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of the Board, etc, but some other things that I have recommended to him, and have too much reason to think are neglected, though not so immediately, are as essentially necessary as the daily duty of it. He says he has done every thing on his part, but from his contradictory manner of writing, and his idle excuses, I fear that assertion was premature. And he hopes I will not leave England till I settle these matters with the Auditor. That depends entirely on himself. Lord North was pleased to say to the Sp[anish] Ambassador lately (without my asking such indulgence which I consider as connected with my Patent,) that I may stay in England as long as I please; but for any thing I can see at present, M' Coffin will oblige me to go to Boston to bring my accounts home to be audited. I need not say how disagreeable that would be to me, and perhaps to himself, and I must rely on your good Offices and Mr Stewart's, to prevent it. I hope he has done with Apologies about my private Account, it is idle to make so many about a thing that may be done in half an hour. I have indeed many to make to you for giving you so much trouble in my Affairs. I am truly concerned for the cause of it, and hope the agreeable Companion and honest fellow (sometimes improperly so called) will suspend his jovial humour for a time, lay aside that ruinous Procrastination which too many of us are apt to give way to, and set in earnest about the Business on which his Interest and my honour and Credit so much depend. One word more, and I have done on this disagreeable subject I have had a hint that he risks too much, and makes too free with the public money. For God's sake caution him on that head.

Mr Stewart will tell you all our news here, and later than any I can give you by this Ship. He has been detained by W's malicious Charges, and his delay will I hope prove of service to him on the whole. Lord North has settled with Mr Robinson the Secretary, the heads of the minute to be made upon it, which, from what I have heard of it, is in favour of Mr. Stewart, but it cannot be finished until it is approved by the other Lords, and they are now adjourned for six weeks. Our other Custom house Friends continue as you left them. A great point has been carried against Lord Hillsborough in his own department, the settlement of a Colony on the Ohio, which he has uniformly opposed, first in the report of the Board of Trade with the unanimous concurrence of the other Lords, and afterwards in Council. He cannot therefore with honour affix the Seals of his Office to a measure that he has so warmly opposed from Principle, and it is said, will resign.1 I have not waited on him since you left us, nor for a long time before, but intend to make my bow to him to'morrow. Lord Weymouth and Lord Dartmouth are talked of to succeed him. I shall endeavour to give you the earliest opportunity of worshiping the rising Sun. 1 Writings of Benjamin Franklin (Smyth), v. 465.

Something it is said will be done with Rhode Island, but what or when
I know not, and possibly the matter may end in some ineffectual threats.

I beg you will give my respectful Compliments to Mrs Murray and all my good Friends, and am with the greatest regard, My Dear Sir, Your affectionate humble Servant.

Mr. FORD also submitted two letters from the Bigelow Mss., now in the keeping of the Society, relating to an early incident in the career of Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford.

HOPESTILL CAPEN TO JOHN APPLETON, OF SALEM.

BOSTON, 11 Octo 1769.

SIR, I understand that you have had a young Ladd, not long since, that live with you, named Benja Thompson. He now offers himself to live with me, saying that he was sick was the Occasion of his comeing from you, and that now Business is Dull, you dont want him. I should be greatly oblig'd to you if you will Inform me by the first oppertunity If he be clear from you or not; if he is, please to give me his True Character, as to his Honesty, Temper and Qualifications as a Shop Keeper. Such a lad will suit me if he can be well Recommended, and as he is a stranger to me I know of no body else that can be so good a Judge of him as you. Which I hope you will favour me with. Till which I am your most obedt Humble servt.

THOMPSON TO JOHN APPLETON, OF SALEM.

BOSTON, Octo. 19. 1769.

SIR, I take this oppertunity to inform you that I am Come to Live with Mr Hopestill Capen. I like him and his Family very well as yet. I am Greatly obliged to you for your kind Recommendation of me to Mr. Capen, and shall always retain a Gratefull Sense of the many other Kindness's I always Rec1 Whilest I remained with you. Never shall I Live at a place again that I delighted so much as at your house nor with a Kinder Master.1 My Guardian says he will Come to Salem and pay you some money very soon, which he expects dayly. Sir I would beg of you not to Give yourself any Concern or Trouble about it as you may depend upon having the Money Very soon.

Sir if you would Give yourself the Trouble to send Round my things that remain at your house I shall Be obliged to you, and if you will send down the two trunks which I improved whilest at your house and Charge them to me I will send you the money. Please to put up all my small thing you can find, vizt scates, hautboy, some Blue paper, a

1 A memorandum shows that Thompson came as apprentice to Mr. Appleton, October 14, 1766.

box of Crayons, or dry Colours, some Books, Together with all my Things remaining at your house. Please to stow them in the Trunk that stands in the Kitchen Chamber and please to put that, that stands in the Garret on Board Mr West with it and desire him to Bring them down the first oppertunity. I shall Come to Salem the first oppertunity that I can be Spared. Heartily Wishing you all Proseperity and Happiness, I Remain your Much Obliged Hum Servt.

ANNUAL MEETING, APRIL, 1910

THE Annual Meeting was held on Thursday, the 14th instant, at three o'clock, P. M.; the PRESIDENT in the chair. The record of the March meeting was read and approved; and the Librarian submitted the usual monthly report of donors.

In the absence of the Corresponding Secretary, the CabinetKeeper reported the acceptance by Harold Murdock, of Brookline, of his election as a Resident Member of the Society.

The Editor announced the gift to the Society by Mr. SHAW of important manuscripts and broadsides of the colonial and revolutionary periods of Massachusetts history. These manuscripts and like material will form the nucleus of the "Samuel Phillips Savage Papers."

The Recording Secretary, by request of Bishop Lawrence, who was compelled to be absent, presented to the Society a large photograph of the portrait of Dr. Samuel A. Green, painted in 1894 by Frederic P. Vinton, in the Groton Public Library. In behalf of Mr. BOLTON, he also presented a photograph - taken in 1849 from a daguerreotype of Dr. Green at the age of nineteen.

In the absence of Mr. MERRIMAN, the Senior Member-atLarge of the Council, the report was read by Mr. Bigelow, as follows:

REPORT OF THE COUNCIL.

Since the last Annual Meeting the following changes have taken place in the membership of the Society:

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In the last year a material change has been made in the library room on the third floor. The number of wooden presses, hardly two being of the same size or shape, which contained a part of the library of American books, has been replaced by steel stacks of the most modern construction, and in such number as to contain all the American library of bound books, and such newspaper files as are subject to call. There is space thus afforded for the growth of the library for some. years to come, assuming that the rate of increase be as slow as that which has prevailed for some twenty years. Even at a more rapid rate, there is space to house ten or more years' accumulations. Not only has the appearance of the room improved, but the books are more available to the searcher. In order not to overload the floors, space has been left for students' tables, where the best of light and ventilation is afforded, and where it remains only to introduce some heating apparatus to make it available in winter as well as summer.

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