175-?

Q: What is the happiness which is sought for in this Life?

A: It is of two Sorts: Rational & Sensual.

Q: What is Sensual happiness.

A: It consists in gratifying the lust of the heart the lust of the Eye & the pride of Life i:e. feasting the Soul with honour dress & applause; killing time with a succession of amusements & Stifling Care by the Madness of pleasure.

Q: What are Rational pleasures.

A: They consist in Compos'd Meditiation, freindly converse & a performance of social dutys i:e. in making the Soul good by having recourse to the fountain of Goodness; rasing :he most pleasing sentiments by the communication of a freind & removing all unpleasing ones by the practice of kind offices.

Q: Who are best qualify'd to enhance the first sort of happiness.

A: They who have learnt the World only by Rote & are possess'd of Vanity & Money.

Q: Who are best qualify'd to raise the 2d. kind of happiness.

A: They who reduce the World to the secret Springs of Virtue & Vice & regard the first Cause.

Q: What will become of those who are allurd wth. the first species of happiness.

A: They will be in the state of the Drunkard whose sober hours are the most intollerable to him.

Q: What will become of those who are captivated with vanity & Money witho' Any knowledge of the World accompanying it?

A: Like the dog in the fable they will lose the substance by grasping at the shadow & having neither rational nor sensual happiness compleat will hang in a dreadful Suspence between both.

Q: What is & will be the State of those who seek a companion qualified to promote rational happiness but thrô the Scarcity don't succeed.

A: They are like the Midnight Sky without tempest or cloud, calm & peaceful & ready to receive the first gladding Rays of the Sun whichwill certainly arise with invigorating Joy at an appointed time.

Say your Creed

I believe that it is an hard thing to find such a Person, I believe that hope 98deffered makes the heart sick, that they who desire such suffer most if disappointed, that whoso consults present happiness will take up with the first that is attainable & that the happiness of such consists in changing one sort of Misery for Another I:e Anxiety for Stupidity or eager hope for cruel despair. I believe that no Jack makes a Gentleman & that many of those who are perfect Gentlemen are neither freinds nor tolerable Companions, I believe that they who expect most are the offnest disappointed, & that whoso suffers their affections to meander abroad for happiness will meet intolerable Remorse, I believe that2 an hundred years hence some things that now trouble us will be forgotton & that some things that we are now unmindful of will be most in our Minds, I therefore believe that if we attain the one thing its no great matter what are the concommitant circumstances.

R.T. PAINE

Dft ; endorsed: "Virgin's Catechism."

1.

Charles Cushing Paine (1808–1874), grandson of RTP and arranger of his papers, included this in RTP's early writings.

2.

"than" in MS.

Jan. 1749/50

ARMA VIRUMQ CANO1

Amice,2 To tell of wondrous facts which were begun With how great Zeal and Courage carry'd on With solemn Phiz; and Arms extended high Each party strives the Other to Outvie Must with the greatest Prudence be related Since We Are BRETHEN, being all created The Brutes with equal Right may kindred claim Where nothing makes the Diff'rence but the Name As some Mens thoughts and actions fully prove So Brutal Herd, are Idle till they're Drove. But to the point in hand I fain would come Without the Trumpetts Sound, or noise of Drums 99 'Tis this in short; Sol scarce his head had rear'd Before a Num'rous Multitude appear'd At place appointed: to hear each man say Or rather, him who'd bear the greatest Sway In CONFUS'D Silence, much was there related After things were propos'd and Questions Stated (To inform you I do not intend hereby But only to whett up your Memory) Many were angry, some did frett and Scold Some contradicted what the 'Other told Till ROGER made appearance, fix'd in BOTTLE Who settled points that just before did Tottle And soon obtain'd an Universal Voice Made Opposite Parties, in Once Scheme rejoyce. Thus I hav finish'd all that lay before us Nothing remains but that we have the CHORUS. Yours, W—— D——3

RC ; addressed: "To Mr. Robert Treat Paine Living at Mr Fuller's in Lunenburg QDC"; endorsed: "Wm. Downe junr. Jan. 1749.50."

1.

"Arms and the man I sing." Virgil, the opening words of the Æneid.

2.

Friend.

3.

William Downe (1719–1759) graduated from Harvard in 1738 and preceded RTP as schoolmaster in Lunenburg. He became a member of the school committee and was later elected representative, selectman and town clerk. He here describes in verse a typical town meeting (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 10:286–287).