54 



^l)c JarmcVs ittontl)lij bisitor. 



ed one of iiis ancestors, Nathaniel Weare, as 

 their agent to cross tlie Atlantic, atid apjily to the 

 king in council lor relief, vvliicli office he accept- 

 ed and discharged with reputation and success. 

 President Weare's father, Hon. Nathaniel VVeare, 

 was for many years a judge of the superior court, 

 and highly respected in the various offices he 

 sustained. The son was one of the younger of 

 a numerous ftniily of cliildretu From his prom- 

 ising appearance of genius, and an amiable and 

 discruet deportnient, he was selected as the fa- 

 vorite child, to whom was affurdtd a liberal edu- 

 cation, and thereby tilted for e.xtensive usefulness 

 in any station he might hereafter he called to fill. 

 Accordingly, by the necessary preparatory stud- 

 ies, he was admitted a worthy mendjer of Har- 

 vard University, in CamtMiilgc, where he gradu- 

 ated in 17:3.5, vvith the reputation of a distinguish- 

 ed scholar. After he left the University, he ap- 

 plied to the study of divinity— a study which he 

 relished in all the after periods of his life, and 

 became a candidate for the ministerial office. In 

 liis occasional theological services, he was highly 

 respected and esteemed. Not long after he had 

 conmienced a preacher, and before any parish 

 ofl^ered him a settlement, he married a very wor- 

 thy woman, in his native place, possesred of a 

 large landed property, which, with his family con- 

 cerns, affi)rded him a peaceful and agreeable, and 

 at the same time a useliil and iionorable, employ- 

 ment. And the esteem and respect which his 

 prudent and exemplary conduct among his towns- 

 men, vvith whom lie had lived from his earliest 

 days, had so secured to him their confidence, 

 that they were ready and desirous to employ him 

 in their various civil concerns. He therefore 

 thought himself justified in relinquishing his 

 former pursuits, upon wiiich he had but just en- 

 tered ; and henceforward devoted a very indus- 

 trious life chiefly to the pnlilic, in various impor- 

 tant civil offices. In addition to his almost con- 

 stant employment in the jirudential afitiirs of the 

 town and as an active magistrate, he was early 

 chosen their representative In the general court, 

 and continued to represent them, with scarce an 

 interruption, for a great number of years, until he 

 was removed to a higher and inconipaiihle. "Station. 

 He was appointed one of the justices of the su- 

 perior court of judicature, which place he filled 

 with integrity and satisfaction to the public, un'.il 

 he was aiipointed chief justice of the same court, 

 at the commencement of the courts of law after 

 the late revolution. He was, also, under the royal 

 government, a colonel of a regiment of militia, 

 and in the year 1754, when the then American 

 British colonies were alanned with the encroach- 

 ments of their French borderers in Canada, and 

 the threatenings of the Indian savages on oiir 

 north-western frontiers, Col. Weaie wasselect^ 

 ed, with other distinguished characters, from this 

 and other New England provinces, with New 

 YorU ; and they met as commissioners . -it Albany, 

 to consult and provide the best means of safety, 

 and securing the Iriendship of the Indiana, espe- 

 cially of the Six Nations, in that part of the 

 country. 



" When the American Revolution commenced, 

 President Weare's most intimate friends were 

 among those who then sustained the highest offi- 

 ces under the royal government in New Ham[)- 

 shire, to wliom he had a grateful attachment, and 

 many of whom ho deservedly esteemed for their 

 political knowledge and honest regard for their 

 country's welliire, however they might view the 

 existing controversy. Under these circumstances, 

 he viewed the rise of the American disputes with 

 the parent country with caution, atul certainly 

 with no prepossession in favor of measures the 

 country was adopting. It is true liis ancestors 

 had been earnest advocates for the rights and 

 privileges of a free people, in the early disputes 

 with some who had pretended to be clothed with 

 royal power; and President Weare had been ed- 

 ucated in those principles, and had imbibed the 

 spirit of liberty, which was congenial to his ami- 

 able and mild disposition ; lint at the same time, 

 from his natural coolness of temper, his knowl- 

 edge of mankind, and hislongt^xperience in pub- 

 lic aflairs, he was in doubt as to the expediency 

 of some measures that were adopted ; and in the 

 first efliirts of the American people to resist the 

 British claims, he seeme<l not prepared to go all 

 lengths with the spirit of the times. However 

 when a convention of the state was called, and 

 they were about assuming iho powers of govern- 



ment, President Weare, in the second week of 

 their sitting, appeared as a member of that body, 

 and took his seat, as he hail occasiunally before 

 attended conventions fiir the appointing dele- 

 gates to congress. On account of his fi)rmer 

 distinctions in high offices, as well as his deserv- 

 edly esteemed personal character, his now liill 

 accession to the American cause was eagerly em- 

 braced by the convention, and he was immedi- 

 ately place<l at the head of the New Hampshire 

 slate gevernnient, in the executive di'parlinent, 

 in which place he conducted with justice and 

 moderation. And never, unless the iinpeiioiis 

 necessity of his ci.uiitry's safety, in his jiidiiment, 

 compelled him, did he exerci.>ie or assent to, what 

 to some appeared rigor against those who disap- 

 proved of, and even oppo.-^ed, the proceedings of 

 the new government. When the dissent of his 

 friends or others from the measures he was pur- 

 suing appeared to him to proceed from an honest 

 intention and erroneous judgment, he ever en- 

 deavored to induce gentleness of treatment to- 

 ward them, and he did not suffer the difference 

 of poliiical opinions to interrupt a cordial friend- 

 ship with those of his former connections and 

 li-iends. When the revolution had progressed, 

 and the courts of law were again organized. 

 President Weare was placed at the head of the 

 judicial department. In both offices, as first ex- 

 ecutive and chief justice, he continued until 

 1784, when a constitution ami form of govern- 

 ment lor New Hampshire was established ; and 

 agreeably to the provisions of it. President 

 Weare, by the nniveisal suffrage of the people, 

 was elected chief executive magistrate, by the 

 style of His Excellenry the Presidtnt of the Stale. 

 Not a candidate was suggested in competition 

 vvitli him. Every one conceded that this highest 

 honor and mark of confidence «liicli the stale 

 could bestow was due to him for his long, his 

 able and patriotic services. Having continued in 

 office one year, he declined another election, on 

 account of his great age and increasing bodily 

 irialadies. And after a lingering confinement 

 through the succeeding winter, before he had 

 been one year retired tiom public life, he expir- 

 ed, in a peaceful resignation to the divine will, 

 and with the blesseil hope of resiing fiiini his 

 labors, and of entering into the joys of his Lord. 

 He died January 15, 1786, aged 72 years and 7 

 months." 



English Farming Two Centuries Ago. 



We have in another place alluded to the curi 

 oils ancient book on Agriculliire found among 

 the eiTects of the late President Weare, printed 

 in the year 1631. If we had the black letter 

 types we would present extracts from this book 

 as they appeared originally: if we cannot give 

 the black letter, we will |)rcserve the orthography 

 and pointing as they stand in the book. It opens 

 in the shape of a dialogue between Riga and 

 Cono, the last of whoin seems to be of the no- 

 bility, or some learned profession who gives his 

 reason for the preference of retirement to the 

 country and a rural occupation to the turmoils 

 and enjoyments of the city. What was good 

 sense two hundred years ago is good sense now. 

 The style of the ancient farmer is quaint and 

 cxc(!edingly plain and definite: nevertheless we 

 c;innot see how much the modern scholar could 

 improve it. Wo preserve the ancient spelling, 

 capitals and punctuation : — 



The l\rst liooke of Husbandry : Entreating of 

 Jiarable-ground, Tillage, and Pasture. 



RIGO. CONO. 



Kioo. — Maister Cono. I am glad I have found 

 you in the midst of your country plcasmrs: sure- 

 ly you are a happie man, that shifting your selle 

 of the turmoilcs of the Court, can picke out so 

 ipiiet a lift', and giving over all, can secretlie lie 

 hid in the pleasant Countries, siitliring us in the 

 meane time to be tost with the cares and busi- 

 nes.=:e of the common weale. 



Co^o. — Surely I must confesse I have taken a 

 happie way, if these goods of the Earth would 

 suffer me to enjoy such happincssc. 



KiGo. — Tell mo I beseech you, how you bestow 

 your time, and how you are occupied all theilay; 



for 1 doubt not you doe as much as in you lyetli 

 to spend the time as profitably as you may. 



CoiNo. — 1 will tell you, and not dissemble, if 

 you will give me hearing: and to begin, I will 

 use the words and verses to the Poet, though in 

 other his writings scarce honest, yet in this speak- 

 ing very grave and wise. 



First served on Jtnees the Majesty divine, 

 .My servants next and ground 1 overloolte: 



To every man his laske I doe assijjne, 

 VVtien ttiis i» done, t get me to my Ijooke. 



I use commonly to rise first of all my selfe, 

 sficcially in Summer, when we loose the health- 

 fiillest and sweetest time with slugishnesse. 

 Aristotle uccounteth early rising the best, both 

 for health, wealth, and study. In the winter if 1 

 be loath to rise, if either the unseasonablenesse 

 of the weather, or sickncsse cause ine to keepe 

 niy bed, I commit all to my Steward, whose faith 

 and diligence I am sure of, whom I have so well 

 instructed, that I may safely make him my depu- 

 tie : I have also Euriclia my maid, so skilfull in 

 huswiliiry, that sliee may well be my wives suf- 

 fragan, these twaine we ajipoint to supply our 

 places: but if the weather and time serve, 1 play 

 the workemaster my selfe. And though I have 

 a Baylile as skilfull as may be, yet remembering 

 the old saying, that the best doung tin- the lield 

 is the Masters foot, and the best provender for 

 the horse the Masters eye, I play the observer 

 my selfe. That it is holesome to rise early, lam 

 perswaded both by the counsell of the most grave 

 Philosophers, and by mine owne experience. 

 When my servants "are all set to worke, and 

 everie man as biisie as may be, I get me into my 

 closet to serve God, and to reade the holy Scrip- 

 tures: (for this order I always keepe, to appoint 

 my selfe every day my taske, in reading some 

 part either of the old Testament or of the new:) 

 that done, 1 write or read such things as I thinke 

 most needfull, ordisfiatcli whai biisinesse soever 

 1 have in my house, or wiih siitors abroad. A 

 little before dinner 1 waike abroad, if it be faire, 

 either in my garden, or in the fields; if it be 

 foule, in my gallerie: when I come in, I find an 

 egge, a cliicke, a peece of kid, or a peece of 

 veale, fish, butter, and such like, as my foldes, 

 my yarde, or my dairie and fislijioiids will yeeld : 

 sometime a sallat, or such fruits as the garden or 

 orchard both beare : which victuals without any 

 charges my wife providelh me, wherewith Icon- 

 tent my selfe as well, as if I hail the daintiest 

 dish in Europe: 1 never lightly sit above one 

 home at my nieate: after dinner I passe the time 

 with talking with try wile, my serv;aits, or if 1 

 have any, with my ghests: 1 rise and waIke about 

 my ground, where I view my workmen, my Pas- 

 tures, my Meddowes, my Corne, and my Oaltell. 

 When 1 am in the Countrie 1 goe every day, if 

 the weather be gooil and no other great businesse, 

 about my ground: if not every day, at the least 

 once in two or three dayes: as often as I come 

 to the Citie lioni the Countrie, I doe the like, to 

 understand how my ground is husbanded, and 

 what is done, what undone: neither do 1 ever 

 goe about it, but some good conimeth of my 

 travaile. In the mean while I behold the won- 

 dertiill wisedome of Nature, and the incompre- 

 hensible working of the most mighty tiod in his 

 creatures, which, as Cicero truly affirmoth, is the 

 delicalest fViod of the soiile, and the thing that 

 maketli us come nearest unto God. Here waigh 

 1 vvith my selfe, the benefits and wonderfiil workes 

 of (ioil, who bringi-th forth grasse fin- the Cat- 

 tell, and grecne herbe for the use of man, that 

 ho may bring food out of the earth, according to 

 the Psalmc. 



For what workman is there in the world, that 

 is able tu liaiiie or counterfeit such heavenly 

 workes? Who could ot' a slender grns.-e make 

 Wheat or liic-ul, :iiid of a tender tvvigge bring 

 I'orili so notable a liipior as Wine? but onely the 

 mi:;liiy Lord that created all things visil)le and 

 invisible? With these sights do I recreate my 

 minde, and give thanks tinto CJod the Creator and 

 conserver of all things, for his great and exceed- 

 ing t'oodnesse, I sing the song. To thee, O Lord, 

 belunm'th praises in Sion, or, Praise thou the 

 Lord b my soiile, &-c. beseeching (iod to ble.-se 

 the gilts tliat he bath given us, through his boun- 

 teous liberality, to enrich the Fiilds,aiid 10 pros- 

 per the Corne" and the <iras.-e, and that he will 

 crovvne the ycere with his plenleoiisnesse, that 

 we may enjoy the fruits of the earth with thanks- 

 pivinir. to the honor of him, and the profit of our 



