Augt. 12: 1753
I have much to say but am on the Eve of
marrying My Daughter and many Orders in hast from Abroad that I can
only add a few Lines to Informe you that your bill of 60 pound is
Accepted, and I Intend to pay Osbourn £50. The remainder is for
your Disposal when I can find time to Lett you know the
Ballance.
Your Impartial Account of the state of the
Germans came very Seaseonably to awaken the Legislature to take
some Measures to Check the Increase of their Power. A Coppy was
Desir’d by 2 of the Members for the German Affairs to show Mr.
Pelham [and] Lord Hallifax. With my Thoughts How to remedy or
redress Impending Evils I have Drawn up 7 Proposals which you shall
see—but alas, I am no ways Equal to that Task but was obliged to Do
It but that Province is Yours, Who is so well Versed in your
Constitution and the Nature of the People that possibly what I
propose may be Impracticable in the Reason of things which I cannot
be thought to know or understand. I am much concernd for the French
Expedition to Ohio. I gave that Paragraph to the Minister but Alas
what can He do without the Concurrence of many More. I am with
Cordial Esteem thy Sincere Friend
How your Proprietors are taken up cannot say but it highly becomes
them to bestirr themselves for I think its plain their Estate is In
Danger. Pray Tell John Bartram I have so many affairs on the Anvil
that I think I cannot write to Him. I expect by first Vessell thy
thoughts on the Means most practicable to Secure your Constitution.
I wish I had leisure to take more Notice of thine of June 1: Aprill
17 and May the 9. I am much obliged for the Various Papers. Mr.
Smith’s a Very Ingenious Man. Its a Pitty but He was more Solid,
and Less flighty. The Books Mapps &c. I hope is safely arrived
per Capt. Shirly. Our Connoiseurs are greatly Disappointd for the
bad Luck that Attended the View of the transit of Mercury but your
Zeal to promote that Observation is not Enough to be Commended. Is
it 5 degrees, or 25 degrees west of London. I wonder I heare
nothing from Mr. Alexander or Mr. Colden on this Transit. I don’t
yett hear of any Account of It, from any of our Colonies. Doc.
Kersley and his Friends used formerly to be Sending their
Observations on Coelestial Phenomena. I writt to you both by the
Sarah Cap. Mitchell July 20th. Monsr. Dalibards Letter Came Just in
Time. It ought to have good things in it for its very Dear postage,
5s. I have paid Osborn fifty pounds this Day Augt. 16.