A PICKLE FOR THE KNOWING ONES,
BY LORD TIMOTHY DEXTER,
WITH AN
Introductory Preface,
BY A DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN OF "OULD NEWBERRY."
FOURTH EDITION.
NEWBURYPORT:
BLANCHARD & SARGENT.
1848.
PREFACE.
Timothy Dexter, the author of the following curious and unique production,entitled "A Pickle for the Knowing Ones," which is here re-printedverbatim et spellatim from the original edition, was born in Malden,January 22, 1747. Having served an apprenticeship with a leather dresser,he commenced business in Newburyport shortly after he was one andtwenty, and being industrious and economical, he soon found himselfin good circumstances. In the year 1770 he married, and receiving aconsiderable amount of money with his wife, he was thus put in possessionof a moderate fortune. In 1776 he had for one of his apprentices theno less eccentric, and afterwards the no less noted Jonathan Plumer,jun., "travelling preacher, physician and poet," as he was accustomedto style himself, and of whom we shall hereafter speak. In addition tohis regular business of selling leather breeches, gloves "soutabel forwimen's ware," &c. he engaged in commercial speculations, and in variouskinds of business, and was unusually successful. He traded with merchantsand speculators in the then Province of Maine, was engaged to some extentin the West India trade. He also purchased a large amount of what werecalled State securities, which were eventually redeemed at prices farexceeding their original cost. Some of his speculations in whaleboneand warming pans are mentioned by himself on page 23 of this work. Thusin various ways he added to his property, and in a few years he becamea wealthy man. With wealth came the desire of distinction, and as hisvanity was inordinate he spared no expence in obtaining the notoriety hesought. In the first place he purchased an elegant house in High Street,Newburyport, and embellished it in his peculiar way. Minarets surmountedwith golden balls were placed on the roof, a large gilt eagle was placedon the top, and a great variety of other ornaments. In front of his houseand land he caused to be erected between forty and fifty wooden statues,full length and larger than life. The principal arch stood directly infront of his door, and on this stood the figures of Washington, Adamsand Jefferson. There were also the statues of William Pitt, Franklin,Bonaparte, George IV, Lord Nelson, Gen. Morgan, Cornplanter, an IndianChief, Jack Tar, Traveling Preacher, Maternal Affection, Two Grenadiers,Four Lions and one Lamb, and conspicuous among them were two images ofDexter himself, one of which held a label with the inscription "I am thefirst in the East, the first in the West, and the greatest philosopherin the Western world." In order that the interior of his house shouldcorrespond with the exterior, the most costly furniture was imported fromFrance, and the walls hung with paintings, brought from Holland and otherparts of Europe. A library was also provided, but how large or valuablewe are not able to say. An elegant coach with a span of beautiful