(seq. 44)

[fol. 1r]

Dorchester, Nov. 1st 1796.

My dear friend,

You may recollect that, at the beginning
of our correspondence, we agreed to lay aside the rules of cere-
mony & write, as convenience should permit. Still, however,
we have usually proceeded on the principles of debt & credit. I
heartily wish, our epistorlary commerce may be so improved,
that no attention may be paid to the cold formalities of custom.
To illustrate my meaning by an example at hand, take this
letter. Twice have I written to you, my friend, since you have
found opportunity to answer. But I do not hesitate to
write even thrice, while I can impute your silence rather to
want of conveyance or unavoidable avocations, than to a
diminution of friendship. No, my friend, altho your domestic
happiness is almost complete, I doubt not you sometimes
form resolves to revive our old corrrespondence. I was forcibly
struck with your neglect in this particular by a late
circumstance. You must know, it is my invariable cus-
tom to submit your valuable productions to the inspection
of my dear friend Mr Ames. At two of my last visits
tho the space between them was unusually protracted, I was unable to produce any
new communications.

You startle to hear of domestic happiness almost com-
plete. "Why is it not entire" you are ready to ask. I
answer, because you have no young prattlers, who in
the language of Homer, είς τα γονατα τȣ πατρος παππα-
[ ]ȣσς'. Till "a smiling offspring rises round," domestic
felicity must be pronounced defective. I can prove
this by an argumentum ad hominem. In a former
letter I enumerated several ingredients of happi-
ness, which, I supposed you would soon possess. Your
reply then was, that a wife was the most im-

[Fol. 1r]

Dorchester, Nov. 1st 1796.

My dear friend,

You may recollect that, at the beginning
of our correspondence, we agreed to lay aside the rules of cere-
mony & write, as convenience should permit. Still, however,
we have usually proceeded on the principles of debt & credit. I
heartily wish, our epistorlary commerce may be so improved,
that no attention may be paid to the cold formalities of custom.
To illustrate my meaning by an example at hand, take this
letter. Twice have I written to you, my friend, since you have
found opportunity to answer. But I do not hesitate to
write even thrice, while I can impute your silence rather to
want of conveyance or unavoidable avocations, than to a
diminution of friendship. No, my friend, altho your domestic
happiness is almost complete, I doubt not you sometimes
form resolves to revive our old corrrespondence. I was forcibly
struck with your neglect in this particular by a late
circumstance. You must know, it is my invariable cus-
tom to submit your valuable productions to the inspection
of my dear friend Mr Ames. At two of my last visits
tho the space between them was unusually protracted, I was unable to produce any
new communications.

You startle to hear of domestic happiness almost com-
plete. "Why is it not entire" you are ready to ask. I
answer, because you have no young prattlers, who in
the language of Homer, είς τα γονατα τȣ πατρος παππα-
[ ]ȣσς'. Till "a smiling offspring rises round," domestic
felicity must be pronounced defective. I can prove
this by an argumentum ad hominem. In a former
letter I enumerated several ingredients of happi-
ness, which, I supposed you would soon possess. Your
reply then was, that a wife was the most im-