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associates for the last fifty years of his life, have the most entire confidence in his integrity.

Hewes, like many other persons of very advanced age, can give no correct information respecting his, having in his possession no record of his birth. When this memoir was preparing for the press, from a calculation made on a supposed knowledge of some facts, he was believed by some of his friends to be ninety-nine years old. Though some of his remote relatives have since expressed their belief that his age is something less, while they assert it has considerable exceeded four score and ten.

Great as his age is acknowledged to be, he appears to have a clear recollection of his pedigree, and the prominent circumstances which have marked the progress of his life from his early childhood to the present

time.

It has been prefaced, that although the wisdom and councils of men whose inheritance is only obscurity and want, might often save the sinking fortunes of their country, and grace the triumphs of achievement, yet such has been the order of this world, public opinion has inclined to consign to oblivion those least ambitious of power and preferment. It is believed that the correctness of this remark may have been emphatically exemplified in the person and character of Hewes. When it is considered that those whose

illustrious deeds have assigned to them conspicuous places in history, have not often exhibited those prominent traits of character which have led to their celebrity, until some fortuitous incidents beyond their control had first thrown open to them the doors of the temple of their fame.

Although it cannot be known how men may improve the fortunate incidents which have opened to others the way to renown and power, yet no one who may have had a personal interview with Hewes, now at the age of nearly an hundred years, and a glance at his history and present condition of his faculties, can assert nature had denied to him the prerequisite constituents of a great man.

It appears, from his account of himself, and from the present state of his mind, his advantages for obtaining even a common education, have been very limited; yet his memory, his physical and intellectual powers, his vivacity and communicative faculties, are of no ordinary character.

On requesting him to give me some sketches of his origin and history, he proceeded with an alacrity and promptness not less amusing than extraordinary.

My father, said he, was born in Wrentham, in the state of Massachusetts, about twenty-eight miles from Boston. My grandfather having made no provision for his support, and being unable to give him an educa

tion, apprenticed him at Boston to learn a mechanical trade. After commencing business for himself, he married a woman by the name of Abigail Sever, of Roxbury, by whom he had six sons and five daughters. The names of my elder brothers were Samuel, Shubael, and Solomon; and my younger, Daniel and Ebenezer. My father's Christian name was George. My mother had a great uncle whose Christian name was Twelve, for whom she appeared to have a great veneration. Why he was called by this singular name, I never knew. So my parents were pleased to call me by the name, or rather names, of George Robert Twelve.

My mother, whose veracity I could never doubt, often remarked to me, that at my birth I weighed fourteen pounds. This unusual natal growth, though it might have been an indication of a vigorous constitution, could not be of any great physical weight or dimensions to which I was destined to attain, as every one who has a knowledge of my person, now very well knows I have never acquired the ordinary weight or size of other men; though I have generally enjoyed sound health and a cheerful mind.

In my childhood, my advantages for education were very limited, much more so than children enjoy at the present time in my native state. My whole education which my opportunities permitted me to acquire, consisted only of a moderate knowledge of reading and

writing; my father's circumstances being confined to such humble means as he was enabled to acquire by his mechanical employment, I was kept running of errands, and exposed of course to all the mischiefs to which children are liable in populous cities.

At a time when I was about six years old, I recollect my mother sent me with a basket to the navy yard, to get some chips for fuel. I set down my basket, after I had arrived at the place where I was sent; I thought to divert myself by viewing the shoals of little fish that were to be seen swimming under the loose plank and boards that were floating on the surface. For that purpose I placed myself on two plank that were floating near each other, setting one foot on each, and so was viewing the multitude of little fish which I could see between the two plank swimming near the surface of the water.

While in that situation, the planks on which I stood gradually separated, till my feet were so far extended that I could not recover them, so as to maintain my position; and I fell between them into the water, which was at that place about seven feet deep, and sinking to the bottom, was soon lifeless. Some ship carpenters who had seen me come to the place with my basket, and seeing it standing on the shore, were apprehensive from my sudden disappearance that I might have fallen into the water, came to the spot where they had last seen

me, and soon discovered me lying on the bottom; but rather than expose themselves to inconvenience or danger, they went for a boat hook, which they soon procured, and with it hooked me up by my clothes; and finding me motionless, they proceeded to use means for my restoration to life, and for that purpose rolled me on a tar barrel from end to end, by means of which operation the water was so much of it discharged, that they discovered signs of life, and immediately conveyed me to my mother, and I found myself transferred from a watery grave to a warm bed. By my mother's assiduous care I was restored; but my senses had been so much benumbed, and my health so seriously injured, that it was near a fortnight before I was considered a proper subject for punishment.

My mother then took me in hand in good earnest for having neglected the business of my errand, and by my childish curiosity exposed myself to the catastrophe which had befallen me. I will teach you better, said she, than neglect your duty and expose your life in this way. She then applied the rod to my back severely, and I believe to some good purpose; for it not only left some impressions upon my flesh, but upon my mind, whereby I was often afterwards admonished of the importance of faithfulness in executing the commands of my parents, or others who had a right to my services.