Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 1
I heartily grieve that after so long a cessation of writing, so Melancholly An Occasion should call upon me to resume my Pen.
Our Freind is dead, dear Nathanael, the delight of our Eyes, the Pride of our Society, the Pattern of our Conduct, the Rival of our Virtues. He's gone, gone from the Sorrows of a tender Frame & a perplexing world to recieve the Reward of a Life well spent. While we his expecting Freinds lament—wt. dont we lament? I attended him the last 24 hours of his Life & saw him deliver up his Soul in the same Tranquillity with wch. he had liv'd, he enjoy'd a Calm in the Storm of Death. I performd for him the last Office & prepard his Body for the Grave, but his Soul prepared by the Lord who gave, rises triumphant over the grim Tyrant. I need not hint to you wt. are my Reflexions on this melancholly Occason; you can better conceve than I express. I shall only add, that while I stood over him in his dying moments my busy thoughts impatient of confinemt., flow'd in the Strains of Davids Elegy for his Freind Jonathan. I send it to you as the Effort of an inflam'd Freindship, rather than of Poetical Judgmt., you will therefore excuse the forcedness of the Paraphrase & sympathise with me as a partner in a Common loss —3
The Beauty of Virtue is slain in the heighth of Life! How is the mighty fallen?
Tell it not in the Land of Vice, publish it not in the concourse of the Prophane; Least the Prostitutes of Wickedness rejoice, least the Devotees of Sin Triumph. From the Spoils of Vice, from the profits of vanquish'd Temptations, the Valour of Nathanael turn'd not back, his Soul return'd not empty. 0 Nathanael! Thou wast lovely & pleasant in thy Life & in thy Death we trust thou wert not divided from happiness, thy Vigilance was swifter than of Eagles, thy Fortitude was stronger than of Lions! Ye fair daughters of Virtue, weep Over Nathanael, he cloathd you as in Scarlet he display'd yr. Illustrious Merits, he gave you Rational Delights, he prided in yr. lasting Joy. 'Twas his Glory to array you in the golden Ornaments of Virtue, 'twas his pleasure to Conceal every foible.
How is the Mighty fallen in the midst of Life? 0 Nathanael thou wast call'd hence in the strength of thy days. I am distressed for Loss of thee my Brother Nathanael; very pleasant hast thou been unto me. Our373Freindship was inexpressibly delightsome far more profitable than the Love of Weomen. How is the Heroe fallen the Patron of Virtue perished.
Ye Friends of Truth, let there be no Joy, no Festivity, no Offrings of pleasure for the Fortitude of the Valient is perished from among us, the Life of Nathaniel as tho' he had not espous'd the Cause of Virtues. I am unwilling his Name & Virtues should ever be forgotten in the World. An Image might Convey his Person, but his Virtues, his Godlike Virtues let us imitate where he follow'd Truth. Adieu my Freind, let me hear from you by the first Opportunity, this Occasion must Arouse you. I am (like a Tree deprived of its Branches) more firmly yours in the growing Bonds of Freindship & closer Attatchment to Reason & Virtue,
| A Skilful Shoemaker knows | Peritus calcearius Scit |
| how to fit a shoe to a Lady's | aptare calceaum Dominæ pedi, |
| Foot, with his hand & Glove | ejus manu & choritheca |
| without other Instruments: | absque aliis Instrumentis: |
| A Skilfull Shoemaker is a | Peritus calcearius est |
| Great Artist. | magnus Artifex. |
Possibly Richard Cranch, a friend of both RTP and Smibert. See Foote, John Smibert, 261–262. RTP mentioned in his diary on 30 May 1755 that he "return'd
RTP used for his draft the reverse of the sheet upon which this Latin exercise appears. The signature is that of Stephen Apthorp (1737/8–1769) who entered the Latin School in 1745 and later became a merchant before his early death in Jamaica (Catalogue of the Boston Public Latin School, ed. Henry F. Jenks [Boston, 1886], 64; Thwing Index).
Other examples of Latin School papers used by RTP as scrap and dating from the period of his ushership there (1750) are in the microfilm edition of the Robert Treat Paine Papers and include on a Latin exercise the earliest known signature of John Hancock.
This paraphrase is taken from David's lamentation over Jonathan in 2 Samuel 1:17–27.