for them, but have been so hurried that I have not yet had time to read them. It is impossible to say when I shall journey your way again. I did intend it this fall, and was beginning to prepare for it, but my assistant is going to Georgia, and we cannot both be absent from hence at once. Aitken's Bible sells well here.* He can hardly bind them fast enough to supply his own shop. Can you tell how many were brought into Portsmouth? We have had just such a drought here as you complain [of], but had a refreshing rain the night before last. Am sorry to hear of Mrs. B.'s indisposition. Remember me affectionately to her. I have not one of the glass bubbles, nor have I seen any of the lachrymae for several years. Excuse haste. Adieu. Eben. Hazard.

HAZARD TO BELKNAP.

Philadelphia, October 29, 1782.

Dear Sir, — I am again a letter in your debt, and I am sorry to add that you have a new proof that I am not as punctual a correspondent as formerly. Indeed, / cannot be, for my burden of business is much encreased. However, this you may rely on, that you shall never be neglected, I am acquainted with Mr. Paine, and will communicate to him any hints you may furnish respecting literary property. I have not conversed with him upon that subject, but apprehend his ideas to be perfectly English; i.e. that laws should pass in the several States, vesting literary property in authors and their assigns for a term of years.

I grant you that the Apostles might not have gone to Norway, Sweden, &c, for the reason that you assign, but that does not invalidate my argument, which was this: —

You argue that America is a young country, because the Gospel does not appear to have been preached in it by the Apostles. I say the Gospel was not preached by them in Norway, Sweden, &c. Ergo, Norway, Sweden, &c, are young countries. This conclusion fairly follows, though it is evidently false. Of course the premises must be wrong. Suppose we change the argument thus: —

A country and its inhabitants may be of great antiquity, although the Gospel was not preached in it by the Apostles. The Gospel was not preached by them in Norway, Sweden, &c, which are known to be very ancient countries. Ergo, America may be such too.

Has not this argument the greatest degree of probability? You have it warm from the brain, but I can trust crude thoughts with you.

It is not in my power to furnish you with Goldsmith's book, having only borrowed it myself. J. S., who you say has Cook's Second Voyage, is not the man for your purpose. No person buys of him who can find what he wants elsewhere. He knows it, and makes people pay accordingly.

I was much pleased with your account of the Flume, &c, and, if I get leisure and a convenient opportunity, shall probably put it into the Secretary's hands, as a piece of information lately sent me by a friend. He may make comparisons and inferences.

I cannot yet give my opinion of the two pamphlets you were so kind as to send me, but you may expect it before long. I have not yet been able to read them. , From my former letters you will find our season has been much like yours. We have lately had refreshing rains, and I am in hopes that cleanness of teeth will not be our lot next year.

When the affair of the excluded Quakers is brought to an issue, I will inform you of it, but I do not'apprehend the Assembly can do any thing in it. If the members of the Society have been guilty of treason or any other crime, it is the business of the attorney-general to prosecute. /

Mr. Aitken has none of Mr. Chew's Addresses in a pamphlet left, but it is in his Magazine, of which I have procured you a set, except for March, 1775, of which he has none left. I will send them as I* have opportunity. You will find what you want in the Magazine for August, 1775.

I have never yet met with the Royal Commentaries of Peru, but, if I should, will extract any thing I think worthy of your attention.

Jemima Wilkinson (the Universal Friend from Rhode Island) has lately been here preaching; but, as her stay was short, I suspect she did not meet with the encouragement she wished for.

We have nothing new. Present my best respects to Mrs. B. I am, dear sir,

Your friend and humble servant,

Eben. Hazard.

BELKNAP TO HAZARD.

Nov. 10, 1782.

My Dear Sir, — A multiplicity of engagements and a tedious journey to Boston (where I was as much hurried as Dowling the lawyer in Tom Jones) having intervened since the reception of your last letter, I have not been able to write to you. Ah! sir, I have found out one of your tricks! You was fully acquainted with the writer of the Country Parson's Wife's Poetry before you sent it to me. I know the channel in which it was conveyed to you!

Our Hen has laid again. I send you one of the Eggs. We have a Constitution as often as we have an almanac, and the more we have the worse. They have now spoiled the plan of representation which was proposed, and low

VOL. I. 11

ered the pecuniary qualifications of the officers of government and of the voters.

An horrid accident has happened on board L'Auguste, one of the French ships, of 84 guns. Her foremast was struck last Thursday night with lightning, split and broke, two of her beams'broke, part of her forecastle fell in, two guns fell through the upper deck, and the whole mass of timber, rigging, and guns killed and wounded seven or eight of her men. I suppose you will see it in the papers.* It was a terrible thunderstorm, indeed, in this neighbourhood. I was at Ipswich, where there was rain, but little thunder. The America, after two attempts, is launched.

I cannot tell how many Bibles were imported into Portsmouth, but I believe a large number, as the shops are full. So they are at Boston, and 12s. is the price. I am glad to hear that Mr. Aitken has so great a demand for his edition.

As soon as I get leisure, I shall prepare my Thoughts on the Population of America for the public eye.

Adieu! I am yours,

J. Belknap.

Pray how does Oswald come off?

Are you to have Zenger and Bingley acted over again?

HAZARD TO BELKNAP.

Philadelphia, Nov. 20, 1782.

As usual, my dear sir, I am in a hurry, but not a letter in your debt. Since my last, I have read the two pamphlets you were kind enough to send me. There is nothing in the strength of argument contained in the Deductions to contradict the assertion in the preface that they were made by a female; but, were I to judge from her manner, I should suspect that she sometimes claims the breeches as her right. Her performance is a strange medley. The other I think rational; if it is antiscriptural, I am too ignorant to be able to see it. I think, however, it does honour to the mercy of the Deity, without doing injury to Divine justice. I wish for your sentiments. Pray can you tell me who are the authors of those pamphlets?

I send you the remainder of the magazines and some newspapers, and remain

Your friend and humble servant,

Eben. Hazard.

Respects to Mrs. B.

HAZARD TO BELKNAP.

Philadelphia, Nov. 27, 1782.

So, my dear sir, you hg,ve * found out one of my tricks. How fortunate for me that it was an innocent one! Tell the Freemason, when you see him, that revealing secrets is contrary to the rules of the craft. Your Hen is as prolific (this is in bad connection, but you know what I mean) as any hen need to be, and, if so many of her Eggs were not addled, would stock a farm pretty soon. Can you tell me the meaning of this paragraph in p. 42 of the Constitution you sent me: "That a majority of the members of the House of Representatives shall be a quorum for doing business; provided, that when a majority consisting of less than two-thirds of the representatives elected shall be present, the assent of two-thirds of the members composing the majority shall be necessary to render their acts and proceedings valid.'9 Is it that no business shall be done unless two-thirds of the members elected are present? or is it that two-thirds of the