Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 4
I have now been Eight Months in Europe, and have recd. very few Letters from America, and I fear my friends have rcd. very few from me, both I suppose, not owing to a failure in Writing but to Miscarriages in the Conveyance.
Nothing is of more importance than to be informed of the Designs of the Ennemy, by all that I can learn from every Quarter they as hostile as possible. Yet their Power is very limited.
Their ruling Sentiment towards Us has heretofore been Contempt; but it is now Fear. They dread Us as the most formidable Rival, that ever arose against them. They fear We shall take from them their four remaining Provinces on the Continent, their West Indies Islands, their East India Trade their Whale and Cod Fisheries, their naval Power, their People even they expect will migrate by Thousands. They fear that We shall drain away so many Sources of their Finances, As to bring upon them a national Bankrupcy, and this they fear would produce an Arbitrary Govt in Form. In short all the Chimeras that Folks have feigned or fear conceived, as well as many real Dangers to them. These fears have arrived too late. But still they will stimulate them to desperate attempts, and you cannot be too early apprized of the Danger or too well prepared to meet it. It is our Lot 75 to live in these disagreable Times and we must discharge our Parts as well as We can. I hope We shall get honourable through our Difficulties some time or other. So wishes your humble srvt.
I have Just recd. yr. favr.1 by C. Barnum2 but as he is Just going out of Town, I have time only Just to inform you that I have purchased the Candles, 52½ @ 6/, & Box 9/, & have paid for them. The price of New flour is £15 pr. Ct.3 I bot. last week for £14.0 of Mr. Durant. If I can persuade him to spare another Bl. for you I will. Mrs. Leverett4 has raised the prise of her Tea to £3 pr. tr.5 We were obliged to give her 54/ a week ago.
As to the Butter, I was about buying some for you, but Sister Eunice, & the Children, all agreed that you had already bought a firkin, so I took no further Care about it. But I will look out for some. The “Bonnet” is finished. Nabby will send the Gloves.
Since you left us, yr. Sister has been very sick, she has not yet left her Chamber, she grows better as fast as we can expect, but gathers strength very slowly. We are otherwise pretty well, & rejoyce that your family are so. We have no news.
The whole family Joyn in sending Love & duty to be distributed secundum artem.6
Not located.
Caleb Barnum (b. 1762), eldest son of the town’s late minister (Samuel Hopkins Emery, Ministry of Taunton [Boston, 1853], 2:9).
Hundredweight.
Probably Martha (Crosier) Leverett, the widow of Thomas Leverett, who had been a stationer in Boston. He died in 1778, and Martha continued to advertise (at least through 1782) the sale of stationery and other goods: “sweet Oil, Flower of Mustard . . . Pepper, Spices, &c.” and another time “Moroco-Shoes, choice Velvet Corks, Raisins, Citron, Spices, Starch, &c. &c.” (Boston Gazette, Nov. 5, 1781, and Independent Chronicle, May 30, 1782).
Probably troy pound.
According to art. Sometimes also given as, according to the rules of art.