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 .

October? 1757? Sir,

I dont repent giveing you so much room for Satyr, for I was highly pleas'd to find my design so well answer'd when I read your Epistle, and I shall never think much of the expence of a little Honesty when compared to the gratification I meet with in the perusal of any of your performances, for I look upon them to be both entertaining and instructing, but when I consider my Self as one of those who have the misfortune to require Precept upon Precept and line upon line hear a little and there a great deal I fear least finding me so untractable, your Patiance will be exhausted, and that you will withdraw those Friendly aids as finding so many of them have bin wasted on me, but let me still implore your forbearance and Perseverance, and remmember you are not to look for your reward hear, and belive me Sr not Withstanding my misimprovements I shall allways51esteem evry Admonition of yours as so many Proofs of your undeserv'd Friendship and am with regard your Friend to Serve

P.S. I think I have heard you say promises to a Female are not binding, but as you could give no reasons why, I belive you are not certain, I therefore take the freedom to ask you once more to let me see a couple of pss. of Poetry you once promis'd me. Your Compiling with this request will greatly oblige yours &c.

Tho you thought my other letter did not contain much Honesty I hope youll not be suspicious of this.

RC ; addressed: "To Mr Robbbert Treat Paine Practitioner in Law"; endorsed by Charles C. Paine: "Letter from a Lady & reply."