Dr. Bullivant: (From: "The Doliver Romance and Other Pieces: Tales and Sketches")

In Short

This narrative sketch examines the tension between Puritan austerity and the encroaching worldliness of the late 17th century through the eyes of a singular figure. Dr. Bullivant, a witty and cynical apothecary, operates as a sharp contrast to the solemnity of his Boston neighbors. As political tides shift, he rises to power as a royalist collaborator, only to face public disgrace and imprisonment. Ultimately, he survives the collapse of his ambitions to return to his shop, embodying the slow, inevitable transition of a society moving from singular religious fervor toward a more secular, pluralistic existence.

The Story

The narrative opens in 1670 in a Boston marketplace, a setting described as a blend of commerce and domesticity. Here, Dr. Bullivant establishes himself as a local anomaly. While his fellow citizens are bound by the "sombre pencil" of Puritanism, which views humor as a potential sin, Bullivant thrives on satire and sharp-tongued banter. His apothecary shop serves as both a place of business and a stage for his performances; he treats his customers not only with medicinal drugs but with "hard, round, dry jokes." His mimicry is so precise that customers often see their own flaws reflected in his shifting, flexible expressions. The Doctor’s presence is a flicker of light in a community that is deeply wary of any joy that cannot be found within the pulpit.

As the years pass, the social climate of the colonies begins to fray. The original, iron-willed generation of settlers dies off, and the influx of merchants, adventurers, and state criminals creates a new, more worldly population. This transition is marked by a struggle between those clinging to the ancient, strict landmarks of their fathers and a new class that embraces Episcopacy and liberal habits. The colonial government, once a bastion of independent, religious rule, faces mounting pressure from London. When King James II revokes the colonial charters, the social order fractures, and the atmosphere becomes thick with paranoia and political malice.

Dr. Bullivant, never one to remain in the shadows, aligns himself with the royal administration, assisting the governor, Sir Edmund Andros, in managing the province. His sharp intellect and biting humor, once tolerated as a minor shopkeeper's quirk, are now weaponized in the service of an unpopular, despotic regime. He becomes an object of intense public hatred, famously despised by the influential Increase Mather. However, the people’s retribution is swift. Upon receiving news of the Prince of Orange’s uprising in England, the colonists rise up and imprison Bullivant along with the other leaders of the court party.

The final act of the Doctor’s public life takes place in a damp, miserable prison cell. Stripped of his authority and his wit, the man who once mocked the world is now subjected to the relentless taunts of the very townspeople he once looked down upon. They gather outside his grated window to return his past insults with stinging sarcasm. Eventually, after the political dust settles, he is released. He returns to his shop, spending his twilight years as a quiet, aging man who still flings the occasional jest. When he finally dies, his life is extinguished with little ceremony, and he is replaced by a new apothecary, marking the end of a unique, if troublesome, chapter in colonial life.

How It Unfolds

The emergence of the phenomenon The narrative introduces the apothecary as a man whose very existence defies the prevailing gloom of his era. By contrasting his levity with the "sour old Genevan" tone of his contemporaries, the stage is set for a clash of temperaments.

The morning trade The shop becomes the focal point for colonial life, where Bullivant balances his medical duties with his satirical performances. Here, the reader witnesses the Doctor’s skill at making his customers the unwitting subjects of his mockery.

The shifting social tide The story expands to cover the erosion of Puritan influence as trade and diverse new arrivals transform the colony. This background provides the necessary context for why Bullivant’s later political shift is both possible and inevitably volatile.

The fall from grace Bullivant’s career reaches its apex as a royalist official, directly inviting the wrath of the public. His subsequent imprisonment serves as a moment of reversal, where the mocker becomes the mocked in a dark, ten-foot-square cell.

The quiet conclusion Released after the political upheaval, the Doctor returns to his shop and settles into a humbler existence. The final scene illustrates the transitory nature of even the most distinct personalities, as his death is followed by a seamless replacement.

The People

Dr. Bullivant is the central figure, defined by a "shrewd, quick, and saucy" eye and a personality that thrives on satirizing others. He is a man who desires influence and entertainment, and he is willing to align himself with unpopular authorities to secure them. While his sharp tongue earns him a reputation as a nuisance, he remains resilient, eventually settling into a resigned, older version of his former self.

Sir Edmund Andros and the other royalist leaders represent the forces of institutional authority that stand in direct opposition to the colonists' spirit of independence. They are the catalyst for Bullivant’s rise and his eventual downfall, providing the structure that enables his political ambitions but also triggers his public ruin.

The Puritan clergy, notably represented by Increase Mather, act as the moral guardians of the old order. They desire a return to a society devoid of "vain jests" and "unprofitable words," and they serve as the primary antagonists to Bullivant’s secular, satirical worldview. They view the Doctor not just as a political rival but as a symptom of the moral decay of their age.

In Its Own Voice

"We are perhaps accustomed to employ too sombre a pencil in picturing the earlier times among the Puritans, because at our cold distance, we form our ideas almost wholly from their severest features."

This reflection introduces the author's argument that we often misjudge the colonial era by ignoring its hidden, warmer moments.

"Among a people where so few possessed, or were allowed to exercise, the art of extracting the mirth which lies hidden like latent caloric in almost everything, a gay apothecary, such as Dr. Bullivant, must have been a phenomenon."

This statement highlights why the Doctor was such a disruptive force in a society that viewed humor as a potential item of criminality.

What It's Really About

This work serves as a meditation on the inevitability of change and the difficulty of preserving strict ideologies in a fluid, evolving world. It asks whether a society can truly maintain its "original stock" of principles when commerce, migration, and diverse influences—often labeled as "worldly"—inevitably seep into the foundations of a community. The text argues that the "gloom" of the early Puritans was a product of a specific, rigorous mindset that could not survive the transition to a broader, more secular society. Ultimately, the book explores how public memory and individual character collide, questioning whether one’s legacy is defined by their contributions or merely by their ability to provide the community with a moment of laughter at their own expense.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate a nuanced look at American colonial history will find much to admire here. It is not a fast-paced novel, but rather a character study that captures the "gray mist" of history with surprising clarity and warmth. The prose is elegant and measured, though readers should be prepared for the dense, 19th-century sentence structures and the occasional archaic reference to colonial politics.

What remains with the reader is the image of the shop itself: a small, aromatic space where the tension between the sacred and the profane plays out in daily interactions. It is a rewarding read for those interested in the psychological evolution of a people, as it avoids the common trap of portraying the Puritans as mere caricatures of severity. While the language demands patience, the precision with which the author captures the Doctor’s "shrewd" spirit makes the experience feel remarkably immediate. It is an excellent choice for anyone who prefers a portrait of a life to a conventional plot, especially those who enjoy reflecting on how a culture’s "warm places in the heart" can exist even within the most rigid and desolate of historical eras.