... He will not only deny himself, but if called
thereto, will encounter the greatest difficulties and dangers for the
publicks sake." [Footnote: Sermon, _The Publick Spirited Man_, pp. 7, 9.]
The man had presumed too far; the world was wearying of him. On September
6, 1701, the government was transferred to Samuel Willard, the vice-
president, and Harvard was lost forever. [Footnote: _History of Harvard_,
i. 116.]
No education is so baleful as the ecclesiastical, because it breeds the
belief in men that resistance to their will is not only a wrong to their
country and themselves, but a sacrilege toward God. The Mathers were now
to give an illustration of the degree to which the theocratic training
debauched the mind; and it is only necessary to observe that Samuel
Sewall, who tells the story, was educated for the ministry, and was
perhaps as staunch a conservative as there was in the province.
1701, "October 20. Mr. Cotton Mather came to Mr. Wilkins's shop, and there
talked very sharply against me as if I had used his father worse than a
neger; spake so loud that people in the street might hear him.... I had
read in the morn Mr. Dod's saying; Sanctified afflictions are good
promotions. I found it now a cordial."
"October 9. I sent Mr. Increase Mather a hanch of very good venison; I
hope in that I did not treat him as a negro.
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