School, in his Autobiography, which is now in the Massachusetts
Historical Society. Among other things he says: "I remember once, in
making a piece of Latin, my master found fault with the syntax of one
word, which was not used by me heedlessly, but designedly, and therefore
I told him there was a plain grammar rule for it. He angrily replied,
there was no such rule. I took the grammar and showed the rule to him.
Then he smilingly said, 'Thou art a brave boy; I had forgot it.' And no
wonder: for he was then above eighty years old." President Stiles of
Yale College, in his Diary, says that he had seen a man who said that he
"well knew a famous grammar-school master, Mr. E. Cheever, of Boston,
author of The Accidence; that he wore a long white beard, terminating in
a point; that when he stroked his beard to the point, it was a sign for
the boys to stand clear."

Judge Sewall, in his Diary, often refers to him. He speaks of a visit
from him, at one time, when Mr. Cheever told him that he had entered his
eighty-eighth year, and was the oldest man in town; and another time,
when he says: "Master Chiever, his coming to me last Saturday January
31, on purpose to tell me he blessed God that I had stood up for the
Truth, is more comfort to me than Mr. Borland's unhandsomeness is
discomfort." He also speaks of him as being a bearer several times at
funerals, where, at one, with others, he received a scarf and ring which
were "given at the House after coming from the Grave." A peculiarity of
the venerable schoolmaster is seen where Judge Sewall says: "Mr.
Wadsworth appears at Lecture in his Perriwigg. Mr. Chiever is grieved at
it." In 1708, the judge gives in this Diary some touching particulars as
to the sickness and death of Mr. Cheever. They are valuable not only for
themselves, but as preserving in a literary form the close friendship
which existed between these two strong men of that day. Hence they are
given here:--