Taunton February 17th, 1762 Freind Jonathan,

have just recd. yrs. & shall take special Care of the inclos'd. Yr. Quereys demand immediate Answer in which I hope you'll find a Satisfactory display of the Orthodoxy of my mind.

Q:1. how is the Harvest in yr. part of the Vineyard? An: the old Account is reversed, for the Harvest is Small & the Labourers are many & there are many little Foxes that spoil the Vines.

Q:2d. Which Side do you take in Political Controversys? An: the right side.

Q:3d. What think you of Coin? An: What hungry men do of Food, if they can get any never dispute the Quality or the Price.

219

Q:4 What of Writs of Assistance? An: Never was more need of them, I shall soon apply for one to get a Help meet.

Q:5 What of his Hon. the L—Gr? An: As the son of Sirach1 said "all things cannot be in Man because man is not immortal. What is brighter than the sun? & yet the Light thereof faileth.

Q:6th. What of Ot ? An: What the Vertuosi do of Lemory's concave mirrour, which burns up every thing which cannot be melted.2

Q:7th. What of Th—r? An: As Jacob of old said of his Son Dan," as a Serpent in the way that biteth the horses heels so that his Rider falleth backward."3

Q:8th. What of Coke the Cobler? An: that he is dignified with that Title wch. many others deserve much more.

Q:9th. What of Bedlam for Political Madmen? An: 'twill by no mean do; being already Occupied by Madmen of a more sacred Profession.

Q:10th. What think you of Patriotism? An: As I do of the Balance Master's Act; Very few have Virtue enough (in the Roman Sense) to keep themselves Perpendicular.

Q:11th. What of disappointed Ambition? An: Consult yr. own mind in having no reply to this Question.

Q:12th. What of the Fable of the Bees? An: it proves that good old word "the Wrath of man shall praise the Lord."4

Q:13th. What—? An: 'tis the Recapitulation of all your Quæres.

Thus I have gone through my Catachism & according to the good Rule of Education the next step is to learn it with the Proofs, in which I shall hardly fail of success if I keep to that standard.

As for yr. 50 Questions more with wch. you threaten me I beg when you execute it you'd Observe a good modern Rule of Answering 'em yr. self as you go along, in the mean time conceve yr. self obliged to answer these small Quæres, what think of our Science? of our Art? of that strange Compound Soul & Body & of mankind? expecting to see yr. agreable Xemonitical Visag I subscribe yr. fellow Gazer & freind,

TR

RC (Harrison Gray Otis Papers, MHS); endorsed: "To Jonathan Sewell Esq. from Judge Paine 1762."

1.

Jesus the Son of Sirah was the author of Eeclesiasticus, generally known as the Wisdom of Sirach (William Smith, Dictionary of the Bible, 4 vols. [Cambridge, 1872], 2:1346).

220 2.

Nicolas Lemery (1645–1715), French chemist who attempted chemical analysis through reduction by fire (Dictionary of Scientific Biography, 16 vols. [New York, 1981], 8:172–174).

3.

Genesis 49:17.

4.

Psalms 76:10.

Boston February 18 1762 Dr. Sr.,

I hear you Tax me with a breach of Friendship, what in Town & not leave a line for me, o the unsociable wretch, he is turned Hermit, he thinks of nothing but his Hogs, Horses & Cows & intirely averse to every thing that is Sociable, intirely forgot his old Friend for whom he used to profess so sincere Friendship.

I confess Dr. Sr. I have been too negligent of my Duty in not keeping up my Correspondence with you which I am very Sinsible would turn to my advantage. I am Sensible of my Error & am determind upon a Refermation, but however my friend the Fault of one will not atone for the fault of an other. You was in Town last Week (Thurs) three Days & did not leave a line for me I was in Town but a few Hours & had not a moments before of I had I Should I have improved it in writing to you. I assure you there is no Person that I want to see as much as I do you & the cheif Reason of my coming to Town this week was to See you expecting that you would attend the Supr. Court. I have got the money that was due to you from Dodge1upon Note? he would not pay the Account. I have recd. Bacons Abridgt.2 & expected to have paid you for them this week. Be so good as to let me hear from you the first Oppertunity & let me know what the Price of Bacon is. I am Sr. yr. Sincer Friend

ABEL WILLARD

RC ; addressed: "To Mr. Robert Treat Paine in Taunton"; endorsed. Sums are tallied on the verso.

1.

There is no account for a Dodge amongst RTP's lists of accounts or in his cashbook for this period.

2.

A general abridgment of cases in equity, argued and adjudged in the High court of chancery &c. by Matthew Bacon was published in London in 1732 in the first of several editions; his A new abridgement of the law appeared in its first edition there in 1736.