To you blest Patriots, we our cause submit,Illustrious Campden, Britain’s Guardian, Pitt.
Recede not, frown not, rather let us be
Deprived of being than of Liberty,
Let fraud or malice blacken all our crimes,
No disaffection stains these peaceful climes.
Oh save us, shield us from impending woes,
The foes of Britain only are our foes.
Beneath is the sketch—America, on one knee, pointing over her shoulder towards a retreating group, composed, as the chain and the plaid inform us, of the Prime Minister Bute, and company, upon whose heads a thunder cloud is bursting. At the same time America—the Indian, as before—supplicates the aid of others, whose leader is being crowned, by Fame, with a laurel wreath. The enormous nose—a great help to identification—marks the Earl of Chatham; Camden may be known by his wig; and Barré by his military air.
The third side is subscribed thus: “She endures the Conflict, for a short Season” and is inscribed thus:
Boast foul Oppression, boast thy transient Reign,
While honest Freedom struggles with her Chain,
But know the Sons of Virtue, hardy, brave,
Disclaim to lose thro’ mean Dispair to save;
Arrowed in Thunder awfull they appear,
With proud Deliverance stalking in their Rear,
While Tyrant Foes their pallid Fears betray,
Shrink from their Arms, and give their Vengeance way.
See in the unequal War Oppressors fall,
The hate, contempt, and endless Curse of all.
Beneath is the sketch—The Tree of Liberty, with an eagle feeding its young, in the topmost branches, and an angel advancing with an ægis.
The fourth side is subscribed thus: “And has her Liberty restored by the Royal hand of George the Third;” and is inscribed thus:
Our Faith approv’d, our Liberty restor’d,
Our Hearts bend grateful to our sov’reign Lord;
Hail darling Monarch! by this act endear’d,
Our firm affections are thy best reward—
Sh’d Britain’s self against herself divide,
And hostile Armies frown on either side;
Sh’d hosts rebellious shake our Brunswick’s Throne,
And as they dar’d thy Parent dare the Son.
To this Asylum stretch thine happy Wing,
And we’ll contend who best shall love our King.
Beneath is the sketch—George the Third, in armor, resembling a Dutch widow, in a long-short, introducing America to the goddess of liberty, who are, apparently, just commencing the Polka—at the bottom of the engraving are the words—Paul Revere Sculp. Our ancestors dealt rather in fact than fiction—they were no poets.
Gordon refers to LIBERTY TREE, i. 175.
The fame of LIBERTY TREE spread far beyond its branches. Not long before it was cut down, by the British soldiers, during the winter of 1775–6, an English gentleman, Philip Billes, residing at Backway, near Cambridge, England, died, seized of a considerable fortune, which he bequeathed to two gentlemen, not relatives, on condition, that they would faithfully execute a provision, set forth in his will, namely, that his body should be buried, under the shadow of LIBERTY TREE, in Boston, New England. This curious statement was published in England, June 3, 1774, and may be found in the Boston Evening Gazette, first page, Aug. 22, 1774, printed by Thomas & John Fleet, sign of the Heart and Crown, Cornhill.
No. XLIII.
Josiah Carter died, at the close of December, 1774. Never was there a happier occasion, for citing the Quis desiderio, &c., and I would cite that fine ode, were it not worn threadbare, like an old coverlet, by having been, immemorially, thrown over all manner of corpses, from the cobbler’s to the king’s.
If good old Dr. Charles Chauncy were within hearing, I would, indeed, apply to him a portion of its noble passages:
Multis ille bonis flebilis occidit,
Nulli flebilior quam tibi——.
For good Josiah many wept, I fancy;
But none more fluently than Dr. Chauncy.
Josiah Carter was sexton of the Old Brick. He died, in the prime of life—fifty only—a martyr to his profession—conscientious to a fault—standing all alone in the cold vault, after the last mourner had retired, and knocking gently upon the coffin lid, seeking for some little sign of animation, and begging the corpse, for Heaven’s sake, if it were alive, to say so, in good English.
Carter was one of your real integer vitæ men. It is said of him, that he never actually lost his self-government, but once, in his life.
He was finishing a grave, in the Granary yard, and had come out of the pit, and was looking at his work, when a young, surgical sprig came up, and, with something of a mysterious air, shadowed forth a proposition, the substance of which was, that Carter should sell him the corpse—cover it lightly—and aid in removing it, by night. In an instant, Carter jerked the little chirurgeon into the grave—it was a deep one—and began to fill up, with all his might. The screams of the little fellow drew quite a number to the spot, and he was speedily rescued. When interrogated, years afterwards, as to his real intentions, at the time, Carter always became solemnized; and said he considered the preservation of that young doctor—a particular Providence.
Carter had a strong aversion to unburying—so have I—especially a hatchet. I have a rooted hatred of slavery; and I hope our friends, on the sunny side of Mason’s and Dixon’s line, will not censure me, for digging up the graves of the past, and exposing unsightly relics, while I solicit the world’s attention to the following literary bijoux.
To be sold, a young negro fellow, fit for country or other business.—Will be sold to the highest bidder, a very good gold watch, a negro boy, &c.—Cheap, for cash, a negro man, and woman, and two children.—A very likely negro wench, about 16 years of age.—A likely negro woman, about 30, cheap for cash.—A likely negro boy, about 13.—Sold only for want of employ, a healthy, tractable negro girl, about 18 years of age.—To be sold, for want of employ, a strong, hearty negro fellow, about 25 years of age.—Ran away, a negro, named Dick, a well-looking, well-shaped fellow, right negro, little on the yellow, &c.—A likely negro woman, about 33 years old, remarkable for honesty and good temper.—Grant Webster has for sale new and second hand chaises, rum, wines, and male and female negroes.—At auction, a negro woman that is
