Identifier: historyofnewport00bayl (find matches)
Title: History of Newport County, Rhode Island. From the year 1638 to the year 1887, including the settlement of its towns, and their subsequent progress
Year: 1888 (1880s)
Authors: Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather), ed
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, L. E. Preston & Co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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tronomic intention in theexact distribution of the eight piers on the true cardinal pointsof the comjiass is not an unnatural expression of the astrologicsuperstition of the seventeenth and even the eighteenthcenturies. It is not a matter of tradition only, but of history, that many,if not all Newport vessels, had their horoscopes cast, by whichtheir days and hours of sailing were determined. Of this in-numerable evidences remain in the log books of the vessels,many a one of which has its horoscope on the initial page. Howcommon the practice of casting horoscopes was appears fromthe manner in which the Wizard of the North makes hisfamous story of manners of the eighteenth century to hingeupon the horoscope cast by Guy Mannering at the birth of theson of the Laird of Ellangowan. It is reasonable to sup-pose that from the top of the Round Tower Benedict Arnoldand some familiar, learned in I he ocult science, questioned thestars as Catherine de Medicis and her astrologer Ruggiera, a cen-
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ROUGH POINT. RESIDENCE OF FREDERICK W. VANDERBILT.Nevvpoil. HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY. 499 fury before, from the top of the Paris tower, constructed by lierorder for (lie study of similar mysteries. vVmid all this fog ofconjecture the simple fact renuiins that the fust mention of thestructure is found in the will of Governor Arnold of 1677, wherehe calls it my stone built wind-mill. The stone mill lot wasa part of the governors farm. The mill stands near the centerof the rear half of the lot. Mr. August Belmont, who married a daughter of Commo-dore Matthew Calbraith Perry (a younger brother of the heroof Lake Erie), offered to the city of Newport on behalf of hiswife and himself a fine bronze statue of the celebiated officerwhose peaceful victory opened the ports of Japan to the outerworld. The city accepted the giftand assigned for it the center of theupper half of Touro Park, where itis a-conspicuous object from Bellevueavenue; a most suitable selection,when it is remembered that

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