Henry M. Brooks

“ A correspondent desires us to mention, that at Johnston, a few days since, four industrious young ladies, by "laying their fingers to the spindle, and their hands to the distaff," completed, in one day, the spinning and reeling of 21 fifteen-knotted skeins of good linen yarn. Would to God, that the Gentlemen at the head of our political affairs in this State, were half so zealous in encouraging our own manufactures, as the fair sex are; who, at present, deservedly bear the palm, as friends to their country. ”

“ Great Sir,—Your Kingdom is like a House divided against itself. Something Extraordinary must be done. Our Parliaments for fifty years past (or some of them) have ruined the Nation, in making a monstrous Debt by hiring Money, while greater Sums have been expended in Pride and Luxury. ”

“ Daniel Balkum, and, to the surprise and great satisfaction of all the friends to industry, spun, before sunset, 199 skeins of excellent linen yarn. Industry is the genuine source of all laudable pleasure. On it depend all the conveniences of life. Health, the greatest of blessings, depends on industry—beauty, on health. ”

“ Instant July to be a Day of Public Prayer throughout the Province: Whereon the whole People may as at one Time humble themselves before Almighty God, acknowledging their great Unworthiness, and confessing their manifold Sins, and imploring the Supreme Dispenser of all Good, that He would be graciously pleased not to with-hold from them the Fruits of the Earth, but by seasonable and refreshing Rains bring what yet remains undestroyed to a due and seasonable Maturity. ”

“ We flatter ourselves with the pleasing expectation of seeing the virtuous fair clothed and ornamented in the genuine productions of their own labour.
We hear from Gloucester, that on Thursday last nearly thirty young ladies, inspired with the love of industry, asslembled at the house of Capt. Philemon Haskell, for the praise-worthy purpose of a Federal Spinning Match, when, to their honour, their spirited exertion produced 99 skeins of excellent yarn—practically declaring, that they neither laboured in vain or spent their strength for nought. ”

“ Francis Bernard, demands a thousand Pounds Sterling a Year; one half that Sum is more than Enough, especially as the Nation is ready to sink with the Weight of its Public Debt. The Clergy can tell their Congregations that the New Testament rather reproves than commands the wearing of costly Array and faring sumptuously every Day; And I may venture to tell my Readers that all those who neglect taking a conscientious care to pay their Debts, private Debts, as well as public, are in the high Way to Destruction; the commonness of the Sin don't abate the Malignity of it. ”

“ The people here are extravagantly fond of dress; a stranger would take Montreal to be a city inhabited by none but the rich and idle: they are all finely powdered, walk with their hats under their arms, and wear long coats, adorned with tinsel lace, and buttoned down to the extremity. ”

“ Samuel Deane of this town, more than one hundred of the fair sex, married and single ladies, most of whom, were skilled in the important art of spinning. An emulous industry was never more apparent than in this beautiful assembly. The majority of fair hands gave motion to not less than sixty wheels. Many were occupied in preparing the materials, besides those who attended to the entertainment of the rest,—provision for which was mostly presented by the guests themselves, or sent in by other generous promoters of the exhibition, as were also the materials for the work. ”

“ The accommodation offered for travel between Boston and New York before the Revolution must have been slim enough, judging from an advertisement in the "Boston [Pg 21] Gazette" in 1761. Passengers then went by vessel from Providence; that is, "Gentlemen Passengers." Whether ladies were accommodated or not, does not appear; but perhaps they were in the habit of going by stage, taking a week or so to accomplish the journey, or, more than likely, few ever travelled at all in those times. In our day, when every one is on the move, it is hard to realize this state of things. ”

“ In this country, as Emerson says, "Every rider drives too fast." It is hard to be simple and slow. We must build fast, eat fast, and live fast. But Emerson says again, "Nature has no respect for haste." Herbert Spencer has given us in a [Pg 7] kindly spirit some hints on this score which it would be well to heed. But we are wandering from our immediate subject. Our desire is to illustrate, in the very words of the people of the period we refer to, the views they entertained of economy and industry, and how they carried them out. ”

“ The leading occupations were farming, fishing, making New England [Pg 4] rum, importing rum, sugar, and molasses from the West Indies, and dry goods from England. The common people were poor enough, in comparison with the condition of the same class at the present time, when they make as good an appearance as the wealthy did a hundred years ago. It would be safe to say that they have more comforts and conveniences in their homes to-day than the more prosperous had at the time of the Revolution. ”

“ THE unparelelled Barbarities exerted by the French against our Settlements in America, might justify the bitterest Revenge in the Army under my Command; but Britons breathe higher Sentiments of Humanity, and listen to the merciful Dictates of the Christian Religion. Yet should you suffer yourselves to be deluded by an imaginary Prospect of our want of Success ”

“ In Scotland, the farmers knit as well as the women of their families; but they do this while they are watching their sheep or cattle, or while they are sitting by their evening fire in winter. Why cannot our American farmers and their sons adopt this frugal practice? Time is the most precious thing in the world. Its very fragments should be saved.
Providence, May 17. Monday last, eighteen young ladies assembled, with their spinning-wheels, at the house of Captain Jonathan Treadwell, and spun 40 skeins of good linen yarn. ”

“ Whether the people who lived then would have shown the extravagance which characterizes our time if they had possessed the means, is a question not easily to be answered; but it is certain they were more frugal than we are, if not more industrious. ”

“ Every proper attempt of the Governours of the University to lessen the expense of a liberal education must be grateful to the Publick, and meet with their hearty concurrence; the Members of the Community, therefore, in general, and the Parents and Guardians of the Students in particular, it is not doubted, will be well pleased with some late regulations, made by the Corporation and Overseers, to introduce economy in dress, and will readily perform their part, in carrying them into effect. ”

“ Nothing short of the highest degree of infatuation and madness could ever have prevailed with us to introduce unwholesome Exoticks. The voice of reason crys louder than ever for their perpetual banishment ”

“ That the dress of the Students be neat and decent is highly proper; but that it should be very ornamental [Pg 75] and expensive is ever needless, and oftentimes pernicious: Nor will any Student, who is solicitous to acquire knowledge, and sincerely disposed to improve his time to the best advantage, in obtaining such degrees of it, as may enable him to be extensively useful to the Community, feel a reluctance to economical institutions respecting dress. ”

“ Some one has remarked "that to be well-dressed gives a feeling of satisfaction [Pg 2] that religion fails to give;" but to us, to sit before a blazing wood fire on a dull, cold evening, gives a feeling of comfort and delight which surpasses anything we know of. ”

“ Then surely will the Law of Nations justify the Waste of War, so necessary to crush an ungenerous Enemy: and Then, the miserable Canadians must in the Winter have the Mortification of seeing those very Families, they have been exerting a fruitless and indiscreet Bravery for, perish by the most dismal Want and Famine. ”

“ Yet we must allow that prejudice and fashion go a great way in determining our likes and dislikes, in furniture as well as in dress and other things. Very likely in a few years we shall tire of the Queen Anne houses and furniture, and hard floors, and have a surfeit of Anglomania, especially if we carry the taste too far. ”

“ But oftentimes the very simplicity, solidity, and strength of old furniture, for instance, is charming, in contrast with the elaborate, unmeaning carvings and flimsy character of more modern productions. ”

“ Many occupations of female industry, strictly domestic however, of a healthy and agreeable nature, are constantly presenting themselves, so that there is little danger that the race of industrious women, and accomplished wives, at least among the country girls, will soon be extinct ”

“ The Revolution left the masses of the people in rather a destitute condition, and they were forced to be economical. Their habits were so entirely different from modern habits that it would exceed our limits to undertake [Pg 5] to draw a careful comparison. It is said that the people of those days bewailed the degeneracy of the times, and spoke of the industry and frugality of earlier periods. ”

“ Since I came here, I have not seen one man dressed like a tradesman. The ladies in general are handsome, extremely gay, and well bred."
In 1767 the best soap and "dipt" and "mould" candles were sold at the post-office in Boston, according to an advertisement in the "Gazette" of October 26. The candles were made of tallow, and gave but little light, requiring almost constant snuffing. Other kinds of [Pg 24] candles were not in general use in New England in the last century. ”

“ We have not been able to find that any of the inhabitants of Salem engaged in the slave-trade; but we notice that at a town-meeting held in the month of May, 1773, the following vote was passed: "That the Representatives of the Town be instructed to use their utmost Endeavours to prevent the future Importation [Pg 57] of Negroes into this Province; their Slavery being repugnant to the natural Rights of Mankind and highly prejudicial to the Province." ”

“ To be sold by the Printer of this Paper, a negro man about thirty years old, who can do both town and country business very well, but will suit the country best, where they have not so many dram-shops [Pg 32] as we have in Boston. He has worked at the printing business fifteen or sixteen years; can handle axe, saw, spade, hoe, or other instrument of husbandry, as well as most men, and values himself, and is valued by others, for his skill in cookery. ”

“ They say that they are "fully sensible that our calamities are in a great measure occasioned by the luxury and extravagance of individuals, and are of opinion that it is a duty they owe their country as well as their families to retrench as far as possible all unnecessary expenses." ”

“ We must after all our Efforts, depend greatly upon the Female Sex for the Introduction of Oeconomy among us: And those who have the Pleasure of an Acquaintance with them, assure us that their utmost Aid will not be wanting.
So strong is the Disposition of the Inhabitants of this Town to take off the Manufactures that come from the Country Towns, especially Womens and Childrens Winter Apparel, that nothing is wanting but an Advertisement where they may be had in Town, which will be taken in, and published by the Printers of this Paper Gratis. ”

“ Montreal in general is a well built town, but incapable of any defence. The churches are elegant, and the houses of some of their principal men are really magnificent; though few in number. The Hotel Dieu is by far the finest hospital I ever saw, every thing in it is extremely neat and convenient. ”

“ I have an Income of but about eighty Pounds Sterling a Year, including my own Hands Labour, nevertheless I am freely willing to pay one quarter Part of it in Taxes till my Public Debts are paid. Others that have Two hundred a Year, can with Ease pay one half of it in Taxes, if need be. Pay thy Debts; Owe no man anything is Law, Divine and Moral. Immoral Men are in the road that leads to Hell ”

“ How Unequal are our Ways: These Officers must have large Half-Pay, while the common Soldiers are not allowed small Half-Pay—who have been exposed generally to greater Hardships than their Officers. Either let all have Half-Pay or none. ”

“ A young Negro Woman about 20 Years of Age, born in this Country, possess'd of many good Qualifications, is a very good COOK, can handle her Needle well, and do every Kind of Business about House, and sold only for want of Employ. ”

“ The use of Hyperion or Labradore Tea, is every day coming into more general vogue among people of all ranks. The virtues of the plant or shrub from which this delicate Tea is gathered, were first discovered by the Aborigines, and from them the Canadians learned them. ”

“ And it is further ordered, That whatever male person shall appear or walk in the procession of any funeral in this town with any new mourning or new black or other new mourning coat or waistcoat, or with any other new black apparel, save and except a black crape around one arm, or shall afterwards on account of the decease of any relation, or other person or persons, put on and wear any other mourning than such piece of black crape around one arm, shall forfeit and pay the sum of twenty shillings for every day he shall put on and wear or appear in the same. ”

“ A brief account of Montreal in the "Boston Gazette," March 30, 1761.
NEW-YORK, March 23.
Extract of a Letter from Montreal.
——"The Case of the poor Canadians is really deplorable, occasioned by the bankruptcy of the crown of France. Many of them who had, with great danger and labour, acquired estates worth 20,000 l. sterl. by the fur-trade, or otherwise, can now scarce procure a dinner. All their remittances from their mother country, consisted in bills on the French King, which are not now worth one farthing, as no body whatever will accept of them in payment. ”