journal of Dr. John Warren, his patriotic father.

The editor will

never forget the courtesy of gentlemen of the leading professions, in rendering information essential to the accuracy of this work, the catalogue of whose names would fill a chapter; and to recount the mass of facts furnished would embrace a large appendix.

JAMES LOVELL.

APRIL 2, 1771. ON THE BOSTON MASSACRE.

As the father and son were remarkable men, and effected much in moulding the intellects of the principal actors of the Revolution, we will exhibit first the scanty materials regarding the father. Master John Lovell was the eldest son of John Lovell, who married Priscilla Gardiner, June 16th, 1709; and was born at Boston, June 16th, 1710. He entered the public Latin school in 1717; graduated at Harvard College in 1728; became usher of the Latin school in 1729, until he was appointed principal in 1734; which station he occupied until April 19th, 1775, when the school was dispersed by the siege of the town, and consequent occupation of the royalists. Mr. Lovell married Abigail Green, Sept., 1734. He was an excellent critic, and one of the best classical scholars of his day. Though a severe teacher, yet he was remarkably humorous, and an agreeable companion. It is worthy of record, that he delivered the first published address in Faneuil Hall, March 14th, 1742, at the annual meeting of the town, occasioned by the death of Peter Faneuil, Esq., the noble donor of the hall to the town of Boston. In the peroration of Mr. Lovell's funeral oration, he said: "May this hall be ever sacred to the interests of truth, of justice, of loyalty, of honor, of liberty. May no private views, nor party broils, ever enter these walls." Heaven, in mercy, however, otherwise decreed, and to the permanence of republican institutions. When the royal troops evacuated Boston, there was left unremoved, at the residence of Master Lovell, adjoining the public

Latin school in School-street, the coach of General Gage, whose headquarters were at the Province House, together with a phaeton and harness entire. Moreover, a chariot of the governor was taken out of the dock on Long Wharf, greatly defaced. He was a warm advocate for the crown, and embarked with the British troops for Halifax, when they evacuated the town, March 14th, 1776. We find no particulars of his history at Halifax, where he died in 1778. In the gallery of paintings at Harvard College is his portrait, taken by Nathaniel, son of John Smybert, who came to this country in 1728, in company with Bishop Berkeley. Judge Cranch once remarked, "I remember that one of his first portraits was the picture of his old master Lovell, drawn while the terrific impressions of the pedagogue were yet vibrating upon his nerves. I found it so perfect a likeness of my old neighbor, that I did not wonder when my young friend told me that a sudden, undesigned glance at it, had often made him shudder."

Master Lovell was a contributor to the Pietas et Gratulatio Collegii Cantabrigiensis, etc., published in 1761. The numbers 2, 25, 26, and 27, are ascribed to his hand. The following is the twenty-seventh article in the Pietas:

"While Halley views the heavens with curious eyes,
And notes the changes in the stormy skies,—
What constellations 'bode descending rains,
Swell the proud streams, and fertilize the plains, -
What call the zephyrs forth, with favoring breeze
To waft Britannia's fleets o'er subject seas ;-

In different orbits how the planets run,
Reflecting rays they borrow from the sun ;-
Sudden, a distant prospect charms his sight, —
Venus encircled in the source of light!
Wonders to come his ravished thought unfold,
And thus the Heaven-instructed bard foretold
What glorious scenes, to ages past unknown,
Shall in one summer's rolling months be shown.
Auspicious omens yon bright regions wear;
Events responsive in the earth appear.
A golden Phoebus decks the rising morn,
Such, glorious George! thy youthful brows adorn;
Nor sparkles Venus on the ethereal plain,
Brighter than Charlotte, midst the virgin train.
The illustrious pair conjoined in nuptial ties,

Britannia shines a rival to the skies!"

Master Lovell was author, also, of "The Seasons, an Interlocutory Exercise at the South Latin School," spoken at the annual visitation, June 26, 1765, by Daniel Jones and Jonathan Williams Austin, in which the latter exclaims:

The British troops ascribed their repulse at the battle of Bunker Hill to the following circumstance: Directly after they had landed, it was discovered that most of the cannon-balls which had been brought over were too large for the pieces, and that it was necessary to send them back, and obtain a fresh supply. "This wretched blunder of over-sized balls," says Gen. Howe, "arose from the dotage of an officer of rank in the ordnance department, who spends all his time with the schoolmaster's daughter." It seems that Col. Cleveland, who, "though no Samson, must have his Delilah," was enamored of the beautiful daughter of old Master Lovell, and in order to win favor with the damsel, had given her younger brother an appointment in the ordnance, for which he was not qualified; and Dr. Jeffries confirmed this relation. This error, to whatever cause it might have been owing, created delay, and somewhat diminished the effect of the British fire during the first two attacks. A tradition exists that during the battle suddenly the fire of the British artillery ceases. Gen. Howe, in consternation, demands the reason. "The balls are too large." "Fatal error!" says Howe; "what delusion drives Col. Cleveland to pass all his time with the schoolmaster's daughter, instead of minding his business? Pour in grape!" The forthcoming allusion to this affair appears in a song ascribed to a British soldier, written after the battle:

"Our conductor, he got broke

For his misconduct, sure, sir;

The shot he sent for twelve-pound guns,
Were made for twenty-four, sir.
There's some in Boston pleased to say,

As we the field were taking,

We went to kill their countrymen

While they their hay were making.
For such stout whigs I never saw,-
To hang them all, Ì'd rather,
For making hay with musket-balls
And buck-shot mixed together."

We will now exhibit the outline of the history of Master James Lovell, who was born at Boston, Oct. 31, 1737; entered the public Latin school in 1744, and graduated at Harvard College in 1756. He became the usher of this school in 1757, which station he filled until April 19, 1775, when the school was suspended by the war. He was also master of the North Grammar, now the Eliot school. The Latin school was revived, Nov. 8, 1776. He married, at Trinity Church, Mary, daughter of Alexander Middleton, a native of Scotland, Nov. 24, 1760.

On the morning before the town committee had reached his residence, to invite him to deliver an oration on the massacre, his father took occasion, at the breakfast-table, according to the tradition, to advise him not to accept the appointment, as his inexperience in public matters was not equal to the effort; nor could he expect, if he were, that the undertaking would result in any public benefit, or personal advantage to himself. "Besides, my son," said the old gentleman, "there is a consideration in this matter, above all others: there is danger in the attempt, - your life will be in jeopardy." "Is that the case, father?" said Lovell; "then my mind is decided; my resolution is fixed, that I will attempt it at every hazard!" hazard!" Whether or not this relation be fact, it was perfectly characteristic of the man. The people assembled at Faneuil Hall to listen to the young orator, when the throng being too great, the audience forthwith adjourned to the Old South Church, and after a fervent prayer by the Rev. Dr. Chauncy, an oration was pronounced by James Lovell, that received "the universal acceptance of the audience;" after which, the thanks of the town were voted him, and a committee appointed to request a copy for the press. He remarked, in this performance, that "the design of this ceremony was decent, wise, and honorable. Make the bloody fifth of March the era of the resurrection of your birthrights, which have been murdered by the very strength that nursed them in their infancy." And towards the close of the oration, he remarks: "Having declared myself an American son of liberty, of true

charter principles,

having shown the critical and dangerous situation of our birthrights, and the true course for speedy redress, — I shall take the freedom to recommend with boldness one previous step. Let us show we understand the true value of what we are claiming."

Mr. Lovell was an excellent scholar, and of famous reputation; but detraction, ever seeking to wound those most esteemed, frowned its odious visage upon him. John Adams says, in his diary, under date of January 7, 1766: "Samuel Waterhouse, of the customs, the most notorious scribbler, satirist, and libeller, in the service of the conspirators against the liberties of America, made a most malicious, ungenerous attack upon James Lovell, Jr., the usher of the grammar school, as others had attacked him about idleness, and familiar spirits, and zanyship, and expectancy of a deputation."

The residence of James Lovell, during the Revolution, was on the estate where Chapman Hall is now located, and his family witnessed on the house-top the burning of Charlestown during the battle of Bunker Hill. While Mr. Lovell was imprisoned in the Boston jail, in Queen-street, in consequence of General Howe having discovered a prohibited correspondence, proving his adherence to the Revolutionary cause, his devoted wife was daily accustomed to convey his food to the prison door. They had eight sons, and one daughter, Mary, who was married to Mark Pickard, a merchant of Boston, whose daughter was the wife of Rev. Henry Ware, of Harvard College. After the Revolution, Mr. Lovell resided in Hutchinson-street, located on Sturgisplace.

After the battle of Bunker Hill, thirty-one captives were imprisoned in Boston jail, among whom was Mr. Lovell, who wrote a pathetic letter to Washington, dated Provost's Prison, Boston, Nov. 19, 1775, in which he said: "Your excellency is already informed that the powers of the military government established in this town have been wantonly and cruelly exercised against me, from the 29th of June last. I have in vain repeatedly solicited to be brought to some kind of trial for my pretended crimes. In answer to a petition of that sort, presented on the 16th of October, I am directed, by Col. Balfour, aid-decamp to Gen. Howe, to seek the release of Col. Skene and his son, as the sole means of my enlargement.

"This proposition appears to me extremely disgraceful to the party from which it comes; and a compliance with it pregnant with dangerous consequences to my fellow-citizens. But, while my own spirit