Theutilityofthisinstitutionsoonappeared, andmanymoredesiringtobeadmittedthanwethoughtconvenientforonecompany, theywereadvisedtoformanother, whichwasaccordinglydone; andthiswenton, onenewcompanybeingformedafteranother, tilltheybecamesonumerousastoincludemostoftheinhabitantswhoweremenofproperty; andnow, atthetimeofmywritingthis, tho' upwardoffiftyyearssinceitsestablishment, thatwhichIfirstformed, calledtheUnionFireCompany, stillsubsistsandflourishes, tho' thefirstmembersarealldeceas'dbutmyselfandone, 'dtothepurchaseoffire-engines, ladders, fire-hooks, andotherusefulimplementsforeachcompany, sothatIquestionwhetherthereisacityintheworldbetterprovidedwiththemeansofputtingastoptobeginningconflagrations; and, infact, sincetheseinstitutions, thecityhasneverlostbyfiremorethanoneortwohousesatatime, andtheflameshaveoftenbeenextinguishedbeforethehouseinwhichtheybeganhasbeenhalfconsumed.
theflameshaveoftenbeenextinguished.
,[79] ; buttheclergy, takingadisliketohim, soonrefus'dhimtheirpulpits, andhewasoblig', anditwasmatterofspeculationtome, whowasoneofthenumber, toobservetheextraordinaryinfluenceofhisoratoryonhishearers, andhowmuchtheyadmir'dandrespectedhim, notwithstandinghiscommonabuseofthem, , itseem'dasifalltheworldweregrowingreligious, sothatonecouldnotwalkthro' thetowninaneveningwithouthearingpsalmssungindifferentfamiliesofeverystreet.
