Notes.

Formany reasons it has been thought best to reprint this book exactly after the original copy, “VERBATIM ET LITERATIM ET PUNCTUATIM”; and although the modern purist may feel offended at the archaisms of orthography, syntax and punctuation—the last of which appears to have been used with rhetorical and not grammatical significance—, he must content himself with the fact that art would have lost all and science gained nothing by the rewriting of the above pages in the diction of today.

Outof regard for the feelings of the descendants of the originals of certain characters of the novel, who are living today in Boston, the editor has decided to reveal the identity only of those of the personæ who are already known, to a more or less extent, through the literary history of New England. Although curiosity may turn away unsatisfied with the volume, yet the art of it all remains through considering Harrington, father and son, Maria and Harriot, and Mrs. Holmes nothing more than types and not as individuals whose true biographies are written.

Vol. I, page 83, begins the story of “Martin” and “Ophelia,” the real characters of which were recognizedat the time to be Mr. Perez Morton and his young sister-in-law, Theodosia Francis Apthorp. In commenting on this fact in the book, Sabin writes in his “Books relating to America” (Vol.XV, Page 377) “This work created quite a sensation, and was suppressed by interested parties. The names of Fanny Apthorp and Perez Morton are not yet forgotten as connected with the matter.”

Perez Mortonwas born at Plymouth, Nov. 13, 1751. His father settled at Boston, and was keeper of the White Horse Tavern, opposite Hayward-place, and died in 1793. The Son entered the Boston Latin School in 1760, and graduated at Harvard College in 1771, when he studied law; but the revolutionary war prevented his engaging in the practice, and he took an active part in the cause of freedom. In 1775 he was one of the Committee of Safety, and in the same year became deputy-secretary of the province. After the war, he opened an office as an attorney at law, at his residence in State-street, on the present site of the Union Bank.

In 1777 he married Sarah Wentworth Apthorp, at Quincy, noted by Paine as the American Sappho. Mr. Morton was a leader of the old Jacobin Club, which held meetings at the Green Dragon Tavern, and became a decided Democrat. A political poet of Boston thus satirizes Perez Morton:

“Perez, thou art in earnest, though some doubt thee!In truth, the Club could never do without thee!My reasons thus I give thee in a trice,—You want their votes, and they want your advice!“Thy tongue, shrewd Perez, favoring ears insures,—The cash elicits, and the vote secures.Thus the fat oyster, as the poet tells,The lawyer ate,—his clients gained the shells.”

“Perez, thou art in earnest, though some doubt thee!In truth, the Club could never do without thee!My reasons thus I give thee in a trice,—You want their votes, and they want your advice!

“Perez, thou art in earnest, though some doubt thee!

In truth, the Club could never do without thee!

My reasons thus I give thee in a trice,—

You want their votes, and they want your advice!

“Thy tongue, shrewd Perez, favoring ears insures,—The cash elicits, and the vote secures.Thus the fat oyster, as the poet tells,The lawyer ate,—his clients gained the shells.”

“Thy tongue, shrewd Perez, favoring ears insures,—

The cash elicits, and the vote secures.

Thus the fat oyster, as the poet tells,

The lawyer ate,—his clients gained the shells.”

Mr. Mortonwas Speaker of the House from 1806 to 1811, and was attorney-general from 1810 to 1832; was a delegate from Dorchester to the convention for revising the State constitution, in 1820, and was vigorous in general debate. He died at Dorchester, Oct. 14, 1837. He was an ardent patriot, an eloquent speaker, of an elegant figure and polished manners.

ThisMansion, (the home of “Worthy,” later the city residence of Mr. Perez Morton) as enlarged and embellished by its honoured proprietor, the late Charles Apthorp, Esq. was then, that is, about the middle of the Eighteenth Century, said to be the scene of every elegance, and the abode of every virtue. Now, (1823) its beautiful hall of entrance, arches, sculpture, and bas-relief; the grandstair-case, and its highly finished saloon, have been removed, or partitioned off, to accommodate the bank and its dependencies.

Thomas WentworthEarl of Strafford, the Minister, and favourite of Charles the First, sacrificed by that Monarch to his own personal safety—was beheaded near the end of the reign. Charles, in his last moments, declared that he suffered justly for having given up the Earl of Strafford to popular fury.

Thenear Relations of this Nobleman were the founders of the American Family of Wentworth. Thisfamily being presumptive heirs to the now extinct Title of that Earldom of Strafford.

Thesewere Henry and Samuel Wentworth, the maternal uncles of the Author, both perished before they had attained the age of twenty. The first, on a northern voyage of curiosity and improvement, was entangled amid floating masses of ice, and in that situation expired along with the whole ship’s company, passengers and seamen.

Hisyoung brother, Samuel Wentworth, having been invited to England by his noble relatives, was under the patronage of those, admitted as student at the Temple; at which period he first met Miss Lane, the object of his honourable passion, and the cause of his fatal misfortune, the daughter of a great commercial house of that period. Her large inheritance, by her father’s will, made dependent on the pleasure of her mercantile brother, to the aristocracy of whose wealth, young Wentworth could only oppose nobility of birth, accomplishment of mind and beauty of person, possessions which the man of commerce held as nothing, compared with the superior treasures of monied interest.

Consequentlythe love was prohibited, and the lover banished from his mistress; who though closely imprisoned in her own apartment, found means to preserve an epistolary connection. The correspondence increasing the enthusiasm of restricted passion, until every possible hope of their union being extinguished, a deadly vial was obtained, and the contents, equally divided, were at one desperate moment swallowed by both. Their last desire, of being buried in the same grave, was denied.

Thesefrantic and too affectionate lovers, finished the short career of their miseries on the birth day of Wentworth, being that which completed the nineteenth year of his age. And it is not irrelevant to add, that the brother of the lady lived to lose his immense possessions, and died desolate and distressed; at which period, we trust, repentance came, and forgiveness was awarded.

John, the founder of the transatlantic race of Apthorp, was a man of taste and talent in the Fine Arts; particularly those of Painting and Architecture. A taste and talent, which has in some instance been transmitted to his descendants even of the fifth generation.

Anardent imagination, and an ambitious desire of mental improvement, led him from his native country of Wales. And in England, he saw, loved, and married, Miss Ward, a celebrated beauty, with a large fortune, whose Portrait, by Sir Peter Lely, yet remains with her descendant. This portrait is distinguished by the long dark eyes, which that artist preferred and made fashionable.

Thequalities of both parents live, and are conspicuous in some of their descendants. A highly respectable individual of these, whose superiority of mind may possibly disdain such recollections, was, in his minority, so transcendently handsome, that upon a Tour through the Southern States, he was generally designated “The Eastern Angel.” As he now is, the Genius of Canova might design that form as a model for the sublime statue of melancholy, since his fortunes have fallen—like those of his race—a voluntary sacrifice to the bestsentiments, and the noblest feelings of humanity, while domestic bereavements coming yet nearer to his gracious heart have left it the prey of sorrow.

Charles Bulfinch, Esq. of Washington, at this time (1823,) the National Architect, is one more evidence of the inestimable happiness of a good descent.

ThepresentStone Chapel(corner of School and Tremont Streets)—originally theKing’s Chapel—founded by Royalty, was finished by the generosity of individuals. Charles Apthorp, Esq. the son of John, gave 5000l. sterling, a very large sum for the Provinces at that period, about the middle of the eighteenth century.

HisMarble Monument with a very fine Latin Inscription, by his Son, still remains in the Chapel, which Monument covers the Tomb of the truly noble-minded race of Apthorp.

How erst the shield, whose crested pride.

TheCrest, if not the whole Armorial Bearing, is thought or said to have been conferred upon the Battle Field by Richard.

Theshield of the Apthorp arms, which bearing aMULLETor spur, in heraldry, with truly Welsh prepossession, the family were fondly, perhaps foolishly, wont to trace back to the Crusades.

Belleviewwas undoubtedly the Apthorp homestead at Quincy where Mrs. Morton passed her youth.

Inthe Rev. Mr. Holmes, Quincy antiquarians will readily recognize the Rev. Dr. Greenleaf, whose religious and philosophical teachings undoubtedly had great influence on the author who was to come so near being his biographer.

[The above notes are compiled principally from“My Mind and Its Thoughts.”—A book referred to in the Introduction.]

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTESThe author listed on the title page is incorrect. The correct author was William Hill Brown.Silently corrected obvious typographical errors and variations in spelling.Retained archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as printed.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

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