7. I went to Mad. Winthrop; found her rocking her little
Katy in the cradle. I excused my coming so late (near eight). She set me
an arm'd chair and cushion; and so the cradle was between her arm'd chair
and mine. Gave her the remnant of my almonds. She did not eat of them as
before.... The fire was come to one short brand besides the block, which
brand was set up in end; at last it fell to pieces and no recruit was
made.... Took leave of her.... Her dress was not so clean as sometime it
had been. Jehovah jireh!"
Acute men have written essays to account for the aristocratic Mrs.
Winthrop's refusal of Chief-Justice Sewall. Some have said that it was due
to his aversion to slavery and to his refusal to allow her to keep her
slaves. This episode is only a small part of a rich storehouse. The greater
part of the _Diary_ contains only the raw materials of literature, yet some
of it is real literature, and it ranks among the great diaries of the
world.
COTTON MATHER, 1663-1728
[Illustration: COTTON MATHER]
LIFE AND PERSONALITY.--Cotton Mather, grandson of the Rev. John Cotton (p.
14), and the most distinguished of the old type of Puritan clergymen, was
born in Boston and died in his native city, without ever having traveled a
hundred miles from it.
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