October? 1757? Sir,

I dont repent giveing you so much room for Satyr, for I was highly pleas'd to find my design so well answer'd when I read your Epistle, and I shall never think much of the expence of a little Honesty when compared to the gratification I meet with in the perusal of any of your performances, for I look upon them to be both entertaining and instructing, but when I consider my Self as one of those who have the misfortune to require Precept upon Precept and line upon line hear a little and there a great deal I fear least finding me so untractable, your Patiance will be exhausted, and that you will withdraw those Friendly aids as finding so many of them have bin wasted on me, but let me still implore your forbearance and Perseverance, and remmember you are not to look for your reward hear, and belive me Sr not Withstanding my misimprovements I shall allways51esteem evry Admonition of yours as so many Proofs of your undeserv'd Friendship and am with regard your Friend to Serve

P.S. I think I have heard you say promises to a Female are not binding, but as you could give no reasons why, I belive you are not certain, I therefore take the freedom to ask you once more to let me see a couple of pss. of Poetry you once promis'd me. Your Compiling with this request will greatly oblige yours &c.

Tho you thought my other letter did not contain much Honesty I hope youll not be suspicious of this.

RC ; addressed: "To Mr Robbbert Treat Paine Practitioner in Law"; endorsed by Charles C. Paine: "Letter from a Lady & reply."

October? 1757? Madam,

I recd. yrs. in which are many things worthy Observation & Answer Subjects that would afford much Amusemt. & recreation, but as you seem in some respects to need instruction most & express yr. self sensible of it, I shall therefore now confine my self to one point in wch. you seem to be much at a loss, & that is whether promises made to a female are binding. You say I have denied it but have been able to give no reasons. In fact I thought it so known a truth that I need only hint at it & leave yr. own Mind to supply the Proof, but seeing you are turn'd heretick & call in question the truths we imbib'd in our Mother's Milk & scruple the practice in wch. we were Educated I must examine my Credentials & not suffer you to be Wavring in a principle so essential to yr. female Comfort & first of all I suppose promises to the females are not binding because there is no consideration on their part, & the law makes void such promises to men as well as weoman; but how does it appear there is No Consideration: I answer; there can be no Consideration from that Party wch. possesses Nothing & can do nothing but what was a duty before. Now we know that Weomen were made for the Use of the Men, & therefore all they can do is nothing but wt. is incumbent on them by Nature & consequently Can be no consideration on wch. to found a Promise this is not only good Law but strict orthodox reasoning: 2dly. because it is never expected by the females they should be fulfilled—it52being seldom or ever they carry a thing long eno' in their Minds to observe the fullfillment of it: 3dly. because a Promise not comply'd with give room to renew it wch. gently feeds & continues their hopes the Most sutable happiness for their Constitution, especially if we consider that most of the promises they extort from men are of such a Nature as must promote their misery if fulfill'd: but lastly the grand practical reason is because faith is never to be kept with heretiks they who pay no reverence to their own promises must Never expect to have those made to them Kept, Promises are like the current coin of a nation, you'll see some hoarding up their pence & shilling for a Copper farthing, others will be trifling with broad penies & making no acct. of heavy sums. I have seen a Lady of 16 deal out in prompt pay her Vows & protestations in as great Plenty as a Banker does his Notes, & then regard them as little as they do a Bond that is Cancell'd. In every Constitution there are customs that prevail over the Known Laws & we are no more obliged to expect a Lady will hold us to our promise than we expect a Sailor will prosecute us for cursing him for this same reason because he will curse again. Who can reflect on the million of trifling prevarication used by the fair (i:e the white not the fair dealing Sex) & not feel the force of this enquiry, Now a Promise must always be Construed according to the Understanding of the Partys, & if it be a settled rule on one side not to regard Promises, most certainly such as they give such they expect to recieve & consequently they are not of an Obligatory nature, but how does this affect you, I surely dare not tax you in this manner, No Madam making allowance for small slips & as little can you tax me wth. not keeping a Promise to you or any Lady, for as I reverence my promise I take care never to make them to females least I should become Idolatros in paying adoration to wt. don't deserve it. But Madam I shall in Convenient time excuse you from being disqualified as above by complying with yr. requests tho' I'm conscious there is no promise in the legal Mean. I rest after a long screed at Midnight yr. as usual,

P:S Youll please to remember my first Name has A, b, in it & I pray you to write it so for the future.

Dft ; endorsed: "from & to Lavinia, on Honesty & Promises."