place. The probability has been increasing every year; especially at this time of the year, which is the usual season for settling my annual accounts. I need not trouble you with a detail of reasons; some of them may be obvious; others are of such a kind as I should not choose to commit to paper. This I am determined upon, — not to have any controversy with the people; and, if possible, not to say any thing which might have a tendency to discourage another person from settling with them, for I really wish them well, and they have at present no suspicion of my intentions. My principal concern is to be usefully employed in such a way as shall not be a hindrance to literary improvement, and to provide a decent maintenance and proper education for my family. These latter cannot be had here, nor is it possible for me here to indulge that strong relish for the conversation of men of sense and learning, which has been growing upon me for years. Should I remove, there is no certainty that I shall prefer settling again in the same employment. The indelible character does not appear in the same light to me as to many others. But this I am certain of, that I shall prefer some capital town to those rural scenes with which I was so delighted in my younger years, and a return to my native place would be extreemly eligible. But prudence requires that, before any decisive step be taken, there be some eventual encouragement to my acquiring a livelihood in such a way as may suit my capacity, and be no hurt to my reputation. I have neither the art nor the • ambition to be rich. A thought has lately come into my mind, which I will disclose to you. Suppose there should happen a vacancy in the Post-office Department, in the place above mentioned, and no more suitable person should be recommended, would not my friend bestow such a gift on me? Indeed, I am unacquainted with the requisite conditions and probable emoluments; but, supposing the former attainable, and the latter not adequate,

might I not, with the addition of some other matters, which would not be out of my line, do as well for myself and family, and be as usefully employed, as I have any prospect of in this place?

Whatever remarks you may make on this reverie, be so kind as to put on a separate piece of paper.

BELKNAP TO HAZARD.

Dover, March 9,1786.

My Dear Sir, — I have received yours of 22d ult., inclosing a "New York Register," and a " Plan for liquidating the Debts of Pennsylvania," &c.; also, one since, inclosing some communications from Dr. C.'s family to mine; and, I assure you, I do much rejoice in the connexion, formed and forming, between us and that very worthy family, for the introduction to which I am greatly obliged to you. Lately you have been in a great hurry. Have you got through with the new plan, and got matters going so as to answer the end? and what do you think will be its success?

I want to ask you a question, to which, from your situation, I believe you can give a satisfactory answer. A worthy friend of mine (in the clerical line), whose support is small, has a mind to remove from under the sweep of Ursa Major towards the more fertile and enlivening regions of the S.W. He has a large family to provide for, a turn for agriculture, can occasionally practice in the medical way, or officiate as a tutor, if requisite. His present object is the Ohio country, and he wishes to know on what terms land can be obtained, for what species of pay, what is the real state of danger from the Indians, wh^re the best scite for such a person, and whether one of his abilities (which are above mediocrity) and turn of mind would meet with encouragement from any gentlemen or set of gentlemen who are connected in that quarter.* Now, my dear sir, as he has applied to me on this subject, I have promised to make enquiry for him; and I beg the favour of you, when you can attend to it, to enable me to give a proper answer.

Do you see how lavish our North East printers are of blacking, and how wantonly they lay it on poor Dr. Whackum, as they have named him? Have you ever seen, or has anybody seen, any specimen of his work? Has he obtained any subscriptions at the southward, and what sort of a business is it likely to be on the whole?

Oh! my country! To what an alarming situation are we reduced, that Congress must say to us, as Joshua did to Israel, "Behold, I set before you life and death." I really pity the members of that honourable body. Like a company of old Indian sachems (who have no real authority), sitting over the council fire and smoking their pipes, surrounded by belts of wampum, the emblematic remembrancers of treaties and negociations, calling upon the young men and warriors, advising, exhorting, and remonstrating, while those who ought to hear and obey are determined to do as they please, and to mind the counsels of their fathers only when their interest or passions do not urge to the contrary. Is this picture heightened? or do the States really resemble a set of giddy, unrestrained youth, bidding defiance to the admonitions of age and experience? We want such a rousing publication as the Farmer's Letters were in 1768. We want more such writers as iEdanus Burke in South Carolina. In short, we want some imminent common danger pressing hard upon us, to make us feel our need of union; and I always thought, as I believe I have more than once expressed to you, that, when such a pressure was removed, internal repulsion would succeed. We must be drove to our duty, and be taught by briars and thorns, as Gideon taught the men of Succoth.

Pray how is the appointment of Mr. Temple relished by your great men, and how does he conduct in his now tmequivocal situation?

I rejoice in your family prosperity, and the growing felicity attendant on the advancing state of Mr. Samuel's intellects. I wish he may be as really a man of letters (not in Dr. Byles's sense of the phrase) as his father, and have all the engaging and obliging qualifications of his mother. His grandame cannot be more happily employed than in teaching his "young ideas how to shoot."

Your repeated advice, about the continuing my History, is under consideration^ and has great weight with me; but, from what I have already 'experienced, I cannot heartily adopt one of your ideas, viz., that the neglecting it would "operate to the prejudice of my family/' If ever I undertake it, it must be in the exercise of self-denial and disinterested benevolence. Since you left Philadelphia, I scarce ever see any of the papers from thence. Would it be too much trouble to ask Mr. Bryson to put up a few now and then, if any spare ones should be thrown into his office? Having got a little acquaintance with the run of political matters, and public characters there, I am loth to quit it.

How does fulmen eripuit conduct, and how is he approved in his curule department ?#

Mrs. B. begs me to join her name to mine, in the most affectionate salutations to Mrs. H., your mamma, son, and self.

My best respects to Dr. K. and lady, not forgetting the "bill to bill" I am, my dear sir, with the truest regard, your very affectionate and much obliged friend

Jere. Belknap.

P. S. Did you see in the papers a pompous proposal of a fellow at Dartmouth to turn the sea into fresh water bymeans of an artificial waterspout? Poor Pater West! that Israelite indeed, has been the dupe of a wretched swindler, who, after imposing on his credulity, and cheating another person out of 100 dollars, which he gave to be let into the secret, has absconded. I am not fully acquainted with the nature or manner of the deception; but it was done by putting fresh water privately, and salt water visibly, into a hogshead of sand, then drawing off the former, and leaving the latter.

The enclosed for my son contains Dr. Watts's set of catechisms, lately reprinted here. I hope the bulk will not be inconvenient for the mail. You will see, by our papers, that our Major General has resigned his offices. The big fellows cannot agree. J. L. has got his brother, W. L., made a judge, vice Whipple, deceased. S., though one of the council of appointment, was not present when it was done: they took advantage of his absence to do it. This nettled him, and brought on the resignation. I suppose he expects to be biggest of all next year, and there will be a pull for it between him and J. L.# Our G. C. quarrelled among themselves, and broke up. Some wanted the Navigation Act repealed, and others the Tender Act; but neither are done. Fine times!

We are advancing fast towards aristocracy.

Have you seen Abbe Mably's letters?

* For a better understanding of New Hampshire politics at this time, and the questions which divided its prominent men, — including those referred to in this and the following letters; namely, John Sullivan, John Langdon,Woodbury Langdon, and Samuel Livermore, — see " The Military Services and Public Life of Major-General John Sullivan," &c., "by Thomas C. Amory," Boston, 1868. —Eds.