MHS Collections Online

Boston. 24th Feby 1773 --

Dear Will

I receivd yours of the 26th ulto. by the
Post, by which time the Infr Court was ended & Mr Adams
absent, therefore could do nothing in regard to that part
of your request. am sorry to acquaint you, that after
using all the eloquence I was master of, could not
prevail withs [with] Mrs Nevin to discharge her sons draft,
she still speaks of him as the most worthless fellow
existing, having advancd 40 Guins at 4 mos since
for him, when he pretended he was going to do
some business at the Eastwd & returnd to her in a
very little while all in rags, since which she
has had drafts from him from all quarters, & is
now returnd to her without a second shirt to his
back: as to Capt Erving he is not his Guardian nor
has any connection with him otherways than
that he was a freind [friend] of his fathers; she says Mr
Lane of London & her brother are his propr Guards:
the former of which she has lately been informd
has advanced much more money for him than
he had a right to do, upon the whole believe you
must be obligd to set it down to proffit & loss.

Sometime last month I receivd
seven pounds 4/ lmy from Wm. Langdon for your
account.

In regard to Phillis's poems they will
originate from a London press, as she was blamd
by her friends for printg them here & made to expd
a large emolument if she sent ye copy home,
which induced her to remand yt of ye printer & dld [delivered]
it Capt Calef, who could not sell it by reason of their
not crediting ye performance to be by a Negro, since
which, she has had a paper drawn up & signd by
the Govr. Council, Ministers & most of ye people of
note in this place, certifying the authenticity of it;
which paper Capt Calef carried last fall, thefore [therefore] we
may expect it in print las by the spring ships, it is

supposed the Coppy will sell for £ 100 sterlg: have not as
yet been able to procure a coppy of her dialogue with Mr
Murry, if I do, will send it.

Winter set in with us in Januy & has
continued as tight as ever was known; about two O
Clock last Sunday Morng, young Sumner ye Carpenrs,
Shop took fire which (as the wind was very high) soon
communicated to his house & burnt wth ye greatest
fury till day light & destroyd 4 or 5 dwellgs with
Shops &c. and among the rest my fathers barn
wth a quantity of Pumpers, & it was a mere mira
cle that they savd his Shop; by a judicious dis-
position of the engines they prevented as great
havock as was made some years ago at Olivers
Dock, which must inevitably have happen'd had
they not scatterd 'em, for Deacn. Basseth, Frobishers
Mastr Gays & severall houses as far or beyond ye
Draw bridge catchd on fire repeatedly, but by
immediate application of ye engines was preventd.
doing any great damage; the followg day with Monday
was esteemd ye coldest we have had for 60 years past,
the mercury was sunk half way the ball in the
Thermometers, so that there was not no telling
how cold it was, yesterday ye weather began to
moderate & is now a few degrees warmer.

Saml Eliot & his wife are well; I told
them you wanted to hear from 'em, the reply was,
"why dont you let him know we are well &c --
I made answer that I supposd you wanted to hear
from them by letter.

I dont recollect havg acquainted
you that Capt James, of whom you took up Ben's Note
last Summer, has turnd out to be a great villain,
he took Ben in for a bill of £ 150 sterlg by producing
a forgd letter from a Gent in London wth orders to draw
for that sum, wch is one instance, among many others,
of his suffg by his too great credulity, from which fault
I hope we may Stear clear of Sufferg

for the future, especially you, that have so recent
a monitor in Nevins. with my Regards to Mrs
Le. Cand I rest your affectionate brother

Mr Will: Barrell

Philadelphia 22nd. March 1773

Dear Jack

I wrote you a line by Rogers who sailed afew days past
acknowledgeing the rect. of your two favors by Hinkley P whome
I (there promise to) send the Beer; You now have Inclosed his rect.
for Six Bbs & a small Bundle wch. Contains 12 3/4 yds. Green Lutestring
and two Peices [pieces] of Changable 6 3/8 yards each which agreeable to your
directions will make 12 of the largest Sized Umbrelloes, also a Peice [piece]
of Ell wide Persian which I wou'd have made into Umbrelloes, also I
suppose it will make 4 of each size, but shou'd it make 3 of one
and 5 of the other so as not to waste the Silk, let it be done. I beg
You wou'd get them made in the best manner and at the lowest
rates agreeing for the price before they are made; I wou'd choose the handles
in one peice [piece] , and the part to hold in the hand flattend like the French
ones wch. may be afforded less than those with Joints, pray have them
finish'd and sent me as soon as may be. You have also Inclosed Seven
Guineas & some Change amot. 11.7.6 Lmoney wch. You will Credit my
accot. and pray send me with the Umbrelloes the Bal You may have
in hand for me in Barcelona Handhfs say 3 doz yd. wide black, 3 doz
ditto white & 3 doz Black & 3 doz White of the Comon Size or in that
Proportion. I may take an occasion to write Mrs. Nevin on her
Sons draft. Am very sorry for your Fathers loss by Fire, and
rejoice with my Old Townsmen that they so happily Escaped
a General Conflagration. Your Brother Informed me of James's Villany

I think his Conduct Base to the highest degree. --
The Beer stands in 4 2/3 dollars P bb here, You will make the most
of it and if You can dispose of more let me know & it shall be
sent You. With my Love where due, I am Dear Jack your
Sincere Friend & Affecte. Brother

do send me a good Edition of --
Hutchinsons History of N England

[Address]

[Endorsement]