My Cousins most agreeably supprized me by a Visit— I had been informed that your Sons were to sail the week before— I thought they were upon the wide Ocean, & many a fervent wish for their saefty T had breathed forth— I am sorry I could not have the pleasure of seeing my other Nephews, especially your eldest Son, as perhaps, it will be many a year before I see him, if ever— It is an unstable world we live in— And we Sisters seem to be called, to be separated from some of our dearest Connections all at once— For I must think, I shall feel the Separation from Mr Cranch, even more than his own Father, & Mother— For I had considered him as fixed among us—as a dear Relative, & worthy Friend, as a Protector to me, & my Children, one whom I hoped to have lived, & died with—but Providence seems to be pointing out to him another Place—a Sphere of more extensive usefulness, I trust, & ought I to murmur, or to repine.—1 He that cuts of one branch, can cause another to shoot forth—& if it is best, it will be done— Reliance upon the wisdom, & goodness of the divine Being, has the most salutary effect— We derive from it, our sweetest Comforts, & it gives peace, & serenity to the mind when nothing else can—

Cousin Betsy is much better, riding she finds of service, I hope 229 she will be able to make you a visit at Quincy when my Cousin Lucy returns—

The bag the oatmeal was in, I should be obliged to you, if you would send it— It is a nice one for my William to pack his Cloaths in— I mean to do his washing— more cloaths is necessary, but I can do it, better than hire—2 what you was so kind as to give me I found of great service, they were much better than we could afford to buy— turning the hind part before, & making them over again, made quite useful small cloaths—

Adieu my dear Sister—may you, & Yours be protected from every kind of danger, & evil—

Last night I received your kind Letter of Septr. 3d and am sorry to find that your Books were not then arrived.1 Before this day I hope they are in your Office, and I should be glad if you would inform me whether they are or not. The early Part of my Life was Spent among them, and they have never been many Days together out of my thoughts; so that I have contracted an habitual Affection for them, which would be more mortified by the Loss of them, than of their Value in any other Property.

Your Brothers are to Sail on Sunday, the 14th. of this Month, and my Heaven vouch Safe them a prosperous Passage and Successful Mission.

As it is many Years Since I have lost all my former esteem for Mr Paines Character both as a Man and a Politician, his last Publication and the consequent Declension of his Character among virtuous Men, has been no Surprize to me. It is a Pity that his ridiculous “Age of Reason”: had not appeared before his ranting “Rights of Man,[”] that the poison concealed in it, might have been Suspected from the hateful Character of the Physician who prescribed it.2

Rienzi, Massianello, Wat Tyler and other Heroes of democratical Memory, were better Men and not worse Statesmen.3 Cleon and 230 Clodius and all their Successors, among the popular Destroyers of Republicanism, ought to teach Mankind caution.4 But Frederick is right. The Sotteses des Peres sont perdues pour leurs Enfans: il fault que chaque generation fasse les siennes.—5 Experience is not sufficient to teach Mankind Wisdom.

I wish you an honourable Issue of your Examination and pray you to write me as often as you can. Your Mother will require a more constant Attention to her than ever. My Love to the Baron, and Col smith & your sister. thank her for her present of American Manufacture.

I am Dear Charles your affectionate / father.