her whether she had ever heard what became of him. 
2 sve and Character of Nathaniel Bowditch. q 
might have ocd luck, and she good tidings from him, far off upon 3 
the sea. [entered that house and two others in the vicinity, — 
and found three ancient women who knew her well, and remem- — 
bered her wonderful boy. I sat down by their firesides and lis- 1 
tened with greedy ear to the story, which they gladly told me, of } 
that remarkable child, remarkable for his early goodness as well — 
as for his early greatness. Their words, uttered in the plain, 
hearty English of the yeomanry of New England, I took down — 
from their lips, and now give them without any alteration or im- — 
provement whatever. ) 
used to say that he would make something or nothing.” 
isa 
she replied, “he became a great man, and went to Boston, @ 
had a mighty deal of learning.” “ What kind of learning ?” 
asked. “Why,” she answered, “I believe he was a pilot, @ 
knew how to steer all the vessels.” This evidently was her! 
ple and confused idea of “'The Practical Navigator.” 
Phan second old lady stated that “ Nat. went to school to. : 
, when he was about three Bm old, and that she fo 
ightily to him, and that he 
