Camb. July 4. 1746 Dear Sir,

I1 received yours, but cannot recollect your Speaking any thing further concerning your Sons living att my house than for the first year. However he has carryed himself so well in my Family that we should be willing to have Him continue with us if it would suit all Parties. You say Supposing Mr. Barretts Son2 goes in to College you desire your Son may continue & be chambermate with my Son.3 And Mr. Barrett desires the same for his Son supposing your Son goes into the college, by which you both discover an apprehension that it wont be agreable for both of them to continue with us, and desire continuance only on such conditions that the other removes, and very likely there are some Inconveniences in it. I have told Mr. Barrett that his Son may continue with us. And if your Son shuld go into the College, so long as he has liberty to be out of Commons, He may Dyet att our house as some others do, and I and all my family have such a regard for him, that we shall be ready & do all offices of kindness for him in health or in Sickness. If att any time he should be Ill, he shall be wellcome to be att my house. I have been and shall be ready to Consel him att any time, and I shall I hope see you quickly and am in the mean time, your friend & humble Servant,

NATHLL. APPLETON

RC ; addressed: "To Mr: Thomas Pain Mercht. Boston"; endorsed.

1.

Nathaniel Appleton (1693–1779), minister of the First Parish, Cambridge, and fellow of the college for 61 years ( Sibley's Harvard Graduates , 5:599–605).

2.

John Barrett (1732–1746), son of Deacon John and Sarah (Gerrish) Barrett, who died Nov. 20, 1746, before completing his sophomore year (ibid., 12:360).

3.

Nathaniel Appleton (1731–1798), son of Rev. Nathaniel Appleton and classmate of RTP. He went into business in Boston and was active on the Boston Committee of Correspondence and in the Provincial Congress during the Revolution. He wrote Considerations on Slavery. In a Letter to a Friend (Boston, 1767), a fiery attack on slavery, which caused Appleton to be ranked with the prominent anti-slavery leaders of his time (ibid., 12:355–359).