Boston January 23, 1760 Dear Eunice,

This is to come by I don't know who, but as my thoughts are at this present time most unavoidably as well as agreably taken up with the thoughts of you, I dont know but I had as good spend my time in writing to you as in barely musing. By that means my pleasure may be rendered more regular & be furthermore advanced by that encrease that174arises from Communication; I feel vastly gratify'd to see you per varios Casus, per tot discrimina rerum,1 at last arrived to so agreable a visit as you at present enjoy. That Latin plagues you I know but you Girls are so vastly unletter'd that yr. Sampler never reaches so far; & I scorn to write french least my Empire of Learning should be disputed if not distroy'd before my eyes, by one who is never wanting to propagate Tyranny. But what's this to the purpose. I say that your present scituation so nearly resembles that of yr. late Paradise that you can't regrett your being dragged from it as you were; however there is some sensible odds too, (Comparisons you know raise a relish) the young Ladies of the house there were more agreable, & the beautifed whiteness of the snow was not distroyd by passengers. Alass Innocence is only safe in retirement; as for the Damsels where you are they'll inflame you with Love unless you've more Command of yr. Passions than some I know off. However 'twill be of the Seraphic Sort & if you are but sufficiently refined you'll blaze like a Cherubim. Nevertheless such is the Effect of it upon our depraved Constitution that like an overdose of the most generous Wine it intoxicates, makes us reel & sometimes fall; so that the Evil we would shun may be effected by the very means of avoiding it & as in the India House, the Brain may be stunnd by the too great scent of that spice a small flavour of which would have refreshed it, thus Love the greatest Cordial & most dreaded Evil must be sparingly indulged especially in the first buddings of Youth, Car dans cet âge it faut bein peu de chose pour nuire à la puretè & a l'innocence d'un jeune fille: c'est un fleur tendre & delicate, que le moindre souffle emporte peut corrompre & faire perir en un moment.2

I don't remember that I had any particular design in writing this letter. If I had I have lost it; however proceed in the regular Enjoyment of life & let not the present fruition of any transitory happiness make so great an impression on yr. Mind as to cause any uneasiness at the loss of it.

Present my respects to Mr. Smith and lady. As for the young Ladys I neither know what to say to them nor of them.3 I veiw them as Ames did the Starrs when he brake out into this Rapture,

Strange doubts arise in my Enquiring Mind O were I but from Cumbrous Earth refind I would attempt on Airy fancy's Wings Urg'd on by Lightnings tempered Springs 175 To mount the Skies & long the Milky Way Where Numerous Worlds now half discovered lay Not far beyond our feeble Ken of Sight Scattering on us some fragments of their Light I'd range the System of these fixed Starrs Old Saturn view, with Jupiter & Mars Venus's shining Orb visit would I Nor unobserved pass nimble Mercury I'd see what creatures peopled these abodes Were men more blessed or whether Demi Gods, After I had these Worlds & people known I'd once return to visit this our own To tell Mankind what Journey I had been And what amazing wonder I had seen But O this Ponderous Mass of Earth I've got, Chains down my soul to one inferiour Spot Ingorance contracts my longing eager Sight Intensely fix'd on yonder Worlds of Light To find Some Path the Mighty Richard } trod Newton } Who on the Verge of the Creation stood &c.4

however, you'll present Compliments & desire them not to write to me for I'm endeavoring to bid defiance to the whole sex. My paper's gone & my time has been this long time & so I subscribe yr. Brother

R. T. PAINE

P: S. this is a most ridiculous letter. I send it out of pure laziness not caring to write another.

RC ; addressed: "To Miss Eunice Paine at Weymouth"; endorsed.

1.

"Through various hazards, through so many crises of affairs." Vergil, Æneid, 1:204.

2.

"For in this age few things are truly necessary to nourish the purity and innocence of a young girl. It is a tender and delicate flower, which the least breath carries off, can corrupt, and cause to perish in an instant." Unidentified quotation.

3.

Eunice Paine was apparently visiting the daughters of Rev. William Smith (1707–1783) and his wife, Elizabeth (Quincy) Smith, in Weymouth. One of the daughters, Abigail Smith, was to marry John Adams, and another, Mary, married Richard Cranch. Rev. Smith had succeeded Thomas Paine as the minister of Weymouth (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 7:588–591).

4.

RTP quotes incorrectly lines from the long poem in Nathanael Ames, An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack For the Year of our Lord Christ, 1742 (Boston, 1742).