Middleboro Jany. 18 —64. My dear Friend!

I have transcribed what you Sent as an Appendix.1 If I Shoud. Say, as I really think, that tis well done, I dont know but you woud reply as the famous Mr. Lee did to Col Byfield when the Col. praised one of his Sermons meaning that he woud have Mr. Lee think it a Credit282&c. fine Encomium—"Col Byfield of Popy Squash says mine is a learned ingenious sermon" &c.

Your friendly Letter,2 fraught with a Variety of Tho't, and adorn'd with the beauties of Rhetoric, the Smoothness of Harmony, and the most kind, generous, & benevolent Wishes I recd. and read with high Taste. Among the multiplicity of agreable Ideas that it Suggested to my mind I was Struck in a most Pleasing Manner with that of Charity especialy when you call me to excercise it toward the charming, well proportioned, nervous, & rosey Filius Nullius,3 O unnatural Parent to cast off such a fine Boy! What! not own the offspring of your own Bowels! If such a case Shoud. come into Court O how you woud. bawl at the Bar about it, however, I wont say to you about the Filius as Bartas says one of the two Harlots (That come before Solomon) said to the other Here old bold Strumpet take thy Bastard Brat—no, quite the reverse, you thrust him into the Kitchen, I invite him into the Parlour, & if it wa'nt for his Youth & some other circumstances, I shoud. give him the great Chair, & fix him at the Head of the Entertainment* for I highly approve his aspect & genius, & so must any body that sees & converses with him, for his understanding & deportment, & everything in him & about him (except his age & bulk) are as Mature & Perfect as his Parent tho the Child is but just born. O wonderfull Child! He come into the World ripe in Knowledge, & well acquainted with History, Navigation, War, Peace, Law & Gospel. I good mind to tell whose it is. But no, you Say I mustn't tell, and indeed if I cou'd make folks believe that twas my own Productn., I shoud be very content to let the matter rest as it is, But what shall I Say when folks ask me, who is the natural Sire of that fair offspring in my your house? How like a Silly heap I shall look & act, for I acknowledge I have such a weak & quawmish Conscience that I cannot for the Heart of me tell a Lye about it.

But if we ha'nt a care, between us both we Shall overlay the poor Filius, & that I wou'd not do for anything, for being a lively Boy I make no Small dependance upon him to give Spirit & a Spread to my dull Labour, & so we will let him live & wish him and his old decriped Step-father (with whom he is going to be connected) a prosperous travile in their meanders about the Country, & they need our good wishes for no doubt they will be handled pretty ruffly by some: we must expect they will be tarnish'd, Smok'd, Scolded at by Some, wept over by others, & by & by thrown up upon old dusty Shelf, there to lay till thansgiving or some holly Day 283when the pye-maker calls out give me a waste Paper then alas! down come Pater et Filious & witht. respect to grey hairs or ruddy Youth in they go into oven, & indeed if they must perish, better perish in the oven, then a worse place which for modesty sake I forbare to Name.

Forgive my nonsense & let no Eye but your friendly one see this paper.

So far as you have any Direction of the affair what is going to the press, pray be so kind as to order it done with a good Type, & the Lines not crouded too near for the Sake of Saving a little Strip of Paper.

Mrs. Conant went to Plymo. yesterday, being sent for by Mrs. Robbins, else She wd. joyn in Compliments. I am yr. loving friend & Humbe. Servt.,

SYLVS: CONANT

*Discourse

RC ; addressed: "To R:T: Pain Esqr. In Taunton"; endorsed.

1.

Sylvanus Conant (1720–1777), minister of the First Church of Middleborough, Mass. A friend of RTP, he delivered a sermon in Taunton at the execution of Bristol on Dec. 1, 1763, entitled The Blood of Abel, and the Blood of Jesus considered, and improved, in A Sermon Delivered at Taunton, December First 1763. Upon the Day of the Execution of Bristol, a Negro Boy of about Sixteen Years old, for the Murder of Miss Elizabeth McKinstry (Boston, 1764). RTP wrote the appendix to the published sermon (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 10:471–478), printed below.

2.

Not located.

3.

Son of no one.