Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 1
I have Expected some time to hear from you but have not. This Expectation has prevented my writing to you before, & perhaps may be the Reason with you; But as affairs are now Circumstanced in the Family, I think it may be a Satisfaction to you to hear from home & therefore shall lay aside all Formality & give you some Accot. of the Family.
Last Saturday yr. Father sail'd (before as good a Wind as could Blow) and left all his unsetled business with Mr. Freeman.1 Monday morning the Town (more Espesceilly yr. Fathers Creditors) were much alarm'd with the News & to Secure themselves Atach'd Every thing they Suspected was his, tho' too late for their Benifitt. The House hold Furniture which we were then moving in the midst of many Spectators Past untouch'd. But we well might write upon most of the Business of that Day & the Next Tohu Bohu.2 People now seems to grow more Calm & Business more Regular since they see that tis out of their power to touch any thing & find that things are Secured, not to Injure any Man, but, that Every Man may be secure; & your Father Secure in person and Estate from their Fury. Your things yr. Sister has taken home, and your Father has given you all his Book
I hope Sr. this Dispensation of Providence may Teach us all the Vanity of placing any dependance on any thing short of the Supreeme Good & Show us our Immediate Dependance upon God. Lett us be thankfull for 85 what we Injoy & Satisfy'd with the will of Heaven, and this we can Scarcely avoid if we take a Survey of the World in generall. How many Thousands in the world fare worse to one that Fares better than we! But I am out of my Sphere. I mean not, that you omitt the Exercise of any Vertue, & doubt not that we agree to Acknowledge our Dependance upon God. I would heartily Joyn with you, in Wishing our Father all possible prosperity here, & a Happiness, as Large as his Desire, & Equall to Eternity Hereafter.
I shall just Inform you we are all in health, and Naby is pleas'd with her new Habitation, sends her Love to you & I joyn with her in wishing you all the Felicity if this wourld & the Next and am Sr. your affectionate Brother,
Thomas Paine sailed for the West Indies on Saturday, Dec. 2, 1749, stopping at St. Johns, Antigua, where he visited a sugar works on Jan. 2, 1750. He then proceeded to North Carolina, stopping at Brunswick on Jan. 28. In May he was back in Boston (T. Paine, Journal, Dec. 2, 1749–Feb. 5, 1750; Paine, Paine Ancestry, 21).
Tohu-bohu. "That which is empty and formless; chaos; utter confusion" (OED).
By the time I have wrote 3 or 4 Letters I grow so tired that I'm glad to write just wt. comes first. I have severall Questions to ask you & should be glad if you would gett an Answer ready & you'll have An Oppertunity of conveyance in a day or two. (1st.) how it seems to live up att the South End. 2d. whether you lay alone idly. whether you don't want to see me (4th.) whether you think I want to see you 5th. what sort of company and Acquaintance you have that way 6th. how much Milk is a quart 7th. whethr you have any Spark 8th. whether you know of any likely one there for me, for there is none here 9. write me all manner of News. I recd. the things you sent me but have used none of them, the hose are too fine for here & the wastcoat I did nott want; give me a perticular discription of all your affairs & remr. me to all &c. I remain yr. loving Brother,