Here we heard some music and then proceeded to the Menagerie
and seated ourselves in Mr. Baker’s* little observatory.—Saw the exhibitions
of the magic lanthorn.—Had mead and cakes, and upon the whole pass’d the
time very agreeably.
23rd. In my visit to the poor consumptive woman,** a group
of humiliating circumstances presented
*Gardiner Baker was then the keeper of the curiosities
of the Tammany Society. This Society was organized on the 12th of May,
1789, about two weeks after General Washington had taken the oath of office
as President of the United States. The first Sachem was William Mooney,
and Gardiner founded a museum with somewhat the same objects in view which
the Historical Society had later. “A room was granted for its use in the
City Hall” (then at the corner of Nassau and Wall streets, where the Sub-treasury
is now), “and Gardiner Baker was appointed to take charge of the collection.
In 1794 it was removed to a brick building standing directly in the middle
of the street at the intersection of Broad and Pearl streets, called the
Exchange. The lower part was used as a market, but the upper part, being
light and airy, was well calculated for displaying the many curiosities
which now by the indefatigable exertions of Mr. Baker had been collected.
He had taken so much pains and incurred so much expense in getting it up
that he could, with good reason, make a claim upon it. It was therefore
given up to him, upon condition that it should be forever known as the
Tammany Museum, in honor of its founders, and that each member of the Society
and his family should have free access to it. This museum, after the death
of Baker, was sold to Mr. W.J. Waldron, and after passing through various
hands formed the foundation of what was afterwards called Scudder’s Museum,
in Chatham street.”—R.G. Horton, In Valentine’s Manual for 1865, p.860.
**He had seen her the previous day.
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themselves to me.—The sick woman was struggling against the
disease and the sad news of her son’s death.—The old house, built in the
ancient Dutch style, was shattered and disjoin’d in several places and
seem’d ready to fall upon its wretched tenant.—This might appear to be
the summit of human misery.—Yet, how unable are we to measure good &
evil by the external appearances of things!—The woman appears composed,
and looks forward with serenity to death.—
July 2d. The Capt.* call’d on me, agreeably to his promise
and settled my bill, £5.11, for attendance on 6 of his hands. The
attendance upon the Hospital Ship, as the Captain calls her, was a profitable
job for me. My success in the treatment of the sick was greater than I
could expect.
4th. Anniversary of American Independence.
About 10 O’clock I went to Mr. Mabie’s in Pearl Street,
and from his windows had a view of the procession. Mr. Mabie entertained
the company very genteelly and had provided a variety of refreshments.
I exerted myself to get my business done in order that
I might join in the plan of recreation which our
* Capt. Soper of the ship Amy.
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