Boston Septr. 30th. 1757 Dear Eunice,

Here I am & have had no Opportunity of writing till now. I hope you are tollerable. Upon my Journey1 I have heard of the recovery of a certain Lady that I knew who for 4 or 5 years was as much worse than you to all appearance than you are than the generallity of poor toads.49I would have you persist in yr. drinking sea water. Sprague is high in the faith of it. A very late author has proved by many Experiments that it succeeds in yr. Case especially where everything else fails; I want to see you but wn. or where. This World was made for Confusion; tell 'em all how do ye. Levi & Lass & a 1000 others sends Compliments; let me hear how you like Abington. Do you intend to have a Gown. You are sensible 'tis winter now, or do you intend to be plagey frugal & wicked & get out of mourning soon & wear that made last winter. Let me know. Yrs. as usual

R.T.P.

RC ; addressed: "To Miss Eunice Paine att Weymouth. Capt. Foord is arrived at Boston, & hopes to get home Tuesday next"; endorsed.

1.

According to his diary, RTP left Boston on Sept. 17 and returned on Sept. 24. He visited Lancaster and attended court sessions in Worcester.

October? 1757? Sir,

Thinking you an object of Charity I spare the inclos'd* out of my own Store and beg your acceptance of it as a Proof of that Sincerity wherewith I am,

your Friend.1

*Honesty

RC ; addressed: "For Mr Robbert Treat Paine Boston."

1.

RTP's correspondent encloses a flat round semi-transparent pod of the plant Luneria biennis, popularly called "honesty." The correspondent is conjectured to be Mary Fletcher. See note to RTP's letter to 'Lavinia" under Jan. 1757. She may also be the individual mentioned by RTP in his letter to Eunice of Oct. 18, below.

Octr. 1757? Madam,

I recd. yr. kind present & the few lines that inclos'd it, & really I was not a little surprised to find so slight & brittle a piece of Chaffe presented as the Emblem part of yr. honesty. Indeed I do not think it any defect in me to want such sort of honesty nor any great50encomium on yr. Charity to give it, much less can I think it any proof of yr. Sincerity to part with any of yr. honesty for that Charity which consents to part with any of its honesty can boast but little of Sincerity; in fact I could not but think of mother Eve of old Whose honesty after her sincerty we are told consisted in a fig-leaf, & I should send it back to you again to Answer the same End, were it not that I esteem'd it rather as an Emblem of yr. Innocence, and if it be so you then will not think me to stand in need of such trifling honesty. Yet Madam I still look on my self as an Object of yr. Charity & should think my self much enriched if you would impart to me of any of yr. many Worthy Accomplishments but do not as the farmer of Old did to the prodigal Son feed me on husks. Pray Excuse the freedom I take in rappartee, for I was not willing to frustrate the design of yr. kind present & if my Answer does but raise as many Conceits in yr. Mind as yr. present did in my whimsical Brain you will spend a very Merry half hour & not repent yr. having Exposed yr. honesty to Yr. freind & hble. Servt.

P.S., Pray be so kind as for the future as to excuse one b in my first name unless you really think I am a robber.

Dft .