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in no small degree indebted for escaping the severe persecutions meted out to the majority of the Loyalists. When summoned into the apartments where the "Committee of Safety" were assembled to pronounce judgment on his conduct he was invited to sit by the fire, as the weather was cold; "Gentlemen," said he, "when I came among you I expected persecution, but I could not have imagined you would offer me the fire so suddenly."

The Rev. Jacob Bailey—a Loyalist who was afterwards rector of Annapolis, N. S.—visited Boston in the summer of 1778, and he writes in his journal, under date July 23rd: "After breakfast I went to visit the famous Dr. Byles, who is detained a prisoner in his own house. He received me, according to his manner, with great freedom, and entertained me with a variety of puns. He was mightily pleased with the letters I brought him from his son and grand-daughter, and instructed his daughters, a couple of fine young ladies, to read them. I observed that he had a large collection of curiosities, and the best library I had seen in this country. He is a gentleman of learning and great imagination, has an uncommon share of pride, and though agreeable when discoursing upon any subject, yet the perpetual reach after puns renders his ordinary conversation rather distasteful to persons of elegance and refinement."

Truly the way of punsters is hard!

The Byles family were of great reputation among the early Puritans. The elder Mather Byles, though a Loyalist was a Congregationalist minister. He was a scholarly man and a clever preacher. A sermon of his is extant, printed at Boston in a queer little pamphlet size about 3 x 5 inches. It is entitled "The flourish of the Annual Spring, improved in a sermon preached at the ancient Thursday Lecture in Boston, May 3,