On conversing with Mr. Parsons relative to Your Sons entring into the Study of the Law, I found him disposed to take him under his Instruction, and it being the Wish of your Son to live with him, I accordingly agreed with Mr. Parsons on the Subject— After Commencement Vacation Mr John will repair to Newbury Port— Mr. Parsons's Terms are £100— for Thrree Years exclusive of Board, the money to be paid at the End of the Term As he does not incline to 102board his Pupils, I shall procure a Place at my Brothers or some other good Family—

Mr Johns continued & persevering Application to his Studies must in Time injure his Health unless he carefully attends to Exercise, a Doctrine I have frequently inculcated upon Him and shall urge, previous to his going to Newbury Port, a few Weeks of Relaxation—

What shall I say to you My Friend with Respect to the State of my Country, with Respect to the Complexion of our new Court and the Measures pursuing & pursued by it. The Spirit of the Day has brought into public Life Characters that in sober Times would have been hissed off the Stage and been expelled as Members unfit to grace the Seats of Legislaters. Fomentors of the late Rebellion are found in Council, Senate and in the House of Representatives. In the House are some who from the Beginning were Enemies to the late Revolution, secret in Opposition when it could best serve their Purposes and open when Prospects of Success presented, avowed Friends to Monarchy and to Despotism—that have taken every Advantage of Discontents and encouraged every Kind of Faction—Disappointed Whigs, Convention Men & Debtors not a few— The object of the first is to throw all into Confusion and introduce a new Form of Government— the Disappointed Whigs & Convention Men are most of them Mushrooms that have sprung up on a sudden are tools of the Former but in Principle Levellers— The Debtors join their Force hoping for an Annihilation of public & private Debts, among these are some whose Characters once shone with Lustre— But are now meanly courting the Populace and practising the Arts of Corruption— These Characters came to Court with a Determination, and from many Towns with Instructions, if possible to undo the Measures of the late Administration to remove the Troops stationed for the Suppression of the Rebellion and the Protection of the Western Counties—to remove all Disqualifications, to obtain a general Goal Delivery of all State Prisoners and a general Indemnity & Pardon as well to those condemned to Death as those that have not come in and accepted former Terms of Mercy & Pardon—although the latter have been and are dayly making Depredations—The Removal of the Court from the Town of Boston—as more liberal Tender Act—or a Continuation of the Former—with some an Emission of Paper of Money—with others a Discharge of public Securities at the going Price—are favourite Objects— It is doubtful whether, the Court will be removed from Boston— The Tender Act 103so called will be continued till January next— Paper Money is reprobated—and the further Reduction of public Securities is unnecessary will not be attempted this Session—

Among the high handed Offenders that have been capitally convicted and sentenced to Death, not one as yet has been executed—Pardon was granted for all in Berkshire & Hampshire County except Four— These were reprieved for a Month, now again for Six Weeks—one in the County of Worcester was also marked out for the Halter—but is pardoned— the most criminal of the whole a Shattuck by name—of the County of Middlesex convicted several Times during the War of raising Mobs to oppose the Payment of Taxes & the Execution of Laws, was sentencd to have been executed on Thursday last—but is reprieved for a Month— It seems to be the Opinion of most that all these Gallows deserving Fellows will be set at Liberty—1 Resolves have passed this Session, for a new Pardon to all except Nine—and a Removal of all Disqualefications— it was with great Difficulty that a Vote could be obtained to replace the Troops stationed in the Western Counties, whose Time of Enlistment is just expiring—2 Very little Business of Importance to the Public has been transacted although the we are got in to the 5th. Week of the Session—Nearly Three fourths of the House and a considerable Number of the Senate being new Members— I fear that the Benefits arising from this Session will hardly compensate for the expences— This Court is I believe larger in Numbers than any former by One fourth—3 But I must break off Politics & conclude by informing You; that You have the Thanks of the best Judges & Patriots among us for yr. Judicious & timely Publication, it has already passed through one Impression at New York and is now reprintg at Boston—

Yrs—

I wrote [some time?] since by the Way of Bristol, informed You, that Bor[lan]ds Place may be purchased, if you like—4

By Capt Cushing who will sail in a Day or two, I shall draw in Favour of Mr Elworthy for £100— Folger & Callihan have been expected for some Days but have not as yet arrived—

your two Letters of May 21 & 26 were yesterday deliverd.1 captain Scot has not yet got up. I hope by him to receive Letters from my other Friends. I have been not a little anxious that Barnard and Davis should arrive without a Letter either from Braintree or weymouth as this is to go by the packet, I will confine myself wholy to buisness and as mr Adams has written you respecting mr Borlands place, I have only to second his request that you would purchase it without Delay.2 perhaps he may be induced to take less for the money in hand, but what can be done respecting the wood Land sold by mr Tyler to mr Webb & an other piece of Land to Deacon Bass, for which I presume he received the Money tho I do not imagine their deeds can be valid.3 Yet one would not like to get into a squable with ones Neighbours if mr Borland gives a deed he must warrentee us. Mr Tyler always told me that his agreement with mr Borland was, in case he could not give him a Title to the Estate. The money he had paid, was to be considerd as borrowed & he was to be allowed interest for it, if so I should presume the matter might be setled with him. I should be glad to be informd whether the frame he put up was ever coverd & whether he made any repairs upon the House, his creditors I presume cannot take off the frame. Who is now the Tennant & what repairs are necessary? if you purchase it as I hope you will, I should like to know the heights of the rooms & the paper they will take to paper them as well as the bigness of them, painting will be a necessary buisness both without and within. I fancy mr Tyler owes money to mr Cranch would it not be best for him to secure himself if he can by attaching the material for repairs? mr Adams will not hesitate even at the 600. What shall I 105say to you respecting veseys place? counteract my dears Frinds plan, by no means—it has always been his wish to Buy that place, and he would have done it long ago if I had not persuaded him to the contrary. 300 is certainly 50 pounds too much as money is so scarce & the place so poor. it will not neat 4 prcent do you think it worth more? Suppose you make him that offer but you see mr Adams is disposed to have it, even at the very high price, but I think more of the other place. an other House we must have if it was only to hold our Books. I should speak within Bounds if I was to say that the Books which mr Adams has purchased in order to qualify himself for a through investigation of the subjects he is persueing, cost him within these six months a hundred & fifty Guineys. Many of the Italian Works were very high priced & very scarce, he reads Italian as easily as French, and applies so constantly both to writing & reading that I fear he will injure his Health. Yet it is vastly mended since his residence in England, when I first came abroad he could not write even a single Letter without suffering. now he writes six or eight hours in a day—

With regard to my own Health I cannot say much in favour of it, a little fever still Lurks in my veins & I cannot get rid of it. perhaps a sea voyage may serve it, but I dread the ocean and yet more the turbulent spirit of my Countrymen. it is a damp to all the pleasureable Ideas of a return to it— God save the people is a prayer in which I can most sincerely join—but I said I would write only on Buisness—yet out of the abundanc of the Heart &C I will send by the first opportunity the Reviews you desire my trangression with respect to porter & cheese were those of Ignoranc I Submit to the chastisement & pray the cheese may be only used as a foil. I will remember in future & put all I send in a trunk with the articles enumerated & the price.—

Mrs Smith desires to be rememberd to you & all her Friend. Col Smith is not yet returnd from portugal I presume I must have Letters by Scot. as you have not mentiond my Friends I hope they are all well— a Letter came to hand by the penny post soon after Barnards arrival in which you mention Bills drawn in favour of mr Hill,4 but no such Bill has been yet presented— adieu my dear sir. I will not despair of the commonwealth whilst their is good sense enough to Elect my good Friend into the Senate. The Single virtue of Cato did much towards the preservation of Rome. may your Success be equal to your virtuous Efforts is the ardent wish / of your sincere Friend