The Right hand keep, if Hell on Earth you fear—

Madam Knight had a habit of “dropping into poetry” very readily and upon almost any subject. Upon the moon, upon poverty, even upon the noise of drunken topers in the next room to her own. The night-scene that brought forth the rhymes upon rum was graced by a conversation upon the derivation of the word Narragansett, and her report of it is of much interest, and is always placed among the many and various authorities for, and suggestions about, the meaning of the word:—

I went to bed which tho’ pretty hard Yet neet and handsome but I could get no sleep because of the Clamor of some of the Town-tope-ers in next Room who were entered into a strong debate concerning ye Signifycation of the name of their Country (viz) Narraganset. One said it was named so by ye Indians because there grew a Brier there of a prodigious Highth and bigness, the like hardly ever known, called by the Indians Narragansett. And quotes an Indian of so Barberous a name for his Author that I could not write it. His Antagonist Replyd No.—It was from a spring it had its name, which he well knew where it was, which was extreem cold in summer, and as Hott as could be imagined in the winter which was much resorted to by the natives and by them called Narragansett (Hott & Cold) and that was the originall of their places name—with a thousand Impertinances not worth notice, which He uttered with such a Roreing voice & Thundering blows with the fist of wickedness on the Table that it pierced my very head. I heartily fretted and wisht ’um tonguetyed; but with little success.

They kept calling for tother Gill which while they were swallowing, was some Intermission But presently like Oyle to fire encreased the flame. I set my Candle on a Chest by the bedside, and setting up fell to my old way of composing my Resentments in the following manner:—

I ask thy aid O Potent Rum

To charm these wrangling Topers Dum

Thou hast their Giddy Brains possest

The man confounded with the Beast

And I, poor I, can get no rest

Intoxicate them with thy fumes