It is with the greatest reluctance, most honorble: Sir! that Your continuing Silence, forces me to incumber You again, to weary Your patience, with Sollicitations of which Your Excellency knows too well, that they ought to be granted, because it is Salary, made by Your own agreement, and for which I have Served.1

Your Excellency will be graciously pleased, to consider that it is too hard to be a double looser, and Silently punished for a crime another has committed. besides the many insulting letters from Amsterdam, filled up with nothing but vengeance, and orders to have me and my family turned out of the hotel, or to take Such measures which would be very unpleasing to me, but this is a mistake, because it might have been turned to enlargers of bills, besides to make it a little more vexatious, have Sent to me, a Notarius publicus, with letters of immediate departure, and other emblems of disdainful wrath, whose unnecessary expeditions with those of one to translate the Inventory of Your Effects might rather have been Saved.

To the great Satisfaction of my wellwishers I have left the hotel the 28 of October, under the Inspection of Notarius Kleyn who was for that purpose employed and a wittness to whom I have delivered 51 those things which belong to the hotel, and Such which are not mentioned in the list, resting in Your Excelys: hands.2

Your Excellency will be graciously pleased, Since my employment in Your Service has now its end, to order, that my quarter of a years Salary, with the expences I have been at for removing, might be paid to me.—

In expectation of Your Excelys: and the Ladies’s health and best welfare, with that of the two young Gentlemen, I take the liberty to Subscribe meself / Your Excellency’s / most devoted and most humble / Servant

Mr Barretts Arrival at Paris, is a lucky Event, and his appointment by the Merchants in Boston a judicious Step; but I am not So clear in the Choice he makes of L’Orient to reside in.— Paris, or even Havre, Seems to me a better Situation. Paris in preference to all others.— If Boylstone would Act in concert with him, his Capital, would be equal to every Thing which relates to the Business: But he is a Singular Character irritable, fiery, avaricious, parcimonious, to a degree, that made me always doubtfull whether, he would Succeed: besides his Age and Ignorance of the Language. it is to be regretted that his Cargo cannot be put into the Hands of Sangrain because it is a great Object, to bring that Gentleman into an Acquaintance with the Qualities of the white Sperma Cæti Oil, and into a Course of Experiments of its Use. The first Point to be gained, is to Shew, that this Oil, considering all its Properties, may be used in the Reverberes cheaper, than the Olive Oil, Neatsfoot Oil, or Linseed Oil, or whatever other Substance goes to the Composition of that with which they now enlighten their Cities. We must engage Œconomy, as an Advocate in our Cause, or we shall finally loose it.— The Marquis tells me, the Duty is reduced to 7.Liv. 10.s the Barrique of 520 52 Weight— you state it at 11₶: 10s.— I should be glad to be exact in this Information, and to know which is right.1 But, 11₶: 10s the Barrique, even as you State it, is so much less than 18.£ 3.s sterling the Ton, the Allien Duty paid here that one would think it must turn all the Trade to France as I hope it will, and as it certainly will if the French Government encourage the Attempt.— if an American Merchant can fix himself at Paris and remain a Man of Business, and not become infected with a Rage for Amusements, he might by corresponding with all the great Cities of the Kingdom soon do a great deal, towards introducing an extensive Trade between the United States and the French.

I am extreamly Sorry for the Accident, which has retarded Mr Barclay, but I think with you that We must submit to it, for a reasonable Time.—2 But I hope Mr Barclay will not Suffer himself to be delayed one moment unnecessarily.— if any Pretences or Excuses for postponing are contrived, I hope he will break away from them all.—it is a horrid Thing, that Business so essential should have been neglected so long.—

The Chevr. De Pinto is Sick, which will unluckily retard our Affair with him. But I will quicken it as Soon and as much as I can.3

With great Esteem I am, dear Sir your / most obedient Servant