to answer upon Interegatories. They have unfortunatly for themselves and the Publick ingaged Deeply in Measures that must end either in their own dishonor or be the source of the utmost Confusion to the Province. It becomes peculiarly necessary for the People to preserve inviolate what Laws we have already, as it is not likely we shall have any new ones, unless the House at the ensueing Sessions should, as a Writer in the Spy says, meanly give up every remaining Privilidge. Our commander in Chief has received instructions from his Lordship of Hillsboro' to consent to no Tax act or other Law, unless the Commissioners and all other Crown Officers are exempted from paying Rates.)

We have had several sudden Deaths this Morng Mr. Sheaff1 the D. Collector died of a fit of the Palsey. He was taken ill the last Eveng. I have not time to add further than that with my best Love and Respects to yourself and my Sister I remain Your most affectionat[e] Brother and Humble Sert.

HENRY PELHAM.

P. S. Every Body present their Compliments to you and beg that you would come home as they want to have their Pictures done. Lord William Campbell, Govornor of NovaScotia, was at your Room a few days ago. he says, he wonders, that you bury yourself in this Country and that he thinks you are the greatest Geniou[s] in the World.

Little Cousin Betzey was well and hearty a few days ago. I must now go and write a long story about Thomas Banister and his three Sons, Thomas, Samuel and John and their heirs forever. So I wish you a good Night.

1 William Sheaffe.

DEAR BROTHER,

Copley to Henry Pelham

NEW YORK, the 15 Decr., 1771.

I take this oppertunity of informing you, I have sent by Capt. Smith (who sails this Day) 51 Trees of the Best fruit this Country affoards, also some wild Laurell which I think a very butifull Flowering Shrub. the Laurell is in earth in a Barrell. also 3 Barrels of Newtown Pippens, and as many for Mr. Clarke which I beg you to inform him of, as I dont write to him by this oppertunity. and one trunk Directed to Mr Jonathan Clarke. Likewise the Large Box with the large Frames which I have not been able to Dispose of. your favour per Mr Glover came to hand. we are happy to hear you are all well, and that at last I can inform you this Week finishes all my Business, no less than 37 Busts; so the weather permiting by Chrismass we hope to be on the road; but you must not expect our journey will be less than a fortnight at this season, as we propose to take so much care of ourselves, and which we may very well do, as the Country is surprisingly settled between Boston and York. you scarcely lose sight of an house. you may omit writing any more as we cannot expect to meet another Letter here wrote after this reaches you.

Give our Effectionate Duty to our Hond Mama and except our sincere Love yourself. I am your most Effectionate Brother,

JOHN SINGLETON COPLEY.

PS. please to Give our Duty to Mr. Clarke, Love, etc. to our Brothers and Sisters, etc., etc., etc.

John Hancock to Copley

Mr Hancock1 presents his Complimts. to Mr. Copley, has just rec'd his Message, is extremely sorry it so happens, but the Lady to whom he Refers has been some days Confin'd, that she is not in a Situation to wait on him to morrow but the moment her health will admit, Mr. Hancock will with pleasure inform Mr. Copley. Mr. Hancock hopes Mrs. Coply and Connections are well.

9 Jan❜y. 1772.

[

] to [Montresor?]

[January, 1772.]2

MY EVER DEAREST COUSIN,

It has been a matter of great concern to me that I coul'd not send you the things I now do, by the Ships that went from hence the last Autumn; I did not receive your Letter dated 17 Augt. untill the 6th Novr. following. Captn. Stephens told me he had met with severe Gales, which had oblig'd him to put back to New York; at the time of his Arrival here all the Ships for America were gone. I must also appoligize for not having wrote by the Packet, which I shou'd certainly have done had I not been severely afflicted with the Rheumatism in my stomach and Bowels, under which disorders I still Labour tho not in so great a Degree and I have hopes of getting still better. I purchac'd a Lottery Tickett as you directed the No. 17 m 697, which I had secur'd as your property, by an Endorsment declaring it to be yours, and witness'd by two of your hearty well wishers, Henry Austen Esq., and Mr. Rd. Jones both of

1 The name has been erased but the H and k are still legible.

2 So endorsed by Henry Pelham.

the Searchers Office; it had not the Sucess I ardently wish'd, yet you have your Money again. after remaining in the Wheel of Fortune untill the last Day of finishing, it was drawn a prise of 20£, which I have sold for £17: 16. Goverment deducts £10 per Cent on all prises, so that you are only a gainer of £4.6 by your chance. you will see by the inclos'd account and by the Bills and receipts which are pack'd up by my good Girl in one of the Boxes, that we have been obligd in several articles to exceed the price Limited, but we were under a necessity of doing so, or not getting the things in which we have so exceeded agreeable to the opinion of my wife, whose judgment on these occasions I never contest; she writes to your beloved, and I hope will give a good account of her self, if one can judge, by the alacrity with which she sets about it, and the pleasure which seems to animate her she will succeed. I am under some apprehension in respect to the Liverys, the Hat and Cap, as you did not give any demensions for them, I have them [made] rather of the largest size, as it is more easy to take in, than let Out, in other respects I hope they will be as you desire; I do not send you a Brawn as I imagine it wou'd not be in proper season; but if you please I will by the next Autumnal Ships send one which will be in Time for Christmas; I have several acquaintance in Oxfordshe which County is held famous for that meat. from thence I propose to send it. The picture frames are not of Carlo Marratti kind, they are at present not the Taste. the person I employ'd agreed to make them at the price propos'd, but with some hesitation. I insisted they shou'd be done very neatly and well Gilt or desir'd him not to undertake them, as I wou'd rather pay something more then have them clumsely executed, he promis'd they shou'd be well done. I hope they will prove so. Let me congratulate my Dear Friend

on having employ'd so ingenious an Artist as Mr. Copley. our people here are enraptur'd with him, he is compard to Vandyke, Reubens and all the great painters of Old. I saw one of his portraits at Mr. Wests. it was of a Woman1 and a very ordinary one, and yet so finely painted that it appeard alive. West was lavish in its praises, pointed out its beauties, the natural fall of the arm and hand, the delicate manner in which the light was carried thro the whole, and many other things which I forget; in short he said Mr. Copley wou'd make no small figure in the World of Painters, and told me that your portrait was admirably well executed, and I wish you joy of it. I receiv'd some time ago a Letter from Coll. Montresor, in which he tells me he laments the expence he has been at, for his Lands in America, that they will never be of any advantage to him (unhappily what he only considers) and desires me to try if I cannot let them for him to some Merchant adventurer, on Lease of 99 Years at 6d per Acre, I have been so Ill that I could not answer his Letter, neither did I intend, farther than to amuse him, untill I had consulted you. I do not apprehend any Person will give 6d per Acre for Lands in America that must be settled and Cultivated at great expence; but I am afraid that the same consideration which induces him to wish to Let these Lands will also prompt him to sell them, if he can get £100 or so by them; in which case they wou'd be lost to you and your family to whom hereafter they may be of the greatest advantage; therefore if what I conjecture shou'd take place what Method cou'd be taken to put a stop to it? and if they were to be sold, wou'd it be not proper for you to be the purchaser rather than a Stranger? or supposing you wrote to him, telling him there was a better chance of Letting them in New York 1 Mrs. Devereux?