Jany. 17 18. 1768

The thing that I greatly feared is come upon me; a Trimmation administred in yr. No. 6 for not enjoying that happiness which I am sure I feell in communicating Sympathy to all my fellow Creatures but more especially to any few some perticular ones that know what it means; I flatter myself you have not set me down totally inexcusable; I think I can account for my Conduct from such Principles as only would have given merit to an Adress.

I'm oblig'd to write now to improve a Conveyance to morrow, tho my Head aches too bad for such business. Take a plain Detail of Simple Facts; I saw the Fire exceeding plain at my home took it for a Northern Light; spent 1/2 an hour in Considering how such a Pheenomenon could be in a cloudy night, heard nor thought any more of it. Next Week went to Barnstable. next week to Plymouth & by Mr. Adams heard of the Catastrophe with no great external Emotions, but deep inward Ruminations wch. threw me into sober Meloncholly, attending rather to the Consequences than the Facts, & not having seen the House nor heard any description of it nor seen the owner for a long time, I was not so much moved by Passion as by Reasoning on innumerable Conjectures & felt more disposed for a personal Interview than a pathetic address. Nevertheless I was instantly determind to write on the occasion, and to have sent by Mr. Adams, but it is a most sober Truth I could not get time to write any thing till we parted. You readily concieve that the Occasion required a Collection of Consolatory Sentiments drawn from the best principles digested & refin'd, barely to tell them I was sorry & condoled & all that would not commonplace Civility would not satisfy me, nor can they doubt the Truth of that, but to present that offering which my Heart suggested & their merit demands was not in my power, nor has been since in my power, & so because I could not do what I would I did nothing; (all of peice) however I determind to write from Taunton but was obliged to go a Journey immediately & have been incessantly taken up ever since, three Weeks at Worcester Lancaster & the Regions there419about two of which detain'd by the sickness of poor Pomposity,1 came home, a thousand things to do & think of 2; I must therefore beg the Excuses of your suffering freinds, refferring them to what little they can recollect of me and console my self with the Consciousness of that sympathy which has made me unsociable and the Benificence which stands Ready to assist them; I cannot even now write as I would do, but must trust to you to argue on my Odditys; I expect to be at Boston the begginning of February.

Remember me to Mr. Cranch & spouse & all Freinds & let my suffering Freinds know that if I had felt less on their account, I might have expressed more. 'Tis easier to say something suitable to occasion as polite Civility Phrases it than to express the feelings of Discomposure.

My time is spent & I must Conclude yr. affectionate Freind

JOSEPH MOYDORE3 No. 6

Freinds at Lancaster & Worcester salute you.

RC ; addressed: "To Miss Eunice Paine at Boston. To be left at Mr. Cranch's Watch Maker near the Mill Bridge?

1.

On Pomposity, the horse, see RTP to Eunice Paine, Feb. 25, 1767.

2.

An illegible line of cancelled matter.

3.

A moydore was a gold coin in use in England during the early 18th century (OED).