Near Mr. Hancock's residence is the State House, a noble structure upon Beacon Hill, the corner-stone of which was laid in 1795, by Governor Samuel Adams, assisted by Paul Revere, master of the Masonic grand lodge. There I sketched the annexed picture of the colossal statue of Washington, by Chantrey, which stands in the open center of the first story; also the group of trophies from Bennington, that hang over the door of the Senate chamber. * Under these trophies, in a gilt frame, is a copy of the reply of the Massachusetts Assembly to General Stark's letter, that accompanied the presentation of the trophies. It was written fifty years ago.
After enjoying the view from the top of the State House a while, I walked to Copp's Hill, a little east of Charlestown Bridge, at the north end of the town, where I tarried until sunset in the ancient burying-ground. The earliest name of this eminence was Snow Hill. It was subsequently named after its owner, William Copp.3 It came into the possession of the Ancient and
Honorable Artillery Company by mortgage, and when, in 1775, they were forbidden by Gage to parade on the Common, they went to this, their own ground, and drilled in defiance of his threats. The fort, or battery, that was built there by the British, just before the battle of Bunker Hill, stood near its southeast brow, adjoining the burying-ground. The remains of many eminent men repose in that little cemetery. Close by the entrance is the vault of the Mather family. It is covered by a plain, oblong structure of brick, three feet high and about six feet long, upon which is laid a heavy brown stone slab, with a tablet of slate, bearing the names of the principal tenants below. *** Oct 7, I passed the forenoon of the next day in the ms. rooms of the Massachusetts Historical Society, where every facility was afforded me by Mr. Felt, the librarian, for examining the assemblage of things curious collected there. (v) The printed books and manuscripts, relating principally to American his-
* See map on page 395.
** This is a picture of Chantrey's statue, which is made of Italian marble, and cost fifteen thousand dollars.
*** On some of the old maps of Boston it is called Corpse Hill, the name supposed to have been derived from the circumstance of a burying-ground being there.
****The following is the inscription upon the slate tablet: "The Reverend Doctors Increase, Cotton, and Samuel Mather were interred in this vault.
"Increase died August 27, 1723, Æ. 84.
Cotton "Feb. 13, 1727," 65.
Samuel "Jan. 27, 1785," 79." *