+

Houses, but to my surprise found that there is none to be had. Mr Gore has but about 30 Gallons, and wont spare a drop of that without I take a proportionable Quantity of Colour. As the Stages are up I have been obliged to bye a hundred lb. of White lead with a proportional quantity of Oil, to carry on the painting. If there is any Linseed Oyl to be had at New York, you had better send a Barrell as soon as possable. Or I think the better way would be to send and bye it at Philadelphia. As this is the time of year that Vessels, come from Philedelphia to Boston, it may be easily done. NB. There will be no Oyle to be had here till the Spring. Yours as above.

DEAR BROTHER,

Copley to Henry Pelham

H. P.

NEW YORK, 6th of Novr, 1771.

I have the pleasure to inform you your favour by Mr. Flagg came to hand, after a long silence of four months I had like to have said, but upon recollection find it to be four weeks. I am almost led to beleive you of a Revengefull Temper and that you mean to retaliate with interest. or do you Imagin it gives us no pleasure to hear from you? if you think so I assure you are much mistaken, for be assured it is a pleasure greater than I can express to receive a Letter from you, and as great a disappointment not to receive one when the post comes in. but I must leave this Subject or I shall fill my Paper, and I have a thousand things to say. it gives me much uneasiness to hear our Dear Mama is unwell, but I hope she is better by this time. pray present our most Effectionate Duty to her. We Long much to see you all. I work with extreem application to hasten that happy time which will be by Christmas at farthest, for I

2

now see all my work before me. But it takes up much time to finish all the parts of a Picture when it is to be well finishd, and the Gentry of this place distinguish very well, so I must slight nothing. I beleive you will think I shall do very well to finish the amount of thirty Busts in 20 Weeks, besides going to Philadelphia which took up 2 Weeks of the 20; and this I shall do at least by the time I menshon, and you may be assured it is my determination to be at home at the time I menshoned tho much impertuned to stay. I have been obliged to refuse a great deal of Business here and in Philadelphia. I have done some of my best portraits here, perticularly Mrs. Gage's, which is gone to the Exibition.1 it is I think beyand Compare the best Lady's portrait I ever Drew; but Mr. Pratt says of it, It will be flesh and Blood these 200 years to come, that every Part and line in it is Butifull, that I must get my Ideas from Heaven, that he cannot Paint etc, etc. I am fatigued; must therefore draw to a close but say somthing first about my Lawsuit. the time Draws near when I hope there will be no impediment to its coming to Tryall. I am sorry you could find nothing on the Chambridge Records, but hope you have taken some thought about that, that is, if possable, by some means to assertain the fact, for it may be of great importance. as to Mr. Quincey I think it is rather Luckey my absence furnish's so good reason for the Lawyers settleing among themselves who shall speak, for you can with no propriety set any one aside to make room for a younger without my express orders, and I never gave you any. therefore they must do what is custommary, and if Mr. Q is so sett as to leave the Cause, you nor I can help it, tho in my 1 Exhibited in 1772, and described in the catalogue as "a lady, half length."

2 Matthew Pratt (1734-1805), who had studied under Benjamin West. Dunlap, History of the Arts of Design, I. 98.

absence it will be treating me ill in a pecular manner. do you attend the Tryall and mark every point, observe every Surcumstance, and sit at the Lawyer's elbow to be ready to remind him if he should be at a loss.

The Peazas I would not have had done only on this acct, least they should not be done right. But if you are at a loss about any thing Capt. Montresor can and will sett you right with pleasure. one thing observe, that you make the boards of the floor run across, that is the end of the boards to but against the side of the house and let them have a decent of 4 Inches in 10 foot which is the breadth in the Clear of the Peaza. but there is one thing I should chuse different from what Capt. Montresor would make. he would have the boards of the floor at a small distance from each other, to let any warter run through; but I would have them quite Close and as neat as possable. I have been two much ingaged to send the Chinese but will as soon as possable. I am, Dear Brother, Yours Effectionatly, J. S. COPLEY.

DEAR BROTHER,

Copley to Henry Pelham

Novr. 24, 1771. NEW YORK.

I duly recd. yours of the 17 instan[t] am sorry to find you have been so unwell. hope ere this time you have perfectly recover'd your health; also our Mama, whom we hope ere long to see in her usual health. pray give our Effectionate Duty to her as also Love and comp'ts to all our other friends and acquaintances, etc. We have just come from Mr. Verplank's where we have spent the Even'g; therefore you will I hope excuse my Brevity. you say of my Action it is to come on the 10 Day of Decr.; but why was it not try'd at the Novr. Adjourn

ment? And suppose Coll Putnam should not be well anough, must I submit it to Mr. Pain and Josiah Quincey? I should be loath to, if it be possable to help it. if the Coart met this month I shall think hard of Coll Putnam for puting it off. I design to write to him by Wednesday Post, but dont let that prevent your writing just as if I did not. I have now been weiting upwards of 12 Months for his assistance and shall think myself not well used if I am finially deserted by him; but I will hope better things and weither to advise for tryall or not, if he cannot attend, I am totally at a loss. do give my comp❜ts to Mr. Goldthwait and beg him to advise you herein. tell him all Surcumstances, also advise with him about the fees to Mr. Pain and the Quinceys. I think Mr. Paines need not be so much as the Coll's, and S. Quincey wont expect more than an 11⁄2 Johanees. Joh Quincey I suppose will not take any if he dont speak; and if Coll. P[aine] dont attend and you shall with advise of Mr. Goldthwait and my other friends bring it on, he was to have five Guineas as proposed by himself. But you must not Look on yourself Tied up by me in any of those matters. I am tired of delays. but I would do nothing rash, you will know more when you write to Coll. Putnam about the prospect there is of his attendance. do be attentive and let Mr. Goldthwait know I have rested the determination on him, and beg he will advise you in it. menshon the Danger of Losing Judge Cuishon and Linds,1 who are boath old. perhaps my Antagonists wish for the Delay in hope to avail themselves of that advantage. You forgot the frame and Glass and to menshon Betsey. I am, Dear Sir, Your most Effectionate Brother,

JOHN SINGLETON COPLEY.

1 John Cushing and Benjamin Lynde, judges of the Superior Court of Judica

ture.

PS: Sukey and myself are perfectly well. you have never menshoned in all your Letters Antonio. I am rather inclined to think it better not to have the Tryal without Coll. Putnam; although I know the consiquence will be lengthening out another year, yet I should think this the safest. Brother Startin promis'd me, if you stood in need of some Cash, 20 or 30 Guineas, to supply you. We had some hopes of living this Winter in the upper house ourselves, but you may let Stutson live there if you please.

DEAR BROTHER,

Henry Pelham to Copley

BOSTON, Novemr. 28, 1771.

... We have been most remarkably Lucky in Weather for carrying on the Works at Mount Pleasant. It has been and still continues very moderate Weather. The lower House was finished plastering yesterday. The upper House will be finished in a few days.

In your great Room, instead of the common manner of finishing with Arches at the side of the Chimnie I have substituted a Couple of Niches, which have a clever effect and are quite uncommon. They are so large as to receive a Figure 4 feet high. Politicks are reviving in full splendor. The Printer1 of the Spy has fallen under the censure of the Governor and councill, who seem to be endeavouring to revive the justly exploded method of Tryal upon Information, and have arbitrarily ordered a Gentleman to appear at his Perrill before them

1 Isaiah Thomas. In the issue of the Massachusetts Spy of November 14 he printed a piece signed "Mucius Scaevola" reflecting upon a clause in a late proclamation of the governor. Hutchinson ordered the King's Attorney to begin a prosecution.