Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 1
My constant endevours to Serve you will I hope witness to the Sincerity of my professions to you, for my own pleasure I had much rather you shou'd Come down for your nesesarys than deprive my Self of the Sight of you by Sending to you; and by that means prevent your Coming to town, but Since you desire it (tho' its long Since I Saw you) I Chuse to gratifie you, rather than my self and hope by this means to testifie to you, both my high esteem of your Conduct in your own affairs; and my unfeigned desires to Serve you as far as my poor Ability will permit.
I have Several things to Communicate to you which I shou'd be glad to do by word of mouth but Since I Cant See I must Content my Self this way of Communicating my Self to you. Father informs me as a great Secret that Mr. Oliver1 has been to him to Consult the affair of a Comencement and Say that he and Mr. Green2 have determin'd to make none and this week they have wrote to Mr. Whipple3 desiring that he wou'd Comply with it but let him do as he will they are resolv'd to agree in making no preparation and desire Father to consent to join with them which he did and resolves to follow their Exemple. As it is keept a Secret I Suppose twill be news to you but dont mention it only Let me know your thoughts upon it.
Dear Brother as I wou'd Look upon you as a friend as well as a Brother (which but too Seldom are to be found in that relation but I trust I am So happy in you) I'll take this time to inform you of an affair of my own, that I make no doubt but will Surprise you as it has me. Father has at Lenth approv'd of Mr. Greenleaf's request to visit me and has given his Consent and has taken Some pains in a very tender Manner to perswade me to Comply with Mr. ——s request. Were it not for this and the reasons he urges I shou'd have no thoughts but to refusse without Consideration, but his urging it in any degree is so Strange I know not what to Say. Many of his reasons are to tedeious to name but one a Consideration of my age and his Curcumstances not being so promising as Some years 51past by reason of many Losses and disapoinments and his infirmities of body & age Come on which makes him desirious to have me Seteled, and he thinks this a good prospect for a Living and his only objection what we all know: the family.
Pray Let me know your thoughts upon this by the bearrer for a monday night I shall See him, and if tis worth Consideration I Shall See him again if you think tis not I will dismiss the point.4
Here has been many Suden Deaths this week and in perticular Mrs. Beninton5 of a Lethurgy and is buried this day.
Your desire me to Let you know when our Sacrement is next. It was Last Sabbath. Sisster Sends her Love to you and dont intend to write till you have.
Pray accept thesse from your Loving Sisster,
Next week I shall Expect you to remember your promise a monday being my birth day.
Andrew Oliver (1706–1774), father of RTP's classmate, Andrew Oliver (1731–1799). The elder Oliver was at this time serving in the House of Representatives, and later served as province secretary and lieutenant governor, and was closely tied with the Hutchinson clique (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 7:383–413).
Joseph Green (1703–1765), father of RTP's classmate Joshua Green, was a successful merchant in Boston, associated in business with Isaac Walker as Green & Walker (Samuel Abbott Green, An Account of Percival and Ellen Green [Groton, Mass., 1879], 14–16).
Joseph Whipple (1687–1753), deputy governor of Rhode Island and father of William Whipple (NEHGR, 32[1878]: 406).
Joseph Greenleaf’s courtship of Abigail Paine was ultimately successful. RTP apparently raised no objections to the match.
Mary Bennington, "Widow and Schoolmistress," aged 67, was buried Mar. 4, 1748/9 (King's Chapel Burial Register).