July? 1747?

Ad Phoenephoelenicorum Societatim.1 Honrd. Getlm., Upon Consideration of the Declension of the Phonephoelenick I2 tho't myself Obligd, Standing in Relation thereto, to endeavour the Recovery thereof.

Getlm., I Beg you'd Consider from whence ye have fallen from what good beginnings you've declin'd: at first, we were as Constant in Our Meetings, hebdomically, as the Sun in its Diurnal Revolutn. But Alas! how is it now. Not above three or four Times this Quarter past. Then we were Sedulous & diligently prepar'd before we came, Stimulating one another in pursuit of Knowledge. But ah! how Indolent & Slothfull now. When we meet, not half knows in Reading where we begin, & so are unprepar'd for Criticism, None knows whose 'tis to pronounce His Oration, or Read His Dissertation, so that (at best) there is Confusion and it's necessary Concomitants. And, Srs., without presuming I may Say 'at present' tis no advantage, neq Nomine, neq Realitate;3 and Our present poor Management must of necessity be utterly Subversive of our promising Beginnings: and Rather render us worse than better. Therefore without a New-Regulation, & more resolute pursuit after & continued Observance of Some better Steps than have been taken, we at last Shall turn out but Scandals to of our Pretensions, and Philosophosters in Our Professions.

Gentl. Upon These & Suchlike Considerations I Am fully Determin'd Never to join with you any more, unless there is a more Constant Attendance upon, & greater Regulations in Our meetings. And if ye shall think fit & come in to Some New Resolves & better Observance of them, I will, & if not I Desire Mr. Clerk to Cross my Name and put an Asterism to,

ANTEA PHILOPHENEPHOELENICORUM4

RC ; addressed: "Mr. Robert Treat Paine at Harvard College These"; endorsed in RTP's hand: "Abijah Thurston Letter &c ad Phinnephilence."

1.

The "Phinphilenici" Club, or "Fifth Day Club," was organized by RTP and certain of his classmates in Nov. 1746 to encourage literary pursuits (RTP Diary, Nov. 6, 13, 1746). Although RTP records in his diary entry of Dec. 18, 1746, that "it was laughed at much about college," the club continued to meet irregularly through his college years. The only original members mentioned in RTP's diary are RTP himself, Edward Wigglesworth, Nathaniel Appleton, Jr., and Abijah Thurston. Members at time of its revival on Dec. 24, 1747, were Cotton Tufts, RTP, Joshua Green, Samuel Haven, Abijah Thurston, and Ezekiel Dodge (RTP Diary).

23 2.

Abijah Thurston (1730–1750), a Harvard classmate of RTP, returned to his native Wrentham after graduation. He began preaching shortly after leaving college but died shortly before his twentieth birthday. See Samuel Haven to RTP, July 19, 1750 ( Sibley's Harvard Graduates , 12:488–489).

3.

Neither in name nor in reality.

4.

Formerly of the Phinphilenici.