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The Olden Time Series, Vol. 6: Literary Curiosities: Gleanings Chiefly from Old Newspapers of Boston and Salem, Massachusetts — John Shaqi

The Olden Time Series, Vol. 6: Literary Curiosities: Gleanings Chiefly from Old Newspapers of Boston and Salem, MassachusettsBrooks, Henry M. (Henry Mason)

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The Olden Time Series, Vol. 6: Literary Curiosities: Gleanings Chiefly from Old Newspapers of Boston and Salem, Massachusetts

Name: The Olden Time Series, Vol. 6: Literary Curiosities: Gleanings Chiefly from Old Newspapers of Boston and Salem, Massachusetts
Author: Brooks, Henry M. (Henry Mason)

Brooks, Henry M. (Henry Mason)

Literary curiosa; New England -- Social life and customs

_Salem Observer,_ Oct. 29, 1825.

       *       *       *       *       *

Boston shop-signs in 1789.

    To read the signs in this town is a delicate, sentimental
    repast.--I hope _Bostonians_ will never complain of want of
    amusement, while there is one sign standing. If I had time,
    I would certainly consult _Milton_, to see how he has
    _arranged_ matters in his description of _chaos_.--I doubt
    not I could there get a _hint_ for two whole chapters. I had
    as lief take a walk through Cornhill, as to go to the
    new-invented moral lectures.

                                            _Herald of Freedom._

       *       *       *       *       *

                       A CURIOUS WOMAN.

We have often heard it said that men are curious, and we can well
believe it; but now we find it recorded that there has been at least
_one_ curious woman. Read the following extract from the "Salem Gazette"
of 1795:--

    Married at Andover, Mr. Aaron Osgood to the _curious_ Miss
    Ester Wardwell.

       *       *       *       *       *

                    "AWFULLY GOOD."

In our opinion the oft-repeated words "awfully good," "jolly fine," and
similar expressions, which sound so "charmingly sweet" from the lips of
interesting young ladies, are quite cast into the shade by language used
in the following extract from the Portsmouth, N.H., "Oracle of the
Day," Nov. 24, 1798:--

    MARRIED]--In this town, on Sunday evening last, by the Rev.
    Dr. Haven, MARK SIMES, Esq. Deputy Post-Master, &c. to the
    elegantly pretty and amiably delicate Miss MARY-ANN BLUNT,
    youngest daughter of the late Capt. John Blunt, of
    Little-Harbour.

        _Genius of Hymen; Power of fondest Love!
         In showers of bliss descend from worlds above,_
        _On_ Beauty's _rose, and_ Virtue's _manlier form,_
        _And shield, ah! shield them both, from time's tempestuous storm_!



       *       *       *       *       *

    A FEW years since, a young gentleman at the University in
    _Cambridge_ asked of a Collegian the loan of his _W_irgil.
    The inelegant pronunciation of the word _Virgil_ was
    burlesqued by the young Collegian in the following story,
    with which his invention readily supplied him:--_Lately_
    (says he) _I set out on a woyage to Wersailles, with one
    Captain Winal, in a British wessel called the Wiper; but we
    soon met with a wiolent storm, which drove us into a port in
    Wirginia; where one Capt. Waughn, a wery wicious man,
    inwited us aboard his wessel, and gave us some weal and
    wenison, with some winegar, which made me wery sick; so I
    did womit like wengeance;_ (and added, reaching out the
    book) _You may have my Wirgil, and welcome_. This humor had
    the desired effect; the young gentleman saw the absurdity of
    doing such w_iolence_ to the letter V, and has ever since
    spoke like other people.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Olden Time Series, Vol. 6: Literary Curiosities: Gleanings Chiefly from Old Newspapers of Boston and Salem, Massachusetts

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