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is much Softer and Smoother. They keep much upon the Land in the day time, but towards the Evening retire into the Water to avoid the Cold Dews of the Night. They run pretty fast right forward, but are very awkward and Slow in turning, by reason of their unwieldy Length. It is an Error that they have no Tongue, without which they cou'd hardly Swallow their Food; but in eating they move the upper Jaw only, Contrary to all other Animals. The way of catching them in Egypt is, with a Strong Hook fixt to the End of a chain, and baited with a joynt of Pork, which they are very fond of. But a live Hog is generally tyed near, the Cry of which allures them to the Hook. This Account of the Crocodile will agree in most particulars with the Alligator, only the Bigness of the last cannot entitle it to the Name of "Leviathan," which Job gave formerly to the crocodile, and not to the Whale, as some Interpreters wou'd make us believe.

DRAWING A TOOTH

[From "A Journey to the Land of Eden "]

I had an impertinent Tooth in my upper Jaw, that had been loose for some time, and made me chew with great Caution. Particularly I cou'd not grind a Biscuit but with much deliberation and presence of mind. Tooth-Drawers we had none amongst us, nor any of the Instruments they make use of. However, Invention supply'd this want very happily, and I contriv'd to get rid of this troublesome Companion by cutting a Caper. I caused a Twine to be fasten'd round the Root of my Tooth, about a Fathom in Length, and then ty'd the other End to the Snag of a Log that lay upon the ground, in such a Manner that I cou'd just stand upright. Having adjusted my String in this manner, I bent my Knees enough to enable me to spring vigorously off the Ground, as perpendicularly as I cou'd. The force of the Leap drew out the Tooth with so much ease that I felt nothing of it, nor should have believ'd it was come away, unless I had seen it dangling at the End of the String. An Under tooth may be fecht out by standing off the Ground and fastning your String at due distance above you. And having so fixt your Gear, jump off your Standing, and the

weight of your Body, added to the force of the Spring, will poize out your Tooth with less pain than any Operator upon Earth cou'd draw it. This new way of Tooth-drawing, being so silently and deliberately perform'd, both surprized and delighted all that were present, who cou'd not guess what I was going about. I immediately found the benefit of getting rid of this troublesome Companion, by eating my Supper with more comfort than I had done during the whole Expedition.

JOHN SECCOMB

[John Seccomb, a Harvard graduate of 1728, long a Congregationalist minister in Massachusetts and Nova Scotia, was the author of "Father Abbey's Will"a literary curiosity concerning which the most curious fact is its contemporary popularity. It was probably written while Seccomb was a divinity student at Harvard, and was inspired by the death of one Matthew Abdy, a bedmaker and bottlewasher for the college. It was sent to England, and appeared in both the London Magazine and the Gentleman's Magazine for May, 1732. The poem, as given below, is from the London Magazine. The version in the Gentleman's Magazine is the same, with a few minor variations, mostly in capitalization. An American reprint of later date, entitled "Father Abbey's Will," is prefixed by an explanatory note dated "December, 1730," and closes with the quatrain:

"Thus father Abbey left his spouse,

As rich as church or college mouse,
Which is sufficient invitation,

To serve the college in his station."

In the London Magazine for August, 1732, appeared another attempt in the same metre, purporting to be a proposal of marriage from the bedmaker at Yale to "Mistress Abbey." This is also credited to Seccomb.

At first sight it seems hard to account for the publication of this doggerel in the two leading English magazines of the day. Professor Tyler, in his perplexity over this matter, remarks that "It seems to have been widely read in the mother-country as a just specimen of the poetic attainments and of the general literary taste of the Americans." An examination of the position that the poem holds in the magazines tends to throw doubt on this statement. In both it appears anonymously and without any remark as to the nationality of the author. In both it is among other verse effusions, presumably by Englishmen, which are not markedly superior in refinement or wit. Perhaps its popularity must be taken only as a reminder that taste in humor, even more than in other forms of æsthetic expression, has changed since 1730.]

T

THE LAST WILL OF MR. MATTHEW A-Y OF

NEW-ENGLAND

To my dear wife

My joy and life,

I freely now do give her

My whole estate,

With all my plate,

Being just about to leave her.

A tub of soap,

A long cart rope,
A frying pan & kettle,
An ashen pail,
A threshing flail,

An iron wedge and beetle.

Two painted chairs,

Nine warden pears,

A large old dripping platter,

The bed of hay

On which I lay,

An old sauce-pan for butter.

A little mug,
A two-quart jug,

A bottle full of brandy,

A looking-glass
To see your face,

You'll find it very handy.

A musket true

As ever flew,

A pound of shot & wallet,

A leather sash

My calabash,

My powder-horn and bullet.

An old sword blade,
A garden spade,
A hoe, a rake, a ladder,
A wooden can,
A close-stool pan,
A clyster-pipe & bladder.

A greasy hat,

My old ram-cat,

A yard and half of linnen,

A pot of grease,

A woollen fleece,

In order for your spinning.

A small-tooth comb,

An ashen broom,

A candlestick & hatchet,
A coverlid,

Strip'd down with red,
A bag of rags to patch it.

A ragged mat,

A tub of fat,

A book put out by Bunyan,

Another book

By Robin Rook,

A skain or two of spunyarn.

An old black muff,
Some garden stuff,

A quantity of borrage,

Some devil's weed,
And burdock seed,

To season well your porridge.

A chafing dish
With one salt fish,

If I am not mistaken,

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