The long continuance of the session, and the uncommon heat and drought of the Weather have made this, to me an unpleasant Spring. And to increase my Mortification, I have this Week received 180 no Letter from you. I have not for Several months before, failed to receive a delicious Letter worth a dozen of mine, once a Week.

Well! Boston comes on! Mr Morton is now to be its Leader! How changed in Reputation Since 1788.!1

I wonder not at the Choice of Well-born Winthrop. He might I Suppose have been chosen at any time. His Father was one of my best Friends. and The Son was a good son of Liberty. I know of nothing to his Disadvantage.2

The Fœderalists committed an egregious Blunder, in a very unwarrantable and indecent Attempt, I had almost Said upon the freedom of Elections, at their previous Meeting for the Choice of Governor. The Opposite Party to be sure practice Arts nearly as unwarrantable, in secret, and by send agents with printed Votes— But this is no Justification unless upon Catos Principle In corruptâ civitate Corruptio est licita. i.e. In a corrupt City corruption is lawful!3

Elections are going the Usual Way in our devoted Country. Oh! that I had done with them.— We shall realize the raving in the Tempest, which Charles quoted to me in his last Letter.

This is Lubberland indeed— Le Pays de Cocain, I believe the French call it.—5 but it is terra incognita.— I am afraid We shall have too many of its qualities without its innocence.

I have no hope of Congress rising, before the last of May— Never in my Life did I long to see you more— I am most ardently / your

I am delighted with your delicious little Letter of 14th.—but was puzzled to guess where you got your Description of Lubberland or what do the French call it? Pays de Cocany or some such Word.

Does he get this, says I, from Old Chauar, or Spencer, or from shakespear? Young Mr Otis, turned me to the Passage in elegant Extracts—1 It is it seems from the Tempest, which was to me, once very familiar— Hence I see, my Memory is not so quick as it was once. next time you quote mark the quotation that one may look it, in the Book.

The Project of Equality of Property, is so obviously impracticable, that visionary Politicians have abandoned that idea, for another, a Community of Property. But both are totally inconsistent, with all Arts, Manufactures, & Commerce. All Such Schemes are now of no other Use, than to be employed to quell the Mob, and seduce them into Mischief at the Bidding of some Villain who has Ends to Answer.

The Writings of Jean Jacque Rousseau, and the Abby de Mably united to the ignorant Ideas of Franklin and his Pupils Turgot Condorcet and Rochefaucault, have led France into a scene of Misery to which there can be no End as long as such Names and such Opinions are popular there.

I hope to find time to commit to Writing, for the Use of your Brothers and you, before I leave this World some observations, upon those Writers, to point out their egregious Errors, that this Country or at least my Family may be put upon their Guard against such delusions. But to what Purpose? Mankind pay no Attention to Reason— They are led blindfold by Names, and Signs.—

Uncontrouled Power, at the disposition of Uncontrouled Passions, is Tyranny. There is not an Aphorism more universal, nor more fundamental than this.— In the national Convention of France, the Majority has a Power, which the Minority cannot controul— The Passions of the Majority, cannot be controuled by the Reason of the Minority.— The Majority are afraid that the Minority will intrigue with the People, and become the Majority or find means to check their Passions & controul their Power. to prevent this they guillotine them all. This is Franklins blessed Government.— Majorities, banishing, confiscating, massacring guillotening Minorities, has been the whole History of the French Revolution, which I had told them would be the Case in three long Volumes before they began—2 But they would not believe me.

Mankind I think had rather cutt one anothers Throats till the Species is extinct, than acknowledge me to be in the right.— I know not the Cause of such a terrible Aversion to me.— Do you?

I shall never be so popular as Tom Paine, but I believe the time will come, when more Men will think as I do than as he does.

Adieu, my dear son— read and / think for yourself, so charges / your