advantageous.

both to Mr. Peamen-and h you. It gives ine no small sattefaction, he hope that my Grandson will be so mar the worthy Goutter an who took so kind a core of the curly part of his education and Iffattes my self with the hope thot 113 Pianm will favor him with his forther altention, to prevent his fatting into any mistakes, that weroms of his Situation are expread to

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I am greatly obliged by you affectionate wishes for my sinsfomer through the Divine. Goodnop I enjoy a comfortable stair health considering advanced stage of life, but what may be alsolled to me, is known. only to the Sovereign Disposer of all events & & His mot holy Will may dever I ctime to join with you in humble and fervent prayer be resigned; med; and. that I may be chatted to fetrews the excample, and if it may be the divine· favored with the supports and comforts that my dear 20 Heped with

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Bather,

I acknowledged I wish ing a Jjectionate regards is your his Prot fower by a Wapel that sailed for Nantucket some time since litrich I hope his received ; please also to remember me affectionately to your Brother and Suver. I intend if I can hvorite my Grand Daughter by this opportunity if I should not I will be mindful of it by the next19. Bien Dear Madam, Jam

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Yorn affle & faithfully-
Richard Clarke

conclude with recommending that you avoid seeing the Govournor. I hope he will not have any occasion to go to the Castel; if he should do not converse with him on the subject. this, I think is the best advise I can give boath as a friend to you and Him. my reasons for it I will tell you when I see you. Mrs. Copley and my self went at 9 o'Clock to Mr. Lees and return'd so late that I have no time to do any thing [but] Scrawl; but I hope you will be able to read this. I will see you as soon as possable. I am, Dear Sir, Yours

Wednesday noon.

J. S. COPLEY.

HON'D SIR,

Copley to [Richard Clarke]

[BOSTON ca. February 15, 1774.]1

I received your Letter of II Inst, incloseing one for Coll Worthington which I have not Delivered, thinking it best to see Mr. [Joseph] Lee first, and after waiting till yesterday without his coming to Town I went to Cambridge and had a full oppertunity of converseing with him on the matter; but being detained all night by means of an unruly horse which gave Sukey and my self some trouble I could not get to Town this Morng time anough to write you by any oppertunity of this Day.

The matter of a Memorial had started in my mind more than three Weeks ago but I had many objections to it which I could not get over, the most meterial was this, that however Clear the

1 See postscript at the end of this letter. Mrs. Thomas Hubbard died February 15, 1774. Hill, History of the Old South (Third Church) 11. 150. Mrs. Thomas Boylston died February, 1774. N. E. Hist. and Gen. Register, VII. 148. Copley's portrait of Thomas Hubbard, who was treasurer of Harvard College, from 1752 to 1763, is now the property of Harvard University.

facts may be yet they may be controverted, your conduct misrepresented, and what ever you either have or shall say misconstrued by the prevailing party in the House and a tryal brought on in which the House with the other Branches will be the Umpires and their desision should it be against you will confirm great numbers in their oppinions who are but too much disposed to beleive the Worst of you and are not at all solicitious to look into the facts and vew them with candor and impartiallity: and this Judgment of the Court will stand on Record and conclude every thing against you, and render it more dificult than ever to bring People to think of you as they aught, not only in this province, but through the Continent and in Europe. Should this be the effect, as I really think it may, your principal intention would be defeated, that of doing justice to your Injured carractors, which, however, I think will be well effected in the way you propose. if it could be asertained, that the leading Members in the House would take hold of such an oppertunity to reinstate you, their ends being answered and having no advantage in prospect from keeping you at the Castle or Banishing you your Country, having taken up this oppinion and an oppertunity presenting itself when I was in Town on Tuesday I improved it to the purpose finding out the Sentiments of some of the Heads and hope very soon to be able to asertain what the fate of a Memorial would be should it be persued. Should it [be] unfavourable it appears to me a Newspaper Publication signed by the Agents would answer all the purposes of doing justice to your Injured carracters, that a Memorial would, without the disadvantages.

I have no doubt that some of the many Callumneys in the Newspapers aught to be contradicted. This has been my oppinion ever since the dispute commenced; After I had fully

weighed the whole of your d[e]sign the above was what struck me, and being the only sentiments I could adopt I saw your friend Mr. Lee who agreed in every perticular, only he thought me almost romantick in supposeing it a possable thing that the Leaders would countinance a Memorial in the Coart; but I think it may be tried. I own I think the prospect of success very small, but I dont dispair neither. Mr. Lee observed to me that although his own Sentiments were against the Memorial yet as they stood connected with yours he should be for your trying it, as he has often found your judgment better than his own where you had differed in oppinion. Should you on the Whole conclude to prefer a Memorial rather than publish in the Newspapers your justification, be pleased to let me know and I will deliver the letter to Coll W― imediately. Mr. Green I would not see till I had been with Mr. Lee, but will see him to morrow. As it now grows late I must conclude with assureing you I shall not neglect any thing that will have a tendancy to remove every obstacle to your return and that will do justice to your Carracters as far as may be in my power. I am, Hond Sir, Your Most Dutifull Son

JOHN SINGLETON COPLEY.

PS I have jus heard Mrs. Hubbard is Dead and Mrs. Boylston.

DR. NEPHEW,

John Singleton to Henry Pelham

Ballygerreen, Jany. 27, 1774.

I recid your favor of the 3d augt. Last and am hartley Consarned to find my Dr. Sister is still in a declining way and hope the gret God will prolong her days till she sees you all