Boston Decr: 5. 1763. Bror. Paine,

In Answer to your last,1I would inform you, that I have shewn it to Thacher, & have his Directions that The Books be returned, as He had promised Mrs: Prat that He will be answerable for you 275those you have, provided She will for Those Bob2 has. But I still say, (tho' mind 'tis to a Mason3) keep Them.4

You conclude with saying that you hope The Length of your Lr. will produce as long a One from Me. You Shd: have remembered to have given me a Subject, as 'twas I furnished you with Matter for yours. In short Every Thing is so dull here, scarce any Births, Deaths, or Marriages that I am at a Loss what to say to you, as you enquire particularly of The Things of the World. The present Exigencies of Trade seem to be the only Topicks of Conversation both male & female, expecially among Stillers, where the Wife takes The Lead in Affairs commercial, as well as culinary. In These I am obliged to bear a Part, as The Lusus Horæ5; 'till Men of War, broad R's, Acts of Trade, & the various Plans and Strategems to evade them, & trick poor little, G—6 of his Revenue, have so stuffed up every avenue to the Seat of Itelligence that no Idea, however slender, that is not tinctured with some of These, can find admittance at Either End.

Well, how has Mr. Wheelwright's Affair gone? Has the Judge given his Decree yet? How do you think it will turn? You heard The Trial I suppose, Do you think we shall have a Taste of the Wine here? This is a Specimen of The Questions that accost me whatever Rout I take, & least I shd: be obliged to give a Particular answer to them first, I forbear enquiring of matters that might perhaps produce me Something worth transmitting to Taunton.

I was at Salem last Friday Evening, spent The Night wth. A. Oliver talked much of your Alarm Bell, rising at College at 2o'clock in the morng: &c. He remembers Love to you.

Mr. Avery has Lost his Wife7; & I have just heard Mr. Sam. Wentworth8 is dangerously ill with the Gout in his Stomach &c.

I have now in some Sort complied with your Request. Excuse me If I fall short a Line or Two in Length for I really strain hard. Did you ever see a Lr: more perfectly nonsensical, ha, ha, ha! write Such an one, Et eris mihi9 &c. Good Dr. send me one of your best Cathartics speedily. However, mirth aside, Whatever humour I am in, I always love Truth, therefore take Pleasure whenever I write myself. Your Friend & Well-wisher,

SAML. QUINCY

The Papeers that accompany This you are desired to take care of by The respective Authors.

RC ; addressed: "To Robert Treat Paine Esq. at Taunton"; endorsed.

1.

Not located.

2.

Robert Auchmuty (1725–1788) was one of the prominent lawyers of Boston at this time and was appointed judge of the Court of the Vice Admiralty for Massachusetts in 1767 and shortly afterwards for New Hampshire as well. In 1770 he was co-counsel with John Adams acting for the defendants in the Boston Massacre trials against RTP. A strong loyalist and supporter of Hutchinson, Auchmuty left for England in 1776 and never returned to Boston. His sister Isabella was married to Benjamin Prat, RTP's law teacher (DAB).

3.

RTP's status as a Mason has never been established. He recorded celebrating the major Masonic festival, the Feast of St. John, on at least three occasions (RTP diary, June 24, 1756, June 26, 1759, June 24, 1762); but there is no record of his affiliation with a lodge in Massachusetts.

4.

No credit for returned books appears in RTP's cashbook.

5.

The game of the hour.

6.

George, i.e. King George III.

7.

Mary Avery, wife of the Boston merchant John Avery, died on Dec. 2, 1763 (Boston Gazette, Dec. 5, 1763).

8.

Samuel Wentworth (1708/9–1766), from the prominent New Hampshire family, graduated from Harvard in 1728 and became a merchant in Boston (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 8:526–529).

9.

And you are to me &c.