Though short! Far short my pen of the sublime

That urges on and bids me write in Rhyme.

And hope my Friend the Effort will Excuse

Nor Blame the Heart: but check the Niggard Muse.
Is it a Wild Enthupostick' Flame,

That swells the Bosom panting after Fame,
Dilates the Mind: with every sails unfurl'd,
To catch the plaudit of a Gazing World.

Is there no permanent, no steady pole,
To point us on, and Guide the Wandring soul.
Does prejudice and passion Rule Mankind.
Are there no springs that actuate the Mind

Whose deep Meanders have some Nobler source
Than Vain self Love, to Guide their Winding Course.
That Gen'rous Ardor stiled Benevolence,

Is it an Art to Gratify the sense

Or Give imagination further scope,

That aeiry queen, who Guides the Helm of hope
Holds A False Mirrour to the Dazzel'd sight,

A Dim perspective, A Delusive Light,
That swells the Bubbles of Life's shortned span,
While Wisdom smiles at the Deluded Man.
Wrap'd in Extaticks, by imagin'd Fame,

When the next Moment Will Blot out his Name.

Can't the Wise precepts of A platos school
(or shall I Name a still more perfect Rule)
Rouze up the soul, to that Exalted Height,
To Walk by Reason, And Reject the Cheat:
Or are the Fetters that Enslave the Mind
Of that Firm Base, that Adamantine kind,
So Firmly Lock'd, and so securely Reve'd,
The more we search, the More are we Deceived.
Are Truth, and Friendship, no where to be Found,
And patriot Virtue Nothing but a Sound

Then May A Cesar Equal Honour Claim

With Noble Brutus, celebrated Name,

I Thus in the text but an unknown word. Cf. entheus, imagination.

For the poor tribute of a short applause.
One stabs A tyrant trampling on the Laws,
While the proud Despot Marks his Baneful Way
With Virtue's tears, and triumphs or'e his prey.
Self the sole point in which they'r both agreed.
By this Rome's shackled, or by this she's Freed.
Self Love, that stimulus to Noblest Aims,
Bids Nero Light the Capitol in Flames,

1

Or Bids H-1 sell his Native Land

And his Vile Brother lend his perjur'd Hand.
While Fredom weeps and Heav'n delays to shed
Its awful Vengeance on the Guilty Head.

If such is Life, And Fancy throw the Bowl,
If appetite and caprice Rule the Whole,
If Virtuous Friendship has no solid Base,
But False Deception holds the sacred place,
Then from thy Mem'ry Race out every Line
Nor Recolect one sentiment of mine
But Dark Oblivion, sable Veil Draw ore,
And I'll Forbear to interupt the more.

For if Vice Boasts her origin the same,
With social joy and patriotic Flame,
Then I must Wish to bid the World Farewell,
Turn Anchorit and choose some Lonely Cell
Beneath some peaceful Hermitage Reclin'd
To Weep the Misery of all Mankind,

till Days and Years, till time shall cease to roll
And truth Eternal strike the Wond'ring soul.

PLIMOUTH, October 11, 1773.

JOHN ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN

BOSTON Dec'r. 17, 1773

DEAR SIR, - The Dye is cast: The People have passed the River and cutt away the Bridge: last Night Three Cargoes of Tea, were emptied into the Harbour. This is the grandest Event, which has ever yet happened since the Controversy, with Britain, opened!

The Subimity of it, charms me!

For my own Part, I cannot express my own Sentiments of it, better I The capital H is nearly erased. It refers to Hutchinson.

than in the Words of Coll. Doane 1 to me, last Evening - Balch should repeat them. The worst that can happen, I think, says he in Consequence of it, will be that the Province must pay for it. Now, I think the Province may pay for it, if it is burn'd as easily as it is drank-and I think it is a matter of indifference whether it is drank or drowned. The Province must pay for it, in either Case. But there is this Difference. I believe it will take them 10 Years to get the Province to pay for it - if so, we shall Save 10 Years Interest of the Money. Whereas if it is drank it must be paid for immediately. thus He. However, He agreed with me that the Province would never pay for it, and also in this, that the final Ruin of our Constitution of Government, and of all American Liberties, would be the certain Consequence of Suffering it to be landed.

Governor Hutchinson and his Family and Friends will never have done with their good services to Great Britain and the Colonies! But for him, this Tea might have been Saved to the East India Company. Whereas this Loss if the rest of the Colonies should follow our Example, will in the opinion of many Persons bankrupt the Company. However, I dare say, that the Governors, and Consignees, and Custom House Officers, in the other Colonies will have more Wisdom than ours have had, and take effectual Care that their Tea shall be sent back to England untouched. if not it will as surely be destroyed there as it has been here.

Threats, Phantoms, Bugbears, by the million, will be invented and propagated among the People upon this Occasion. Individuals will be threatned with Suits and Prosecutions. Armies and Navies will be talked of and military Execution. Charters annull'd, Treason, Tryals in England and all that. But these Terms are all but Imaginations. Yet if they should become Realities they had better be Suffered, than the great Principle of Parliamentary Taxation given up.

The Town of Boston was never more Still and calm of a Saturday night than it was last Night. All Things were conducted with great order, Decency and perfect Submission to Government. No Doubt, we all thought the Administration in better Hands, than it had been.

Please to make Mrs. Adams's most respectfull Compliments to Mrs. Warren and mine. I am your Friend,

JOHN ADAMS

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS 1

PLYMO., July 1, 1774

MY DEAR SIR, Beware of the Ides of March was a Caution given to Cesar and his Neglect of it afterwards regretted by his Friends. let me Intreat you not to Neglect the Cautions given by your Friends. his rid the world of a Tyrant and yours may deprive your Country of the Wisdom and vertue of a distinguished Patriot. I feel the Emotions of a Friend when I Consider the hazard you and some others may be Exposed to. we have Just received the Spy of yesterday with the Extraordinary Proclamation, which will save me some trouble in one way if it Occasion some in Another. We have been Embarrassed with a division about the Covenant, but I think this will remove the Difficulties and believe we shall get it signed by Tomorrow. Mr. Thomas waits and can add no more, but desire you to be referred to him for further perticulars. You will find him a young Gentleman after your own Heart, which from me is a warm recommendation. I am with great sincerity your Friend, etc. JAS: WARREN

3

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS

PLYMO., July the 10th, 1774

MY DEAR SIR, - The day after I wrote to you by Mr. Thomas we had a very full meeting of the Inhabitants and after a debate voted (by a large Majority) to adopt the Covenant as it came to us, with only a very small Alteration, when about seventy signed it. since which by the Intrigues of our Friend Spooner chiefly it has been at a stand, and difficulties have multiplied upon us. it is now takeing a start and the Number of signers has Increased to about a hundred. I hope finally we shall retrieve our Credit and I shall be able to give a good Account of my Town. Experience has often taught you the difficulty of reasoning People into measures for their own Happiness, and the Ease with which they may be Intimidated and drove from them. Little Ned Winslow (one of my Cousins) with a few other Insignificant Tories appeared at the meeting and played their Game by holding up the Terrors of the Governor's Proclamation which rather served us than themselves. from these Gentry in this Town we have little to fear. it is the Wolves in Sheeps Cloath1 From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library.

2 Gage's Proclamation for discouraging certain illegal combinations, issued at Salem, June 29, 1774.

3 Perhaps Isaiah Thomas publisher of the Massachusetts Spy.
4 From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library.

ing who do the mischief, principally by persuadeing people that great difficulties will Ensue by breaking up of Intercourse with non-Signers; but as I consider the Articles as material shall Endeavour to preserve it. great Enquiries are made what is done at Marblehead, Salem, Newberry Port, etc. shall be glad if you would Enable me to answer the queries, which I cant do at present for want of Intelligence. and when your hand is in you may mention Boston and tell me what you do with the Covenant there. I congratulate you on the Compleat Victory obtained at your last Meeting.1 Custom House Officers and the Tories here were greatly Elated with the sure and certain Expectation of your defeat which they seemed to Entertain no doubt of and were of course greatly disconcerted. last Week our Court of Sessions sett here, Voted and made Addresses to the present Governor and his predecessor. I cant give you a perticular Account, not haveing been able to see or hear either of them, as the whole matter Except the motion and the Choice of the Committee was conducted in private. however by what I can learn the first is a humble Imitation of Worcester, and the other of your Boston Addressers, and each of them aiming to Excel in Adulation and Servility the Copy. A proper Committee for the purpose of Copying and fawning was appointed. Coll. Edson and my two Cousins, Pelham and Ned Winslow, Junr., tho' the last had never qualified himself as a Justice and therefore not properly of their Body. but his Impudent and as they think shineing Talents were thought necessary to supply what their modesty seemd to suppose their own Stupidity could not perform. Mr. Sever would not unite with them in the motion for the first Address which was made by Foster, was not present when the second was moved by Mr. Winslow, Introduced with most Extravagant Encomiums on Hutchinsons Vertues and Administration; but took Care to be present at the report and made with Mr. Cotton and Mayhew a resolute, firm and well supported Opposition. but nine poor Tools Carried it against them. A Number of others were against the motion when first made, but as the report was delayed to the last of the Court they were gone, and there is reason to suppose (servile as a Court of Sessions are) they would hardly have Obtained a vote if it had been made before a large Number were gone. so much for Plymouth Intelligence. I add no more but that I wish to hear from you and agreable to your promise to see you here before you go on your Tour. I am with Compliments to your good Lady Your Friend and Countryman, JAS: WARREN

I Probably the Town Meeting of June 28, in which, by a vast majority, the Committee of Correspondence was upheld. Boston Rec. Com. xvIII. 178.