Wrentham August 19th: 1747 Dear Class-mate,

I have many things to write but being in a very bad State of health & unable to write anything legible &c. As to my health, on last Saturday I was taken with a violent fever, and it continued very hard upon me untill next morning &c when taking a Vomit seem'd something better, yet on monday again was Seiz'd with a very hard fit, from whence they call it the Tertian Fever, & how soon I shall git well, God only knows. This is therefore to desire you to acquaint Mr. Hancock1 my Tutor concerning me if he asketh after me. And farthermore that if my Chamber-mate Dodge is come down (wc. I don't much expect if I Had, I should have sent him an Epistle) & my Chamber is altered to have him send me a Letter where &c—& a List of the Freshmen's Class.

And

Finally let nothing hinder you in the Course of Theological Studies, but persevere, hold on from Day to Day & week to week untill you arrive at the fullness of the Stature of your proavi,2 ye as far transcend 'm as the Sun Excells the brightest Star in Glory &c—from your loving Classmate,

ABIJAH THURSTON

P:S: If Dodge is not down be pleased to Send me a Letter By the man that brings up Pond's3 horse, & you will Exquisitely oblige yrs. &c

RC ; addressed: “To Mr. Robert Treat Pane Student at Harvard=College QDC per Mr. Timothy Pond"; endorsed by RTP: "Abijah Thurston August 19th 1747" with the following unfinished note: "Whirling his Electrisity Huzza boys Mr. Winthrop's4 now a. . . . “

1.

Belcher Hancock (1709–1771), a 1727 graduate of Harvard, was appointed tutor in 1742 and held that position until 1767. The Class of 1749 was one which was placed under his instruction. Tutorship, until 1766, involved teaching all subjects to the through its four years ( Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 8:137–140).

2.

Great-grandfather. Rev. Samuel Willard (1639/40–1707), RTP's great-grandfather, was pastor 24of Boston's Old South Church from 1678. His collected sermons were published posthumously as the Compleat Body of Divinity (Boston, 1726) ( DAB ).

3.

Timothy Pond (1729–1804), a classmate, also lived at Wrentham. After graduation he taught school for several years and then bought a farm in his native town (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 12:483).

4.

John Winthrop (1714–1779), a 1732 graduate of Harvard and Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural and Experimental Philosophy there, was one of the great colonial scientists (Lawrence Shaw Mayo, The Winthrop Family in America [Boston, 1948], 167–193; Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 9:240–264).

Boston Sept. 2. 1747. Dear Brother,

I just now Rec'd a Line from you which is very acceptable to me for I have been much Concern'd about you and Could not hear where you took up your abode.1 I am Glad to hear that you are in health and wish I Could Say I was but I am far from it tho' I am much better than I have been. I was taken violently ill Last Saturday and Continued so till yesterday but through the Blessings of divine providence I have got so well as to go down stairs this day. The family are all well but Mother2 who is much as when you Saw her, it is a very Sickly dying time in town.

Father went to Bridgwater Last Friday and return'd yesterday and his boy Asa Soper is Come down so that you have Lost your old bedfellow.

I told Sisster your dream of the mice and she Says it is Out for Freeman has destroy'd them all for Stinking Some days ago.

I have Sent Cato to Lorings3 Several times, but could get no shoes but many repeted promises and while I am writing he is gone to Claim the Last which was that you shou'd have them yesterday and if he gets them Russull will bring them with this Letter.

Please to give my Service to Mrs. Peggy Apleton6 and pray her to Lend me Young's Midnight thoughts4 and if you bring them down with you a Saturday, you shall return it when you go up if she desires it so soon.

I am Sorry for your Misfortune as to the bed but advise you to Come down as soon as you Can in Order to be better accommodated Some way or another. Mother Sends her Love to you, and Sisster and I join with her. I Remain your Loving Sisster,

ABIGAIL PAINE

Cousin Hinckley has got a Daughter.5

RC ; addressed: "To Mr. Robert Treat Paine att Cambridg"; endorsed.

1.

RTP notes in his diary, Sept. 1, 1747: “I began to lodge with Richardson." This was Gideon Richardson (1730–1758), a classmate and later minister of the First Congregational Church of Wells, Maine (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 12:484–486).

2.

RTP's mother died on Oct. 17, 1747, after a long illness. She was buried on the 22nd.

3.

Not identified among the several Lorings who were shopkeepers or leather dressers at the time.

4.

Edward Young, The Complaint, or Night Thoughts on Life, Death, and Immortality (London, 1742) and later editions.

5.

Bethiah Hinkley, daughter of John and Bethiah (Freeman) Hinkley and granddaughter of RTP's aunt Mary (Paine) (Freeman) Hawes, was born at Barnstable, Aug. 25, 1747 (Mayflower Descendant 31[1933]:86).