Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 3
I write now, to enclose my two old letters; which were wrote to send you at Philadelphia. Had you recd. them then, it might have been a Pleasure to you, but you have often said you loved to read old letters, so I send them now. We have had very uncomfortable weather, since I came home; so bad Mr. Leonard could not return. He has just been in, and tells us he has heard today from you, that you are better. I heartily rejoice to hear it. May your health be confirmed & your Life Prolonged to old age. My Father is at committe this evening so cant write again, but we have no certain news. All is Peace & tranquility, at Present; within our gates. Brother has just been to Mr. Smiths to find a conveyance for your butter, as Mr. Adam, has no Cart in town. Tomorrow, they expect a waggon which will go out directly. By them we shall send it. My Uncle Greenleaf has very good butter.
I intended to have asked the favor of your Sir, to let me bring home Senacas morals1 & Caspipinas letters.2 If you please to send them, my Aunt will bring them, & I will take good care of & return them in Season, and, I should be very much obliged to you, for the reading the Prince of Abisinia3 for my Brother & Sisters. Mamma sends her Love to you & Yrs. I am Sir with great respect yr. much obliged Niece
Seneca’s Morals by Way of Abstract, by Lucius Annæus Seneca, which appeared in many English editions. None of Seneca’s works appears in RTP’s 1768 or 1805 catalogues of his books, although several occur in the library of his father. (John D. Cushing, ed., “Catalogus Librorum: The Library of Thomas Paine of Boston [1694–1757],”
Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society
, 100[1988]:100–127).
Observations on a Variety of Subjects, Literary, Moral and Religious, by Jacob Duché under the pseudonym of Caspipina (Philadelphia, 1774). Duché (1737/8–1798) was the Anglican assistant rector of Christ Church and St. Peter’s in Philadelphia and was chaplain to the Continental Congress, but left as a Loyalist in 1777 (
DAB
). RTP purchased a copy of Jacob Duché’s Caspipina’s Letters, Aug. 10, 1774, for four shillings. It appears in the 1805 catalogue of his library.
Rasselas, The Prince of Abissinia, by Samuel Johnson (London, multiple editions between 1759 and 1768). A two-volume edition of Tale of Rasselas appears in RTP’s 1768 and 1805 catalogues of books.