The Quote Garden ^™

Who Is James Lendall Basford?

July 27, 2016

I’ve stumbled upon a “new” author I like, amongst the dusty shelves of Google Books, and I’ve been reviving selections from his writings onto The Quote Garden. Mr James Lendall Basford was a jeweler and watchmaker in Massachusetts who published two books of his own aphorisms — Sparks from the Philosopher’s Stone in 1882 and Seven Seventy Seven Sensations in 1897 — “the result of ideas which have forced themselves into expression during a period of the author’s life, extending from early youth to middle age, amidst the many cares and perplexities of a business life.” Basford doesn’t seem to be quoted or bio’d anywhere on the Web, so here is a bit of info I’ve pieced together.

Basford was born January 27, 1845 in Livermore Falls, Maine, and passed away January 30, 1915 in Wareham, Massachusetts. He was married to Mary Wyman who died in 1883 of tuberculosis; they had two children who did not survive infancy and a son Ernest Dutton (1875–1920). James later married Florence Whitney; they had a son Ellerton Whitney (1890–1960) and a daughter who did not survive infancy.

The 1900 census reports 55-year-old Basford with an occupation of physician, but I find no further information about a transition from jeweler, watchmaker, and watch repairer to doctor except an 1891 trade-mark for Basford's Aquarian Balm, a “remedy for the respiratory organs and the blood.” If he did change careers, one wonders if his interest in medicine may have stemmed from his first wife’s disease and death in her thirties. His first book was dedicated to a Boston doctor, in appreciation and admiration of his contributions to the happiness and welfare of others, so perhaps he was inspired also by that man.

Below are some sample quotations from his two books. Please enjoy these old-timey gems from this watchmaker by trade and aphorist by leisure.


Sparks from the Philosopher’s Stone by James Lendall Basford, 1882 —

“How often do our thoughts play 'hide-and-seek' with us in our memory!”

“Deep thinkers often lose two good thoughts by coming to the surface to record one.”

“Most of what is said under excitement is regretted when we become ourselves again.”

“The man who never has money enough to pay his debts, has too much of something else.”

“No monarch is so well obeyed as that whose name is Habit.”

“Men usually take better care of their boots than of their stomachs.”


Seven Seventy Seven Sensations by J. Lendall Basford, 1897 —

“Gray locks,—Nature’s flag of truce.”

“Joy comes to us like butterflies, but sorrow like wasps.”

“The Present gallops away with clattering feet, while the Future steals noiselessly upon us.”

“Men sin and the law punishes; the law sins and the devil rewards.”

“Life is a long road on a short journey.”

“Life is a series of ever-changing color, and each day has its hue of romance.”

“Let us fly from the Past on the wings of Faith.”

“One neglect makes ten regrets.”

“The healthiest herbs in literature are prov-erbs.”


Image Information.  Photo and signature from Google Books public domain scanned books, modified by Terri Guillemets using cameran collage app, 2016. Interesting side note: the books scanned by Google were from the libraries of James Russell Lowell and William James, sent as gifts from the author.