpit got.

The mult.i.tude, both grave and rude, As drove by wind and tide, After him hie, when he doth try To gain them to his side.

NOTE 72.

Mr. and Mrs. Hooper were "King" Hooper and his wife of Marblehead.

He was so called on account of his magnificent style of living. He was one of the Harvard Cla.s.s of 1763; was a refugee in 1775, and died insolvent in 1790. The beautiful mansion which he built at Danvers, Ma.s.s., is still standing in perfect condition, and is the home of Francis Peabody, Esq. It is one of the finest examples of eighteenth century architecture in New England.

NOTE 73.

This "Miss Becca" was Rebecca Salisbury, born April 7, 1731, died September 25, 1811. She was a fine, high-spirited young woman, and upon being taunted by a rejected lover with,

"The proverb old--you know it well, That women dying maids, lead apes in h.e.l.l,"

(a belief referred to in _Taming of the Shrew_, Act II. Scene 1), she made this clever rhyming answer:--

"Lead apes in h.e.l.l--tis no such thing; The story's told to fool us.

But better there to hold a string, Than here let monkeys lead us."

She married Daniel Waldo May 3, 1757. The "very pretty Misses" were their daughters; Elizabeth, born November 24, 1765, died unmarried in Worcester, August 28, 1845; and Martha (who in this diary is called Patty), born September 14, 1761, died November 25, 1828. She married Levi Lincoln, Lieutenant-Governor of Ma.s.sachusetts, and became the mother of Levi Lincoln, Governor of Ma.s.sachusetts, Enoch Lincoln, Governor of Maine, and Col. John Lincoln.

NOTE 74.

The fashion of the roll was of much importance in those days. A roll frequently weighed fourteen ounces. We can well believe such a heavy ma.s.s made poor Anna's head "ach and itch like anything." That same year the _Boston Gazette_ had a laughable account of an accident to a young woman on Boston streets. She was knocked down by a runaway, and her headdress received the most serious damage. The outer covering of hair was thrust aside, and cotton, tow, and false hair were disgorged to the delight of jeering boys, who kicked the various stuffings around the street. A Salem hair-dresser advertised that he would "attend to the polite construction of rolls to raise ladies heads to any pitch desired." The Abbe Robin, traveling through Boston a few years later, found the hair of ladies' heads "raised and supported upon rolls to an extravagant height."