Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 2
I recd. yrs. of the 3d. instant & am obliged to you for the accot. you give me of many matters. I pray you will continue to press Leigh for that money & not fail to get it if possible, for Halifax is a bad place to let money lay in these bad times. As to yr. Bond to father, you may depend I shall use the utmost Lenity my office will admit off, & I hope you will take a prudent Care not to let yr. affairs be entangled with this Estate. I am almost Crazy with the Embarrasments of it. Pray settle the Sales as soon as you can & make remittance. You wonder at the Smartness of my last Letter. Indeed I have read it since & can find Nothing Smart in it. You most you can make is An importunate desire to be informed in some Particulars, & as it seems nothing but importunity will avail you cant blame me for using it. But really Sr. you mistake much if you think I am destitute of much tender kindness towards you, but when you are dull & inactive I must Spurr you. The chief I have at present to say is go on & prosper, transact all yr. business with regularity & industry & keep a punctual Word, an honest heart, a clear head & quiet mind & always think of me as one desirous of doing you all the good I can. If you get the Pox tell yr. wife I say she must Nurse you well for clever fellows are scarce. We all are tollerable &c. Yr. freind and hble. sevt.,