176–? Dear Neddy,1

What shall I say on the dismal Occasion! Shock'd with the News my eager Mind ransack'd its sources for Some fancy'd releif but in vain, the Gulph is fix'd & leaves me only to Share in the deepest Sypathy that Loss which I canot remedy. O Freindship misteri-163ous Tye are thy Joys Sweeter or thy Pangs more severe, like Virtue thou Now strugglest with the keenest adversity that like her hereafter thou mayst shine unclouded, believe me then to feell with you the throbs you endure for a departed Brother & to be rent with those agonys which till now for Years past I have not endured. I assure you, the regular & well approved Freindship which is so deeply rooted for you in my bosom like a Wide Canal lets in your whole Grief upon my Soul & if by this I could mitigate yr. Trouble that very consideration thought would assuage my sorrow, but alass divided sorrow affliction is but encreased Woe, & yet the Sympathy of a Freind may Sooth where it cannot relieve, I flatter myself you make no doubt of the sincerity of my Affections & will therefore at least recieve from me that comfort which results to all human Nature from being most sincerely pityed, but Sr. as ardently as I love you I might never have intruded on this freedom had the much desired Prosperity attended you, but afflection that unerring loadstone descerner between true & pretended Friendship removes the Obstacles of vulgar ceremony & forces me to tell you that my Greif wants expression. O Earthly Bliss tis all an airy dream. A Brother endeared by Freindship as nearly as by Nature arrived to Manhood & the full prospects of life yr. Freind & yr. Companion is gone, Alass. My soul mounts aloft on the Billows of trouble & calls aloud for Reason to steer it through this boisterous sea. Hush then every irregular passion, for why this burst of Tears & having paid the natural demand of tears let us Quiet our Greif to its just estimate. Why then this disquieting Sorrow, do we weep that it is appointed for man once to dye—do we weep that human life is uncertain—does it greive us we have enjoy'd the comforts of a friend so Long because we can enjoy him no Longer. Indeed Sr. he has but pd. a debt we must all pay & among other troubles of Life has escaped those bitter pangs which by the Laws of Freindship he must have suffered on yr. account had he outlived survived you & I frankly acknowledge to you tis no Small aggravation of my present trouble that it pints forth in vivid colours those dismal Moments when you or I by how much the more we are now connected in the bonds of Affection must undergo the severer pangs of parting; but when or where, Youth & ripened manhood we see are no barriers, but such is the inevitable state of things, resignation then becomes us & to improve by all those despairing? grievous Events is at once the truest mourning & the best preparative for whatever further scenes of Sorrow are alloted for us, 'tis ours to Act, not ours to chuse the part the faithful Actor shares his just desert.

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May our Plaudit hereafter be, to have acted well tho' alloted to the most trying Scenes, May Our Virtues be quickened by this severe scourge, and Our Freindship being ripened to the maturest perfection of mutual Kindness become the vigorous source of Universal benvolence. May our minds be daily improving & our Knowledge become the most useful by Connecting it wth. futurity, may we not delay, lifes urgent business to some future day,

That Task wch. as we follow we dispise The oldest are but fools the Youngest wise.

and then my Freind let the faitful Executioner arise him when he will, our days are full & having arrived to the fullness honors of Man's Life wt. more can we desire, for as the book of Wisdom expresses it, honourable Age is not that which standeth in length of time or is measured by Number of years, But Wisdom is gray hair to Men & an unspotted life is old Age; but I must cease, some business affairs which calling and must just tell you that my Affairs which call me out of town, without seeing you induce me to give some vent to my Grief in this Manner, I make no Apology unless it be for loving you and as you are no stranger to the delicacys of Freindly intercourse I make no doubt you will keep this secret to your self for tho' we have had a fellow feeling for the Afflictions of Others yet we can not disclose to all as we commune with a friend. Adieu and may we once more meet to share those mutual Endearments which are but a foretast of those future Rewards which await the Virtuos mind.

R .T. PAINE

Dft ; addressed: "To Mr. E.C. on the death of his Brother." Across the top of the page: "my Business calling me out of town before I have an Oppy. of condoling with you face to face." Sections have been repositioned according to internal notation.

1.

Not further identified.