Philadelphia Novr. 21st. 1751 Mrs. Betsy,1

Having thro' the great Goodness of divine Providence thoroughly recovered my Health, I purpose to set out to Morrow Morning for Burlington in the Stage-Boat which will go about 8 oClock.2 In Consid-146eration of which I have been severall Times to yr. House in Order to take my Leave of you; (perhaps forever) but was disappointed in my desire; & altho' I traced yr. Footsteps abroad; yet was never so happy as to light on your Person. My Time in the Morning will be so short that this is the Only Method I have to acquaint you with the Reason of my Abrupt departure. I am satisfyed you'll forgive my Boldness in writing to you, wn. I assure you, that true undissembled Freindship dictates every word, and that I was both afraid & ashamed to depart this City without laying at yr. Feet, at least some faint Expressions of my Regard and Gratitude to you for the Frankness, Ingenuity, and Noble Familiarity, with which you have Entertain'd me, altho' an utter Stranger to you.

Madam had you have Entertain'd me wth. a fine Equipage & Splendid Feasts & all the polite Ceremonies necessary to Every used even by a Courtier, I might have thought; well, I may one day arrive to as much Dignity as all this, & be able to make Ample Returns; but Virtue & true Generosity meet only their Reward in Heaven; & I can retalliate yr. Kindness only, by bearing in my Breast the sincerest Regard for yr. Person & well-wishings for yr. Real Welfare, wch. I believe will remain there so as the sound of Virtue makes any impression on me.

You cannot possibly think that I am sounding Flattery in yr. Ears, seing there is no probability of my ever seing you again, no verily; I speak as My Nature dictates to be my Duty. For may I be an Outcast on the Face of the Earth, the Day I am unmindfull of anyone, who has express'd so much Goodness to me as I think you have. I would not hint as tho' I thought myself peculiarly favored; no, all about you are equally sharers in the Same Goodness, Like the Sun which distributes its invigorating Warmth to the vilest Weeds as well as the noblest Plants. But Prudence dictates to me to cease my Encomiums, least you should think my Regards rather a Flame than a solid Fire, which would at once frustrate my whole design.

The Greatest Favour I dare ask of you is that you would admit me into the Number of yr. real Freinds, wch. Sentiment will Remain in my Breast as long as my Blood warms my Heart.

I herewith send you one of Dr. Watts Lyrick Poems wch. I copyed out when I was sick with a Design to present to you.3 I doubt not when you have perused them, that you'll excuse the present abrupt Presentment; & my sincere Wishes for both of us are what I have undermark'd; May the same Good Being, that form'd yr. Soul with so much innate147Tenderness & Begnignity, direct yr. happy Mate where he may find the Soul that twinn'd with his, that so being Engag'd in the same good Cause you may be Coadjutors in the Way to Everlasting Joy and Felicity.

Please to Remember my Regards to Mr. Galloway4 and Mr. Polguen,5 whom I have not had the pleasure to see lately.

Give me leave to subscribe—Madam yr. Very Freind, Admirer, Well-wisher & humble Servent,

ROBERT=TREAT PAINE

P:S These Lines however Sincere, are notwithstanding very rough, & unpolish'd, but I need not ask you to overlook faults of writing or inditing, sensible that yr. Candour will make Intercessions for these Extempore Schetchs of Imagination.

Dft or unsent RC ; addressed: "To Miss Eliz Weyman, Philada."; endorsed by Charles C. Paine: "Phila. Nov. 21. 1751. To Mrs Eliza." The address has been blotted out, but identification has been made through a rough tally sheet among the RTP business papers written on the reverse of a separate address sheet dated "Philadelphia May 17th 1753 Mrs. Elizabeth Weyman." That letter has not been located.

1.

Elizabeth Weyman was probably a sister of Sarah Weyman who married Dr. Thomas Bond in 1742 (Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey 20[19451 44). Sarah Weyman was a daughter of Rev. Robert Weyman who served briefly at a Philadelphia church before removing to St. Mary's Church, Burlington, N.J., where he died in 1737 leaving a wife and 6 children In low circumstances." One of the other children was William Weyman (d. 1768), the New York printer (Charles R. Hildeburn, Sketches of Printers and Printing in Colonial New York [New York, 1895], 60–64).

2.

RTP's diary indicates that he proceeded by various conveyances to New York City, where he stayed from Nov. 25 through Dec. 3. He sailed for Providence, R.I., on Dec. 4, but his passage was interrupted. He arrived in Providence on horseback on Dec. ii, and left for Boston on the 12th on horseback, arriving there on the following day.

3.

Not located.

4.

Joseph Galloway (ca. 1731–1803) moved to Philadelphia from Maryland as a youth. Admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in 1749. Served a number of terms in the Pennsylvania assembly, including 1766–1775 as speaker. Joined General Howe in New York and was the British civil administrator of Philadelphia during the occupation, 1777–1778, and then went to England (DAB).

5.

Perhaps the James Polegreen who was captain of one of Philadelphia's association companies in 1748 (Franklin, Papers, 3:308).