Phila. Septr. 26 1751 Gentlemen,

The Bonds of Freindship & tyes of affection require me to inform you (who are able to bear it) of an Enterprize of mine, vizt. I have been for some time determin'd to go thru the Operation of Innoculation, above a week ago I spoke to a Doctr.1 about it who Incouraged me much, by setting the Thing in a Proper Light before me. I have been very Much troubled in getting a place Convenent for the purpose (that which I have hitherto kept not being so) at last I have found a good motherly woman2, acquainted with the Distemper & whose good Caracter I have had universally, Especially from those who have been sick under her Care. Some People think me distracted and non compos & have used their utmost Efforts to discourage me, but having thoroughly weighd & considered the Matter, without being convincd in my Reason that I am in the wrong, the Wreck of Matter and the Couch of Weeks shan't move me. I am entirely easy & unconcernd as to the Conscientious part, I should have been innoculated several Days ago had I not met with difficulty in preparing a place, but shall without something unforeseen happens, enter upon the Business on Monday the 28th instant.3

I doubt not my Freinds that you are Anxious for my welfare in every Respect, as to the Enterprize I am satisfy'd of yr. approbation, from discourse we have heretofore had on the Subject, therefore shall offer nothing at present by way of Excuse.

The Doctor is a very approved Man, and by what I can learn of the Course of the Small Pox here, 'tis common for People to have & not keep their Beds, yea some walk about House. You may depend upon my prudence in using all necessary preparations of Body, & then by the bless-144ing of Providence upon so good a means to have so bad a distemper, I may hope for a gentle Visitation. I am throughly Satisfy'd that yr. Freindship can remain unshaken without afflicting yr. selves more than will do yr. Freind good, but the Constitution of some is such tht. it would be almost an Injury to inform them of this my Undertaking. I need say no more to you being satisfy'd that Prudence will teach you more on this head than my Letter. At present I am wel. That tell my Freinds, & excuse my writing by Reason of Hurry.

My Freinds the Thoughts of Death in Any Vein whatsomever seems terrible Yet come it must. If we estimate fairly we shall find, that taking the Small Pox by itself; there's a much better chance for Life than there is that a man shall arrive to the Age of 17 years in the common course of things. The Proportion arrises much greater in the more advanced years of Life i.e. supposing we allow that to in an too (wch. I believe is the Extent) dies of the Small Pox that has it, well it is observed that 50 in an 100, of Mankind dy before 17 years of Age, then the Proportion is as 10 to 50 or as 1 to 5, that is a man that has the Smal Pox dont run so great a chance of dying by it by 5 Times as he does Every day of dying in the ordinary way. I mention this only to illustrate that I think mankind are very improperly affected with these distempers, imagining that they are in the utmost danger when they are infected with them, whereas in Reality, they are in 5 Times at least as much danger of dying every day of their Lives as they are of the Small Pox alone considered When they have it. If so then let us be alway Ready, we are not alway in the most danger when we see it most, but some times in the least. In this Letter I address my self to Mrs. Palmer also whom I always think worthy my Remembrance. Yr. very Freind & humble Servt.,

ROBERT TREAT PAINE

LbC ; addressed: "To Messrs. Palmer & Cranch Card Makers in Boston Pr. Capt. Ford."4

1.

Thomas Bond (1712–1784) was a famous Philadelphia physician and founder of the Pennsylvania Hospital, delivering there the first course of clinical lectures given in the United States (DAB).

2.

Mrs. Read was probably Sarah Read (d. 1761), the mother-in-law of Benjamin Franklin. An advertisement in Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette (Aug. 19, 1731) shows that she was then continuing to make and sell her well-known Ointment for the Itch with which she has cured abundance of People in and about this City for many Years past" (Papers of Benjamin Franklin, Leonard W. Labaree et al., eds. [New Haven, 1959- ]. 1:219).

3.

On Sept. 30, 1751, RTP made the following entry in his diary: "A fair day, This day removed my Lodgings to Mrs. Reads in Order to have the Small Pox; This After Noon Dr. Thos. Bond145innoculated me in the Left Arm." Evidences of the smallpox put in an appearance on Oct. 5. On Oct. 12 his diary entry records: "very sore, tho' the Distemper is very light up on me, & also much afflicted with want of Eye Sight, being bereaft thereof by the Purstles pustules; no rest a Nights, my Face Prodigiously Swelled." By Oct. 17 his eyesight began to return. Three additional weeks of pustules, purges, and an occasional blood-letting followed before he was once more able to go visiting. On Nov. 11 he was probably happy to make the following entry: "A fine day. I went abroad to Mr. Franklin's."

4.

Capt. James Ford of the sloop Thomas cleared Philadelphia for Boston this week (Pennsylvania Gazette, Oct. 3, 1751).

Philada. Novr. 1. 1751 Mr. James Allen,

Since I left Boston I have been innoculated for the Small Pox & have got well over it. I design to be at Boston in a very short Time where I hope to find yr. self and Family well.

I doubt not but you have made considerable preparations for a West India Cargo, for it will be Time to sail by the last of this Month or the beggining of Next. I should not have wrote upon this Subject, but as we have talked so much about it I have placed Confidence in the Matter & have Ordered my Business accordingly, so that it will be a vast disappointment to me. But as I doubt not you are in earnest about the Matter, so I shall rest easy about the Matter, & return home as soon as possible to assist in getting Things ready.

My Service to your Spouse and to Dr. Adams.1 I am Sr. yr. ready Freind & humble Servt.,

ROBERT-TREAT PAINE

LbC ; addressed: "To Mr. James Allen Merchant. Taylor living on the Draw Bridge, Boston."

1.

Dr. Joseph Adams of Boston (1728–1759) was the brother of James Allen's wife, Mary, and of Samuel Adams (1722–1803), the patriot (Thwing Index; Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 12:233–234).

Philadelphia Novr. 21st. 1751 Mrs. Betsy,1

Having thro' the great Goodness of divine Providence thoroughly recovered my Health, I purpose to set out to Morrow Morning for Burlington in the Stage-Boat which will go about 8 oClock.2 In Consid-146eration of which I have been severall Times to yr. House in Order to take my Leave of you; (perhaps forever) but was disappointed in my desire; & altho' I traced yr. Footsteps abroad; yet was never so happy as to light on your Person. My Time in the Morning will be so short that this is the Only Method I have to acquaint you with the Reason of my Abrupt departure. I am satisfyed you'll forgive my Boldness in writing to you, wn. I assure you, that true undissembled Freindship dictates every word, and that I was both afraid & ashamed to depart this City without laying at yr. Feet, at least some faint Expressions of my Regard and Gratitude to you for the Frankness, Ingenuity, and Noble Familiarity, with which you have Entertain'd me, altho' an utter Stranger to you.

Madam had you have Entertain'd me wth. a fine Equipage & Splendid Feasts & all the polite Ceremonies necessary to Every used even by a Courtier, I might have thought; well, I may one day arrive to as much Dignity as all this, & be able to make Ample Returns; but Virtue & true Generosity meet only their Reward in Heaven; & I can retalliate yr. Kindness only, by bearing in my Breast the sincerest Regard for yr. Person & well-wishings for yr. Real Welfare, wch. I believe will remain there so as the sound of Virtue makes any impression on me.

You cannot possibly think that I am sounding Flattery in yr. Ears, seing there is no probability of my ever seing you again, no verily; I speak as My Nature dictates to be my Duty. For may I be an Outcast on the Face of the Earth, the Day I am unmindfull of anyone, who has express'd so much Goodness to me as I think you have. I would not hint as tho' I thought myself peculiarly favored; no, all about you are equally sharers in the Same Goodness, Like the Sun which distributes its invigorating Warmth to the vilest Weeds as well as the noblest Plants. But Prudence dictates to me to cease my Encomiums, least you should think my Regards rather a Flame than a solid Fire, which would at once frustrate my whole design.

The Greatest Favour I dare ask of you is that you would admit me into the Number of yr. real Freinds, wch. Sentiment will Remain in my Breast as long as my Blood warms my Heart.

I herewith send you one of Dr. Watts Lyrick Poems wch. I copyed out when I was sick with a Design to present to you.3 I doubt not when you have perused them, that you'll excuse the present abrupt Presentment; & my sincere Wishes for both of us are what I have undermark'd; May the same Good Being, that form'd yr. Soul with so much innate147Tenderness & Begnignity, direct yr. happy Mate where he may find the Soul that twinn'd with his, that so being Engag'd in the same good Cause you may be Coadjutors in the Way to Everlasting Joy and Felicity.

Please to Remember my Regards to Mr. Galloway4 and Mr. Polguen,5 whom I have not had the pleasure to see lately.

Give me leave to subscribe—Madam yr. Very Freind, Admirer, Well-wisher & humble Servent,

ROBERT=TREAT PAINE

P:S These Lines however Sincere, are notwithstanding very rough, & unpolish'd, but I need not ask you to overlook faults of writing or inditing, sensible that yr. Candour will make Intercessions for these Extempore Schetchs of Imagination.

Dft or unsent RC ; addressed: "To Miss Eliz Weyman, Philada."; endorsed by Charles C. Paine: "Phila. Nov. 21. 1751. To Mrs Eliza." The address has been blotted out, but identification has been made through a rough tally sheet among the RTP business papers written on the reverse of a separate address sheet dated "Philadelphia May 17th 1753 Mrs. Elizabeth Weyman." That letter has not been located.

1.

Elizabeth Weyman was probably a sister of Sarah Weyman who married Dr. Thomas Bond in 1742 (Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey 20[19451 44). Sarah Weyman was a daughter of Rev. Robert Weyman who served briefly at a Philadelphia church before removing to St. Mary's Church, Burlington, N.J., where he died in 1737 leaving a wife and 6 children In low circumstances." One of the other children was William Weyman (d. 1768), the New York printer (Charles R. Hildeburn, Sketches of Printers and Printing in Colonial New York [New York, 1895], 60–64).

2.

RTP's diary indicates that he proceeded by various conveyances to New York City, where he stayed from Nov. 25 through Dec. 3. He sailed for Providence, R.I., on Dec. 4, but his passage was interrupted. He arrived in Providence on horseback on Dec. ii, and left for Boston on the 12th on horseback, arriving there on the following day.

3.

Not located.

4.

Joseph Galloway (ca. 1731–1803) moved to Philadelphia from Maryland as a youth. Admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in 1749. Served a number of terms in the Pennsylvania assembly, including 1766–1775 as speaker. Joined General Howe in New York and was the British civil administrator of Philadelphia during the occupation, 1777–1778, and then went to England (DAB).

5.

Perhaps the James Polegreen who was captain of one of Philadelphia's association companies in 1748 (Franklin, Papers, 3:308).