N.B. I mean to give the good-natured reader a whole chapter on the art of Story-telling.
Well, as I was ſaying, the Virginian being obliged to ſtoop—the ſtooping cauſed his head to be bowed down; and looking down, he ſaw a book lying upon the ſtarboard locker.—Well, ſays he, and what the d——l—but I think it expedient to omit the Virginian oath; for this man, not being a moral man, ſwore conſumedly, and did not know a bible by ſight, but only by hearſay.—And Captain, cried the Virginian, will you ſell this bible of yours: I hear it's a mighty clever book for children.—And why not for grown people? cried the Captain, taking up the book. Why, quoth the Virginian, becauſe I mean my three boys, who are from 11 to 14 years old, ſhall be good ſcholards at their larning—they can all ſay their letters already, and the youngeſt can ſpell.—The Boſton ſea Captain opening the bible found theſe words: "Search the ſcriptures;" and without ſaying any thing himſelf, pointed out the paſſage to the Virginian.—Pugh! ſaid the Virginian, and walked upon deck.—Now, to explain this myſtery, you muſt know the Yankee ſea Captain ſhewed him the paſſage to denote that he would ſooner ſell his ſoul to the d——l, than his bible to a Virginian;—and the Virginian ſaid pugh! and walked upon deck, becauſe he could not read.
Longevity. Since we published the examples of longevity, collected by the editor of the Medical Adviser, we have seen another list, which is supposed to comprise all, which can be found from the year 66 to 1799. The number of those who lived from one hundred and seventy to one hundred and eighty-five years is 3; from one hundred and sixty to one hundred and seventy, 2; from one hundred and fifty to one hundred and sixty, 3; from one hundred and forty to one hundred and fifty, 7; from one hundred and thirty to one hundred and forty, 26; from one hundred and twenty to one hundred and thirty, 84; from one hundred and ten to one hundred and twenty, 277; from one hundred to one hundred and ten, 1310. Total of those who survived a century, Seventeen hundred and twelve.——This writer could not have included in his list the examples of longevity which Russia furnished, for we frequently find in the bills of mortality of this country for a single year, twice the number of centenarians. We have before us the table of deaths for 1813, which gives the following remarkable ages. One 165;—three 135;—one 130;—fifteen 125;—thirty-three from 115 to 120;—fifty-three from 110 to 115;—one hundred and twenty-seven from 100 to 105;—fourteen hundred from 95 to 100;—two thousand eight hundred and forty-nine from 90 to 95;—four thousand four hundred and fifty-one from 85 to 90. Whole number of deaths 971,338.
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.