Apollo; otherwise, I should pay the sum required. At any rate, I beg to be considered as one of the subscribers."

If I mistake not, I asked you to appoint some person for this purpose. If no person is yet appointed, suppose you should ask Fenno. I have not seen his advertisement; but I consider myself as much obliged by his goodness, and I beg you to inform him of it.

My 3d volume is advanced to letter R. I hope it will be out by February. I have an index to make for the whole, a jobb which I dread more than writing a whole volume.*

No

I am in treaty with T. & A. for the "Foresters," to be printed in a duodecimo.† What think you of of the sheets, or the value thereof at the selling price, for every edition during the term allowed for proprietorship? risk on my part, and only a liability to pay for half the paper of the first edition, if there be not enough sold to pay the expence of paper in two years? I prefer having T. & A. for proprietors, for two reasons: First, they have extensive connections, and can push a sale. Secondly, there will probably be no suspicion who the author is, which would infallibly be the case if my son were to stand as proprietor; and I wish to remain concealed, if possible. I shall correct the parts already printed, divide them into letters, and continue the work.

I wish you joy on the acquisition of the Virginia Laws. I hope none of the pallisaded inhabitants were troubled with the diarrhoea, or, if they were, that the law was executed in mercy. Had the legislative powers there been as wise as our forefathers, and adopted the Laws of Moses, they would have found a paddle provided in such cases. If you print these laws, and your other miscellanea curi

*Unhappily, the index to Dr. Belknap's "History of New Hampshire' never prepared; at least, it was never printed. - EDS.

ers

"

was

†Thomas and Andrews, of Boston, who printed the first edition of the "Forest. " in a book form, in 1792.- EDS.

osa, in your work, they will give a seasoning to the dry collection of charters and proclamations which will make the work popular.

Our best regards to Mrs. Hazard. Hope your children are by this time well. Sally is completely restored, to our great joy and comfort. I am, sir,

Your obliged friend and servant,

JERE. BELKNAP.

Brother Morse is fixed in his new house. They were all well on Thursday last.

HAZARD TO BELKNAP.

PHILADELPHIA, January 21, 1792.

MY DEAR SIR, -I am glad to find, by yours of 19th ultimo, that the paper by Cheeseman got safe to hand, and that the enclosures for Fleet were in season, and of use. I have received from him one of his Registers, which, from your and his manner of writing, I suppose was intended for me; but, as Mr. Biddle expected one in return for his directory (and I encouraged him to expect it), I shall give it to him. The penny-post has been employed, but has not yet made his returns, so that I have not yet paid Robert; but he shall be attended to.

Colonel Pickering is not in any list you sent me; but he called, and informed me he was a subscriber, had the 1st volume, and wanted the 2d. I let him have it, and he paid me for it. A Mr. Martin came to-day, and subscribed for 2d and 3d. He had the 1st, and I let him have the 2d, for which he paid me. I find I shall have a number of 1st volumes left.

When my 1st volume comes out, I will send it to you, as you desire. It would have been finished, as to printing, by this time, but our paper failed. We are to have more

on Tuesday next, and by the next Saturday night I hope to see finis. I have corrected sheet H, of the 4th alphabet, to-night. L will finish the volume. My index is ready, as far as we have printed; and I think the preface will be very short. I hate prefaces, and am vastly puz zled to know what to say in one, or how to say it. I began one (and proceeded some way in it), which I designed for an handsome piece of composition; but, upon a review, disliked it, as appearing too much studied. I have now a different one on the anvil, which don't quite please me. I must hammer out something before long.

I have received the 1st number of the Apollo, and think it will be a useful work. It is not so correctly printed as it ought to be. Governour Hopkins, of Rhode Island, began the history of that State, and published (I think) seven numbers in the Providence newspaper, and died, leaving it unfinished. Has your Society these papers? If not, I can let them have them.* I have applied to the Governour's family for his materials, but they cannot be found. If those ministerial letters from William Pitt, &c., which I got in New Hampshire, and left in your hands, will be of use to them, they are at their service. I think T. & A. should allow you half the sheets, if you are to be liable for half the paper. Indeed, as you have all the labour of writing the F., I think you ought not to be liable for any.

What part of the Laws of Moses did you allude to, in which the Virginians might have found a "puddle" provided in such cases as theirs?

I expect to print the Virginian Laws, but not my miscellanea curiosa, unless I should see how they might be useful, and could be printed without the appearance of a design to hold up their authors in a ridiculous point of

In the "Providence Gazette," in 1765. The account is republished in 2 Massachusetts Historical Society's Collections, IX. 166–203. - EDS.

view, which I do not wish. They will perhaps throw the light upon the state of society and manners in that day, in but should be accompanied with some more serious things.

Mrs. H. and I sincerely rejoice with you on Sally's restoration. May she long be a source of joy and comfort Our love to Mrs. B.

to you.

Cornelia is the mother of a son about three weeks old; both well. I am, dear sir,

Your affectionate

EBEN. HAZARD.

P. S. As I did not expect to write to you to-night, I did not bring your account from the office. You shall have it soon.

Mr. Jefferson has the copy of your book, and I have his receipt at the office too.

HAZARD TO BELKNAP.

PHILADELPHIA, January 28, 1792.

MY DEAR SIR, Since my last (which goes by Mr. Gorham with this), I have stated, and now enclose your account, by which you will see that I have £11 6s. 2d. to pay Robert. It will be acceptable to him. I saw him t'other day, and told him I should pay him some soon: he said it was very well.

How do you send the Apollo? I have not yet received the 2d No., though Mr. Wingate has had it several days. As there is no postage on newspapers yet, I apprehend it will not be trespassing, either on his friendship or honour, if you enclose mine to him; and, as he lodges nearly opposite to me, it will give him little trouble.

Fenno has advertised that subscriptions for the Apollo are received by him. He says "if Belknap and Young

P

will do his business in Boston, he will do theirs here." It is probable he will write to them.

Our youngest child is very sick. His disorder is something like the hives, but hope it will terminate favourably. All the rest of us are well. Our love to Mrs. Belknap. am, dear sir,

I

P. S. I have been reading a MS. translation of Warville's Travels in America. If the Quakers had bribed him, he could not praise them more. He complains that genius is not encouraged in America, and, among other instances, mentions that "never has the whole of the precious History of New Hampshire, by Belknap, appeared, for want of encouragement.

BELKNAP TO HAZARD.

BOSTON, February 18, 1792.

MY DEAR SIR, -Your favour is this evening received, and the enclosed for Mr. Harbach. As cold water to a thirsty soul, so are your letters always to me, now much rarer than when you stood in the place where Timothy Pickering now stands. I have scarcely had time to look over the account, but am glad to find there is some balance for Scotus. I hope to be able to pay him off as soon as my 3d volume gets under way. •

Brother Cutler went, in the last stage, to Philadelphia. I requested him to bring me McMurray's Map of the

*Brissot de Warville's "New Travels in the United States of America, performed in 1788," translated from the French edition of 1791, was published in London in 1792, the preface of the translator bearing date "Feb. 1, 1792." An English version was published in New York the same year. A full bibliographical account of this writer's publications may be seen in Sabin's "Dictionary of Books relating to America."- EDS.