Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 1
According to promise I make it my first business to Acqaint my Freinds of my wellfare. The first Night after my departure I lodged at Coll. Minots1 & the next morning I satt out for Lunenburg but stopt att Groton & Lodged with My Freind Haven. Thence in the Morning I satt out for Lunenburg in earnest. I was accompanied from the Ferry to Groton by two Lunenburg Men, but they being On business went home & left me att Groton: so that I travaild 10 miles thro' the lonely woods without Freind or Foe. I arrived att Thos. Prentice's Esqr. about 11 o Clock. He was absent att Worcester Court. I din'd there, then according to Orders I Removed my Corpse to the South Quarter of the Town (where I am now). I went to the House described; knock'd att the Door; marched in, hung up my Hatt, satt down. "Well what's the best News in this Part of the Town, you hear the Mony is come dont you" Why no, is it? I dare 63nott attempt to give you an account of the Conversation on that Head. In the room there were a Couple of (Ladys must I call them?) No, good honest Country Girls one of wch. honestly confest that the last time she weigh'd her self she weigh'd 7 score and a hafe (or in our Dialect half). At first I was a little straitned for conversation but this Girl while I was musing asked me If I had or intended to bring my Family to Lunenburg; ha ha ha, say I & that very heartTrash. However she follow'd me so hard with her Dry Joaks that I thought two or three times I must have quit the Feild. I never was so Joak'd & so confoundedly handled by a woman before; but manfully I stood the Ground; & Joak'd again when I could restrain laughing. I was entertaind with a Dish of Tea by these L—— (you Boston People have spoilt me quite; I had e'en said Ladys again) by these Country Girls. I was a little at a loss how I should do over the Tea-Table, but I presently found that he that could mix most milk Sugar & Tea then laugh & spill most of it was the best Man. Thus I spent my afternoon in the most out of the way manner you can imagine. Well, you'll do well to take Notice that my Landlord is a great man by Name Leiuftenant Josias Dodge2; So that in the Evning great numbers of the Neighbours (i.e. 5 or 6) resorted there for the benefit of Conversation; & seing their Schoolmaster there & so lately come from Boston too, they Questioned me on subjects relating to Marketts State Politicks &c. many of wch. Subjects scarce ever before entertain'd my Mind. To all these I gave very learned & elaborate Answers, & in short when I did nott understand the Topic I followed that renown'd Practice of using Words & Expressions without meaning. O how I laugh'd in my sleeve to see my self so suddenly chang'd from conjuring out Mechanicall Schemes in the Back upper-Chamber, to be State Politician Generall. Well I had a good lodging provided &c. Next day I understood that the School house was nott in good Order & so I began my School at my boarding Place but 5 scholars P.M. 6&c. & O how they did hum & haw & whine & sing & every thing else disagreable however I keep the best of order & hope to break them, of some of their bad habits wch. seem almost rivetted into them; I have but newly began my school & so have nott so much to say concerning that as I expect by & by. I am informed that I am within 12 miles of Narraganset Fort
3 which Place I intend to visit. I like the Country, very good Air & pleasant Prospects; but make the best of it 'tis a Solitary life. I am much pleas'd with my Landlady. I think verily I find more to say to her than to any of Philosopher & ply me with such & so many Questions as Newton himself could never make them understand. Here is one Irish-Man ('twould make you laugh to see him) he I say is dip't deep in the Scheme of the Earth's Immobility & of the Suns motion. He believes the Moon to be only a Blaze like a Candle & to hear him Philosophize would make you crack. This Day my landlady would have me to instruct her in the Almanack. She wanted to know how to read & understand it; she told me she would give any thing to see Mr. Ames.4 She really believed him to be an extraordinary Man & that there was some thing realy in foretelling by the Planets; all which afforded me much Diversion. The Family has in it many young Men who ask me so many Questions that they Almost craze me. I expect to have them thick & threefold att my schooll so soon as the Work of the Season is a little over.
I understand the Opportunitys of Conveyance from here to Charlestown are pretty frequent (for I understand that Our People genrally put up att Char lestown) & I hope to recieve a Packett of Letters from among you even tho' I should nott write to all of you for surely 10 Persons can better write to one Person than one Person to 10. If Oppertunity will Admitt I should be glad if you would send me some Paper. Mrs. Prentice has nott been well but intends to come to Boston speedily so that I am to come down in a Horse & Chair & carry her up when I come. Write me word wn. you are to have a wedding & wt. sort of an one it is to be whether Public or Private5; many things I have mett with wch. will better be repeated than written.
Remember me to all my Freinds & Acquaintance &c. My Duty to my Father & Aunt Eunice & service & Love to Mr. Greenleaf. I conclude yr. Loving Brother,
P.S. Being unwilling to make repititions of this Story I shall refer many to yr. Letter &c. Excuse my nott writing to many of my Freinds for I am scarcely settled as yet.
Probably Col. James Minot (1694–1759), of Concord (Joseph Grafton Minot, A Genealogical Record of the Minot Family [Boston, 1897], 19).
Lt. Josiah Dodge frequently held minor town offices and served on local committees in Lunenburg. See The Early Records of the Town of Lunenburg (Fitchburg, 1896).
The fortifications at Narragansett No. 2 (now the town of Westminster, Mass.), which were 65among 10 authorized by the state legislature in 1743 as "Garrison or garrisons of stockades or of square Timber around some dwelling-house or houses." See William Sweetzer Heywood, History of Westminster, Massachusetts (Lowell, Mass., 1893), 94–100.
Nathaniel Ames (1708–1764), of Dedham, Mass., almanac-maker and physician (DAB).
RTP referrs to the forthcoming marriage of his sister Abigail to Joseph Greenleaf, which took place on Oct. 17, 1749.
I just receiv'd yrs. of the 23 instant,1 & by these congratulate your safe arival if I may be allow'd the phrase (by Land) and the merry reception you met with at Luninburge. It seems your very much pleas'd with the good Country folks but I would Just obseverbum sat est sapienty.2 It is almost five a O'clock & my scholars have read but once. I hope to have more time shortly to write to you. Pray Embrace the first opportunity to send a Line to me. Sr. your humbl. Sert.,
N:B: I want to be inform'd what sort of animals those Dodges are you spake of—or an Sint generis Ejusdam Nostri Dogi3 please to let me know: I am well &c. I hope you are.
Not located.
A word to the wise is sufficient (proverb).
Let our Dodges be of the same sort.
I have but a moments time to write and am uncertain whether you'll ever Receive this short Epistle, but I judg by my Self that you want to hear of our wellfare and for this reason with Some others 66take this opertunity to Let you know that we that are at home are well. Father is gone his jorney and went away much indispos'd.
I want very much to hear from you & your Lambs and pray you to write assoon as you Can, but I depend upon your Company here the Eleventh day of Octobr. but without I know of your Recieving this I shall not rest easy. Sisster Send much Love and good wishess to you. Pray accept the Same from your Loving Sisster
Give my Service to all friends.