Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 2

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502

From Samuel Quincy

Quincy, Samuel RTP

Boston 15th, April 1772 Sir,

I am desired by Mrs. Apthorp to engage you, with myself, in the Cause between Her & Bannister. She is desirous of a trial at the er Court, therefore you'll please to attend next Tuesday sevenight, when the Jury will be here.1

I am your very respectful Friend humble Servt:,

SAML. QUINCY

RC ; addressed: "To Robert Treat Pain Esqr. in Taunton"; endorsed. The ellipses indicate missing text due to a hole in the paper.

RTP recorded in his diary, Apr. 28, 1772: "this morning Rode into Boston, found the Infr. Court adjd. & so was disappointed in coming down very dusty riding." His cashbook for Aug. 31, 1772, noted payment of 9s.12d. for "Grizell Apthrops fee vs Bannister." Case not further identified.

From James Flagg

Flagg, James RTP

Boston 11th May 1772 Dear Sir,

Your favour1 by Capt: Cobb I2 have received & deliver'd the Letter to Mr: Joy; I now send you by Capt: Cobb the London Art of Building3: which I take to be the Book you wanted.

You will find in pa. 103 a delineation of the Tuscan door you so much admired; the Rustick work is added witht. any difficulty; the profile, of Entablature &ca. is minutely discribed in plate 4th. page 77. 4 when you determine the height of your column, you may find the proportion of Entablature, pedistal &ca: by the inspectional Table pa: 95.

These Hints I am persuaded will be suffient to a Gent: already so well acquainted with Architecture (in Theory) & of such curious observation.

I should have attempted a plan, but as no Team is now here, to carry one up, that could be serviceable; & the difficulty of getting good season'd Boards that will take Glue is very great, I have postponed it till you give further directions; as it must be the full bigness compleat.5

It will always give me pleasure to be favour'd with Mr: Paynes commands. I am with due Esteem. Your Hum. Servt:,

JAS: FLAGG

503

RC ; addressed: "To Robert Treat Payne Esqr. in Taunton favd: by Capt. Cobb." The address leaf has mathematical notes and a drawing of a house in RTP's hand.

Not located.

James Flagg (1739–1773), son of Gershom Flagg, housewright, was a Boston merchant who went to Maine in the 1760s. He was sued for debt by Dr. Sylvester Gardiner in 1765. They appointed referees to settle the case, but Gardiner disputed their findings, and this led to a pamphlet war between the two including A Short Vindication of the Conduct of the Referees in the case of Gardiner versus Flagg, against the Unjust Aspersions contained in two anonymous pamphlets lately published and banded about (Boston, 1767). Flagg died at St. Eustacia in the West Indies in 1773.

William Salmon, Palladio Londiniensis: or, the London art of building (London, 1734). RTP may have had the 7th edition (London, 1767).

Several illegible cancelled words.

RTP was in the process of adding an office onto his Taunton house this summer (see Diary, June 8, July 11, Aug. 7, 1772), but the correspondence with Flagg probably refers to his work on a committee to build a new court house in Taunton (see Diary, Feb. 7, June 1, 10, 23, July 8, Oct. 13, 1772).