MAY.

Who never from the field of battle flies,
But for his children and his country dies
Ne'er shall his glory fade, or cease his fame
Tho' laid in dust, immortal is his name.
But if the sable hand of death he shun,

Returning victor with his glory won.

As it is rare since the Days of a certain Roman Emperor, for hornsmiths to have the sanction of the Senate, some of our Daughters of Liberty must inform who are the best workmen.

Nothing is more precious than time, and nothing more prodigally wasted.

JUNE.

By young and old reve'rd, his life he'll lead,
And full of honor sink among the dead.
Or with his growing years his fame will grow,
And all shall reverence his head of snow:
The higher place from every youth he bears,
And age shall quit him all the claim of years.
Who then desires to rise to such a height,
Desires in vain, if he forgets the fight.

Cato stabbed himself and Widows on the coast of Malabar burn themselves because it is the fashion-and here we drink Tea, and wear British Finery because it is the fashion-like the bulls and heifers of old adorn'd with ribbons and gilded horns before their destruction.

JULY.

Ye then who late dispers'd the savage foe,

Whose wide domains your latest sons shall sow:

Ye knew the horrid work of arms before,

The dismal shock of battle oft ye bore,

To scout and skulk to gain the scalp you've run,

In each reverse to you is fortune known.

Most people can preach for their neighbors when the spirit moves. It is often pride and curiosity that involves us in difficulties.

Nature is limited but fancy is boundless.

Fine weather for fighting, and for lawyers who for one year's famine will have seven of plenty.

AUGUST.

Stand forth the Champions of your Country's cause,
Nor fear the traitors aided by their laws,

Exalt the shady buckler to the war,

Aided by heav'n, no human prowess fear,

For those who, in the front of battle, dare

Fight hand to hand, and bear the brunt of war,

SEPTEMBER. But rarely fall-Though dastards skulk behind,
The fate they shun still haunts the cow'rdly kind.
What mind can well conceive, or tongue relate,
The ills unnam'd that on the truant wait?
To shun his fate when from the field he flies,
Pierc'd from behind th' inglorious coward dies,
When prone he lies, and gasping on the ground,
What shame to see behind the gaping Wound!

Who can serve five hundred masters faithfully when they are three thousand miles off.

St. Evremonde says that the last sighs of a handsome woman are not so much for the loss of her life as for her beauty.

Rain, thunder, no! thunder first, then rain! so said Socrates when he receiv'd his wife's warm fragrant shower from a Window.

A servant of servants is too low for human nature.

South winds then some quickening showers somewhere at least of Xantippe's kind, then serene air sometime except among those that charg'd too deep for the King's health, and too many sentimental toasts.

OCTOBER.

But firm to Earth let ev'ry warrior grow,
Strain his large limbs, and low'ring eye the foe,
To mighty deeds let each his arms extend,
Nor dread the balls that breast-high muskets send
Our practis'd huntsmen, sure of flying game,
Ne'er fight in phalanx when they've surer aim.

NOVEMBER. No dazzling arms our steady marksmen hold,
No heavy panoply, or casque of gold

But sure as death, the trusty piece he bears,
And fears no wild, or powder'd son of Mars.
Make ready then-and fierce begin the fray!
But pause awhile-and hear what sages say,
Deep read in history, who know mankind,
The arts and stratagems sly courtiers find.

Lycurgus, by one of his laws, had prohibited to light those who came in the night from a feast, that the fear of not being able to get home might hinder their getting drunk.

Muggy air among tipplers, and thick smoky air among the minor politicians, and it may end in a storm.

The Emperor Caligula wish'd the Romans had all but one neck, that he might behead them all at one blow. Have we not some Caligulas?

The pleasure of what we enjoy is commonly lost by coveting more.

DECEMBER. To bribe the chiefs of their contending foes,

To gain the cause by safer means than blows

How one grand centre must the whole survey,
By posts and couriers its resolves convey
How civil wisdom must the arms controul,
To act in concert like one mighty soul.

The ladies should consider that when men view a nag they always look at the teeth.

The Queen Henrietta of England being in a vessel in a furious storm, comforted her companions by telling them that queens were never drowned.

Good slaying amongst the poultry, and pleasant air to exercise the knife and fork, then comes falling weather if spirits are plenty.

*

*

*

The SIGNS Discontented.

THEY question Jove, why he had not

In Heav'n a Stock of Females laid in?
He but one Woman there had brought,
Who was (provoking!) still a Maiden.
Frankly the Ram confessed that he

Had often cast a Sheep's Eye at her;
Aquarius acknowledg'd she

Had often made his Mouth to Water.
The Bull would have the God to know,
Either he would no longer stay there,
Or if he did not get a Cow,

In Faith he would Pasiphae her.
Poor Virgo how to please them all,
Being really at a Loss to know,

To th' Archer said, I fear I shall

Have more than two Strings to my Bow.

But if to you I should prove kind,

The rest would make the same Request,
Shall I be with a Scorpion join'd,

Or take a Cancer to my Breast?

Nor should my coyness you displease,
This was the Purpose of my Birth;

Not only you to tantalize,

But all the Star-Gazers on Earth.
Not for the Sun or Moon but me,

Astronomers make such a pother;
The Thing is they would rather see
My heav'nly Body than another.
For such a peep they should not hope,
But mind their own Terrestrial Lasses;

My Petticoats they'll ne'er see up.

With all their Tellescopes and Glasses.

AMES' FAREWELL.

Notes on his last Almanack for the year 1775.

With much regret, we in this instance, (as in every other of human affairs,) must note the final end, and bid farewell to our author, under whose family name two generations have been amused and instructed for a period of fifty years.

The situation of affairs, and the minds of the colonists generally is exemplified in the title verse through whose lines Bellona armored stalks with sanguinary footsteps.

The poetical contributions at the top of each month incite to deeds of bravery, to patriotism, to victory, liberty or glorious death upon the tented field. The grandeur of the combat, the pomp and circumstance of “grimvisaged war" is depicted, and the duty of every citizen to arm for the encounter is vividly portrayed. Patriotism and America for Americans beams from every syllable in this year's production, and every line can be read and re-read with unflagging interest. Even the final essay though introduced with the usual “fly” at the “home government,” will be found to be a very instructive account of the origin and practice of "Inoculation for the Small-pox," the precaution in this disease antecedent to the discovery and application of vaccination by Dr. Jenner.

The interlined Wisdom and Humour is more than ordinarily jovial and pointed, and his final almanack may almost be said to exceed in every quality, any of his preceding productions.

NOTE. As has been said, this was the last of the Almanacks prepared by Dr. Ames. Subsequently several spurious issues appeared bearing his name, but these soon expired, and other Philomaths entered the field to occupy public attention for a while, retiring in a few years to absolute obscurity.

The "Ames" were the last of the great Almanack makers, and with the opening of the Revolution the "art" decayed, and was buried with its fathers.

THE

HERE! Laus Deo, this book is completed-at least the foregoing "copy" is with the printer, there to await a resurrection at his hands.

The contents of the original almanacks have been carefully compiled from such copies as I possess (all but 1726-7-30-33), and the rest of the copy has been made from the complete set formerly owned by the Doctors Ames, now in the archives of the Dedham Historical Society. Nothing has been omitted that would either interest, instruct or amuse.

I have ventured to add running notes and other memoranda which appeared to me to be appropriate.

There may possibly be some repetitions-tautological, if you please of the same thoughts or relation in various places. Should they prove interesting, it will pay, perhaps, to read them a second time; should the opposite quality exist, there will be no harm done if you pass them by.

Again there may be an existing notion that I should have elaborated still more upon the author's production. In reply I would object that it would not be possible for me to take my readers by the hand, walk through this "Island of Tranquil Delights" and point out all the bright spots-for much reading must be done between the lines; that familiarity with the work may cause new ideas to be formed, and fresh sources of enjoyment to appear and be appreciated.