It is so long since I have heard from you that I begin to be very uneasy I am the more so as I know it is about the time for mrs Smith to be confin'd & you did not give me the most favourable 87account of her health in your last letter. you I know feel all the anxeity of a tender mother for her but I hope to hear soon that She has presented you with a fine Grandaughter— my little Richard grows astonishingly he is not five months old & yet he can step very well & stand alone with only resting his hands upon a Chair & is so fat that I wonder how his mama can tend him, but She poor girl is wasted to nothing almost. She wants better living than a country Clergyman can afford— I made her get some wine & drink a glass or two of it every day She complains of such a faintness as you use'd to feel when you nurs'd

I dare say you thought much of us on commencment day. we had a fine day of it, but a very Crouded assembly. I did not go till the morning & then went to meeting, but I was made quite sick by it— I came home about ten a clock with a violent sick head-ack mrs Norton came the day before & keept house for me She wanted to go but I perswaid'd her not to

every thing was in very nice order: We dind above a hundred People besides the multitude who came in to drink, & eat cake & cheese in the morning & afternoon— our cake was excllint I wanted to send you a peice of it—but the company gave the best proof in the world of its being good—there was only a few Broken Peices came home. We had thirty one chickens, 2 Legs of Bacon four Tongues, a rump of Beef roast'd—& a round allamoded, Lettuce & green Peas. Lucy went up with her Brother the day before & had all the Tables sat in the morning— we had mr Beals as before for five days—1 For care & fidelity he is another mr Brisler— We took Celia with us to be in the kitchen to Boil the Peas wash the Dishes &C— we got a lower Room for that purpose. Mr Cranch had laid up the Benches & tables we had before for this purpose—but I believe I have done now with the care of commencments— We dressd all the meat here but the roast Beef—mrs Foster did that for us2

you will see an account of the performences in the Paper—but it will not tell you that your son spoke as well both as to matter & manner as any of them He has left college my Sister with deservedly the best characture in the World

His behavior has been not only unexceptionable but exemplary says the President & professors & not a hint did I ever hear of his misconduct either in Publick or Private. His characture is form'd I trust go sweet youth & act your part in the world in such a manner as finally to obtain the approbation of the Judge of all the Earth— It must give you pleasure to have him with you—but I do not know 88how to part with him. Cousin JQA has been with us a few days this week he is well, has taken an office from one part of your house in Boston & is to Board with Doctor Welsh3 I shall go to Town this week & see what State is cloaths & linnen are in & put him into good repair Mr Cranch has inlarg'd his Shop & made an office for William in one part of it—& now My dear Sister I know we can feel for each other— may success attend them both as they act with integrity & honour

There is a Gentleman & Lady from Demerarah who are come to this country for their health who wish to hire your house & furniture for a year or more mr Alleyne apply'd to me to know if you would lett it & desir'd me to ask you She is a cousin of his they have no children & but two Servants & mr Alleyns says they are steady good People— I told him I hop'd you would come & Spend the wintre here your self: I cannot give up the hope—how I shall feel to have you go further & not see your Face once more— we think it will not be best to remove your Books from the office they will be safer there than any where else— We go to the House & open & air it as often as we think it necessary I am more concern'd about the carpets than any thing else I am affraid the moths will get at them— we are going this week to make a Brushing & rubing— All the things which were brought from college are to be put up & stow'd away— we took part of a hamper of Porter which we found in your cellar for cousin Tom. one dozen was left which we return'd to the cellar again we did not take any of the wine, but bought a few Gallons

Miss Nancy Quincy was married, the week befor last Deacon Storys Family & mrs Quincy & Son & Deacon Marsh were all the company— William & Lucy din'd with them the next day—

Ned green is dead. What a dreadful thing it is to dye unlamented—4

our worthy uncle Quincy was at meeting to day & is well mrs Eunice is yet at Doctor Phipps's but is no better—I think she will never return to Boston again. if she continues to wast as fast as she had done there will not be much left to remove any where. her Brother & his wife came to see her last week & brought her every thing she wanted for her comfort mrs Paine & Mrs Greenleaf have been since—they appear to wish to make her last days as comfortable as they can—5

William & Lucy are gone to Weymouth their Sister was very sick yesterday & took a Puke I hope she is better but I feel uneasy she had been eating milk & made her stomach ack—

mrs Hall is well but mrs Turner does not get well—

My Love to mr Adams & My dear Cousins all— pray write soon I cannot bear to be so long without hearing from you— Shall you want any rose wather

mr Cranch sends Love— I am with the tenderest affection ever your Sister—

I received on Commencement day, your obliging favour of the 11th: of last month, and should have replied to it before this time, had I not been constantly employ'd in making and executing my arrangements for my removal to this place. For kind wishes which you are pleased to express for my welfare and happiness, I can only return the sincerest assurances of gratitude; Thanks, are called the exchequer of the poor,1 but there are favours, (and such must be those from Parents to their children) which can admit of compensation from no other fund. To improve for my own benefit the advantages which I owe to the goodness of my Parents, is all they require of me; and I can only lament, that so great a length of time must necessarily elapse before I can demonstrate by the Event that their labours have not been in vain.

I have this week opened an Office, in the front Room of your house in Court Street, from which place I now write. I have but little expectations at present from business, and I am sometimes tempted to regret, that I came to a place where the profession is so much crowded, and where my expences must be considerable. The only thing that keeps me here is that I know not of a more advantageous Situation; and if Fortune should be disposed to befriend me, she will have a larger scope here, than she could have in the woods. 90My anxiety will be very great, untill I shall stand upon my own ground. At my time of life it is a grievous mortification to be dependant for a subsistence even though it be upon a Parent.

With respect to the horse, I have ventured to keep him here notwithstanding your direction upon a proposal of Doctor Welsh, and shall keep him untill I have your further commands. The Doctor has a very good Stable, and a boy who can take care of the horse. He has offered to stable the horse, and to be at one half the expence of keeping him for the occasional use of him, as he does not keep an horse at present himself. This will I think render it less expensive than it would be to keep him at Braintree; and it is very probable to me that the necessary occasions upon which I shall want an horse, would in the course of a year, amount to a greater sum in the hire of horses, than the keeping of this one, upon these terms. If however you should be of a different opinion, I will send him to Braintree immediately upon receiving your instructions so to do.

You will have heard before this that Miss Nancy Quincy is married, to Mr Packard, and thus you will perceive your darling project for the advancement of your Son blasted even before the bud.—2

Indeed Madam I hope you will not think the worse of your Son, if he assures you that he never will be indebted to his wife for his property. I once seriously thought that I should easily be enabled to make matrimony an instrument of my Avarice or my Ambition. But really it is not so, and I am fully perswaded like Sancho, that if it should rain mitres in this way, there would be never an one to fit my head.3

I know not of any news. The principal topic of conversation this week has been the arrival of the Columbia from an expedition which has carried her round the world. The adventurers after having their expectations raised to the highest pitch, were utterly disappointed; and instead of the immense profits upon which they had calculated, will scarcely have their outsets refunded to them. This failure has given universal astonishment, and is wholly attributed to the Captain, whose reputation now remains suspended between the qualifications of egregious knavery and of unpardonable stupidity.4 Mr. Barrell, I am informed is not discouraged, but, intends to make the experiment once more, and if he should not meet with any body disposed to second him they say he will undertake it at his single risk and expence.—5 The people of this vessel have brought home a number of curiosities similar to those which you have seen at Sir Ashton Lever's Museum.6 They have likewise brought a native of 91the Sandwich Islands, who bound himself as a servant to one of the passengers. He was paraded, up and down our Streets yesterday, in the dress of his Country; and as he speaks our Language has been conversed with by many Gentlemen in this Town.—7 One of the passengers it is said, has kept a very accurate Journal of the Voyage, and proposes to extract from it a relation for publication.8 It will probably be curious; though among uncivilized and barbarous Nations it appears to me the observations of travellers, must generally consist chiefly in a repetition of what was noticed by the first adventurer who discovered them. The situation of a Country, and whatever relates to inanimate matter continues the same. The peculiarities of the animal Creation when once remarked, seldom afford any further field for information.— It is from Man that we must always derive our principal source of entertainment and instruction. And although the knowledge of the human heart may perhaps be promoted by inferences drawn from the manners and customs of a people newly discovered, yet the savage Inhabitants of a petty Island, cannot have many customs or opinions which may not be discoverable to the first Man who becomes acquainted with them;

I wish to be remembered affectionately to all my friends with you. I shall write to my brother Charles as soon as I have the courage; which will be when I shall be able to inform him that I have one Client.

I am your affectionate Son.