WRITTEN BETWEEN THE YEARS 1768 & 1794 BY PHILIP FRENE AU OF NEW JERSEY A NEW EDITION REVISED AND CORRECTED BY THE Audax inde cohors stellis e pluribus unum MONMOUTH [N. J. ] Printed At the Press of the AUTHOR, at MOUNT-PLEASANT, near MIDDLETOWN-POINT, DCCXCV: and of American Independence XIX. then follows a page devoted to eclipses, movable feasts, and the cardinal points; after which is a tide-table with an execrable bit of-poetry; it certainly may not be called rhyme: THE NAMES, AND ORDER OF THE TWELVE SIGNS. The Ram, the Bull, the heavenly Twins, And near the Crab the Lion Shines, The Virgin and the Scales; The Scorpion, Archer and Sea-Goat, An article on the Planetary system follows, with an account of Herculaneum and Pompeii. A description of the Prussian armies, a history of the Ugly Club in Charleston, S. C., "A Philosophical Speculation," a dissertation on Barbers' Poles, a receipt for the destruction of weevils in wheat, an article on the advantages of using oxen on farms instead of horses, a method of preserving peach-trees from a destructive species of worm, a Swedish method of breeding turkeys, an article on northeast storms, one on Indian corn, a scale of the ages of animal creation, an account of the Bastille of France, a remarkable imposition, and several anecdotes respectively of the King of Prussia, George Whitfield, and Dogs follow. One page is devoted to the apochryphal chapter of the Book of Genesis by Franklin, another to the calendar of the French republic. Some lines by a young prisoner before his execution, and a remarkable method of finding the body of a drowned person fill its pages. THE MONMOUTH ALMANAC, FOR THE YEAR M,DCC,XCV: Being the third after LEAP YEAR; and the ('Till the FOURTH of July) CALCULATED for the MERIDIAN of NEW JERSEY (Longitude 35 Minutes East from PHILADELPHIA,) AND LATITUDE of 40 DEGREES, 20 MINUTES North NUMBER I. MIDDLETOWN-POINT. Printed and sold by P. FRENEAU, near the above place and may be had of most of the Store-keepers in MONMOUTH and the adjacent Counties. Original size of almanac. THE PYRAMID OF THE FIFTEEN Barbara Pyramidum fileat miracula Memphis; 1 Jactat opus Phari marmore nobilius: Quod vincat, celsa de Jovis arce petunt. Ardua Pyramidos tollit ad astra caput. (Translation) No more let barbarous Memphis boast Fetter'd no more in foreign bands, Columbia's sons, to extend the fame Of their bold deeds to future years, But soaring to the starry spheres, To endure when brass and marble die! 1 The Latin verses were written by Mr. John Cary, formerly of Philadelphia. Arriv'd among the shining host, Fearless, the proud invaders spoil These stars, to crown their mighty toil: Old wasteful Time! though still you gain Finding its strength beyond their power: In the Madison papers we find a letter from Freneau, dated Monmouth, New Jersey, November 2d, 1794, in which he requests the favor of having Mr. Francis Bailey appointed to the post of printer for the House of Representatives, - he having heard that in all probability such a person would be wanted. He assures Mr. Madison that Mr. Bailey "is an old, tried Republican, and has stood forth in the worst of times, both as a printer and soldier, a friend to the rights, liberties, and interests of the country. Such characters," he adds, "merit consideration;" and he concludes his letter with some probably experimental and very practical advice. "Permit me to tell you that, in my opinion, it would be preferable that the whole of the work were entrusted to his care; dividing the business, I never could persuade myself, answered any good purpose; and if one such person as Mr. Bailey were made responsible for the whole, considering his attention and abilities, and the capital printing apparatus he is furnished with, I am convinced the House would find their account in having the work done by him." Among the very few letters to Freneau in possession of the family, we find Madison's reply to his request, which runs as follows: |