r that pleasant mode of travel had fallen obsoletewas the cause of much mental tribulation （1。 Some idle reader here and there may possibly recall the burning of the old stage…coach in The Story of a Bad Boy。） to the writer of this chronicle。
The mail and the newspaper are closely associated factors in civilization； so I mention them together； though in this case the newspaper antedated the mail…coach about five years。 On October 7； 1756； the first number of 〃The New Hampshire Gazette and Historical Chronicle〃 was issued in Portsmouth from the press of Daniel Fowle； who in the previous July had removed from Boston； where he had undergone a brief but uncongenial imprisonment on suspicion of having printed a pamphlet entitled 〃The Monster of Monsters； by Tom Thumb； Esq。；〃 an essay that contained some uncomplimentary reflections on several official personages。The 〃Gazette〃 was the pioneer journal of the province。 It was followed at the close of the same year by 〃The Mercury and Weekly Advertiser；〃 published by a former apprentice of Fowle； a certain Thomas Furber； backed by a number of restless Whigs； who considered the 〃Gazette〃 not sufficiently outspoken in the cause of liberty。 Mr。 Fowle； however； contrived to hold his own until the day of his death。 Fowle had for pressman a faithful negro named Primus； a full…blooded African。 Whether Primus was a freeman or a slave I am unable to state。 He lived to a great age； and was a prominent figure among the people of his own color。
Negro slavery was common in New England at that period。 In 1767； Portsmouth numbered in its population a hundred and eighty…eight slaves； male and female。 Their bondage； happily； was nearly always of a light sort； if any bondage can be light。 They were allowed to have a kind of government of their own； indeed； were encouraged to do so； and no unreasonable restrictions were placed on their social enjoyment。 They annually elected a king and counselors； and celebrated the event with a procession。 The aristocratic feeling was highly developed in them。 The rank of the master was the slave's rank。 There was a great deal of ebony standing around on its dignity in those days。 For example； Governor Langdon's manservant； Cyrus Bruce； was a person who insisted on his distinction； and it was recognized。 His massive gold chain and seals； his cherry…colored small…clothes and silk stockings； his ruffles and silver shoe…buckles； were a tradition long after Cyrus himself was pulverized。
In cases of minor misdemeanor among them； the negros themselves were permitted to be judge and jury。 Their administration of justice was often characteristically naive。 Mr。 Brewster gives an amusing sketch of one of their sessions。 King Nero is on the bench； and one Catowe are nothing if not classicalis the prosecuting attorney。 The name of the prisoner and the nature of his offense are not disclosed to posterity。 In the midst of the proceedings the hour of noon is clanged from the neighboring belfry of the Old North Church。 〃The evidence was not gone through with； but the servants could stay no longer from their home duties。 They all wanted to see the whipping； but could not conveniently be present again after dinner。 Cato ventured to address the King： Please you Honor； best let the fellow have his whipping now； and finish the trial after dinner。 The request seemed to be the general wish of the company： so Nero ordered ten lashes； for justice so far as the trial went； and ten more at the close of the trial； should he be found guilty！〃
Slavery in New Hampshire was never legally abolished； unless Abraham Lincoln did it。 The State itself has not ever pronounced any emancipation edict。 During the Revolutionary War the slaves were generally emancipated by their masters。 That many of the negros； who had grown gray in service； refused their freedom； and elected to spend the rest of their lives as pensioners in the families of their late owners； is a circumstance that illustrates the kindly ties which held between slave and master in the old colonial days in New England。
The institution was accidental and superficial； and never had any real root in the Granite State。 If the Puritans could have found in the Scriptures any direct sanction of slavery； perhaps it would have continued awhile longer； for the Puritan carried his religion into the business affairs of life； he was not even able to keep it out of his bills of lading。 I cannot close this rambling chapter more appropriately and solemnly than by quoting from one of those same pious bills of landing。 It is dated June； 1726； and reads： 〃Shipped by the grace of God in good order and well conditioned； by Wm。 Pepperills on there own acct。 and risque； in and upon the good Briga called the William； whereof is master under God for this present voyage George King； now riding at anchor in the river Piscataqua and by God's grace bound to Barbadoes。〃 Here follows a catalogue of the miscellaneous cargo； rounded off with： 〃And so God send the good Briga to her desired port in safety。 Amen。〃
VI。 SOME OLD PORTSMOUTH PROFILES
I DOUBT if any New England town ever turned out so many eccentric characters as Portsmouth。 From 1640 down to about 1848 there must have been something in the air of the place that generated eccentricity。 In another chapter I shall explain why the conditions have not been favorable to the development of individual singularity during the latter half of the present century。 It is easier to do that than fully to account for the numerous queer human types which have existed from time to time previous to that period。
In recently turning over the pages of Mr。 Brewster's entertaining collection of Portsmouth sketches； I have been struck by the number and variety of the odd men and women who appear incidentally on the scene。 They are； in the author's intention； secondary figures in the background of his landscape； but they stand very much in the foreground of one's memory after the book is laid aside。 One finds one's self thinking quite as often of that squalid old hut…dweller up by Sagamore Creek as of General Washington； who visited the town in 1789。 Conservatism and respectability have their values； certainly； but has not the unconventional its values also？ If we render unto that old hut…dweller the things which are that old hut…dweller's； we must concede him his picturesqueness。 He was dirty； and he was not respectable； but he is picturesquenow that he is dead。
If the reader has five or ten minutes to waste； I invite him to glance at a few old profiles of persons who； however substantial they once were； are now leading a life of mere outlines。 I would like to give them a less faded expression； but the past is very chary of yielding up anything more than its shadows。
The first who presents himself is the ruminative hermit already mentioneda species of uninspired Thoreau。 His name was Benjamin Lear。 So far as his craziness went； he might have been a lineal descendant of that ancient king of Britain who figures on Shakespeare's page。 Family dissensions made a recluse of King Lear； but in the case of Benjamin there were no mitigating circumstances。 He had no family to trouble him； and his realm remained undivided。 He owned an excellent farm on the south side of Sagamore Creek； a little to the west of the bridge； and might have lived at ease； if personal comfort had not been distasteful to him。 Personal comfort entered into no part of Lear's。 To be alone filled the little pint…measure of his desire。 He ensconced himself in a wretched shanty； and barred the door； figuratively； against all the world。 Wealthwhat would have been wealth to himlay within his reach； but he thrust it aside； he disdained luxury as he disdained idleness； and made no compromise with convention。 When a man cuts himself absolutely adrift from custom； what an astonishingly light spar floats him！ How few his wants are； after all！ Lear was of a cheerful disposition； and seems to have been wholly inoffensiveat a distance。 He fabricated his own clothes； and subsisted chiefly on milk and potatoes； the product of his realm。 He needed nothing but an island to be a Robinson Crusoe。 At rare intervals he flitted like a frost…bitten apparition through the main street of Portsmouth； which he always designated as 〃the Bank；〃 a name that had become obsolete fifty or a hundred years before。 Thus； for nearly a quarter of a century； Benjamin Lear stood aloof from human intercourse。 In his old age some of the neighbors offered him shelter during the tempestuous winter months； but he would have none of ithe defied wind and weather。 There he lay in his dilapidated hovel in his last illness； refusing to allow any one to remain with him overnightand the mercury four degrees below zero。 Lear was born in 1720； and vegetated eighty…two years。
I take it that Timothy Winn； of whom we have only a glimpse； would like to have more； was a person better worth knowing。 His name reads like the title of some old…fashioned novel〃Timothy Winn； or the Memoirs of a Bashful Gentleman。〃 He came to Portsmouth from Woburn at the close of the last century； and set up in the old museum…building on Mulberry Street what was called 〃a piece goods store。〃 He was the third Timothy in his monotonous family；