Watts's 148 was rather overlooked than designedly omitted, I had so many to collect from.

The Psalms are introduced into the public worship in our church, and in the church of Harvard, in the County of Worcester; and I suppose will be in some other churches.

Mrs. B. joins me in love to Mrs. Hazard. I beg you to mention my affectionate regards to Cornelia, and tell her I hope her 3d baby will be as pretty a creature as she wrote me her 2d was.

Your affectionate friend,

JERE. BELKNAP.

I thank you for your invitation to Philadelphia, but believe I shall not see you there very soon. Should I journey again for health, I know not whither it will be.

BELKNAP TO HAZARD.

BOSTON, October 22, 1795.

DEAR SIR, I have not heard from you since I wrote by Mr. Davis. Your bundle, which he left behind, I have since sent by a vessel, I think, Captain Chessman. I now send by Mr. Savage, the painter, 3 numbers of the Historical Collections for the present year, and shall continue them as published. I have called on Mr. West. He has sold a few of your 2d volume. He has promised to attend to the delivery of others. I forbear to return your 1st volumes till he has made a farther attempt.

Pray let me have the settlement of my accounts respecting the books I sent to Philadelphia. My health is now pretty good. Mrs. B. is not well. I hope this will find you and yours in good health. I am, dear sir,

Your obliged friend,

J. BELKNAP.

BELKNAP TO HAZARD.

BOSTON, 22d October, 1795.

DEAR SIR,Since closing my letter this morning, I have received a billet from Mr. West, which I enclose to you. I suppose his meaning is that, if he had a larger commission, he could exchange your books for others. with his brethren of the type. You will be able to judge of the propriety of yielding to his motion. I find that the booksellers are in a league, from Philadelphia to Boston; and I wish such a combination could be formed among authors, not in opposition to them, but in union with them. But of this I have no hope.

With my best regards to Mrs. Hazard, I am, dear sir, Yours sincerely,

JERE. BELKNAP.

HAZARD TO BELKNAP.

PHILADELPHIA, December 27, 1795.

MY DEAR FRIEND, - Every day since Dr. Morse's arrival I have essayed writing to you; but one interruption and another has prevented. I have no small anxiety lest you should think I neglect you, and must depend on your friendship to apologize for what I cannot so well explain to you at this distance. I now scratch an hasty line on the Sabbath, between sermons. Thank you for introducing Mr. Davis to me. I am much pleased with him, and am not without hopes of having his good little wife (my old acquaintance) for a neighbour.

The addition made to the Society's collections from Governour Trumbull's papers must be valuable; and I doubt not there will be many such additions, if your life is spared; but I fear that there will not be equal zeal and

attention left after your decease. When I think of my own worthlessness as a member, I am ashamed; and yet I can honestly say I am not so much to blame as a person unacquainted with my situation would suppose.

I received the 3d volume of the Collections with the other numbers you sent, and will thank you to keep a look-out for those still wanting to compleat the 1st volume. I have given our friend Dr. Morse a memorandum of them, in hopes that he may pick them up among his friends. Please to send me the Collections quarterly. I am sorry to hear that the sale does not defray the expence. This is one of the sad attendants on American authorship. I cannot get your account from Dobson yet, though it has been often promised. He has sold but 15 sets of your History, and a much less number of the others, so that you see there will not be enough to pay Aitken. I have not forgotten your account, though it is not yet ready for sending to you. I think Mr. West is unreasonable in his demands. Surely a tenth part of the whole price of such large books as mine is a sufficient commission for selling them. His exertions, I suspect, have not been equal to this commission. If it does not suit Mr. W. to sell my books, perhaps some other bookseller may be found who will, and may have a shop large enough to hold both volumes. The sale of the work is not necessary to my comfortable existence, and I shall not suffer very sensibly from its remaining on hand.

am

We are all well, and send love to you and Mrs. B. I

Your affectionate

EBEN. HAZARD.

HAZARD TO BELKNAP.

PHILADELPHIA, January 14, 1796.

MY DEAR FRIEND, I have received your favour of 21st ultimo, by Colonel Elliot, since writing by Dr. Morse. The account it enclosed I find right, except that in that of the books sent you charge 6 setts of your History at 22s. 6d., $11.25, whereas it should have been $22.50. However, this will make no difference, as the books will be duly accounted for.

It was not before this day that I could get your account from Dobson. You will see there is a balance due you of £14 8s. 11d. The History of New Hampshire, charged in it as delivered to me, is the one you gave me in exchange for my Collections Collections; and the Foresters, the copy you sent me or Cornelia, I forget which. I will ask Dobson for the balance, that I may pay it to Aitken, together with the $3.26 due from me.

You will also receive my account herewith. Somehow or other, there is a deficiency of 5 volumes of the History, which I cannot account for. Perhaps I have sold them, and forgotten to make the entry in my book. However, I have given you credit for them in the cash account, as you will observe. Mr. Spotswood (to whom I mentioned it when he was here) will settle with you for the books he received from me. I am sorry that so many remain unsold here. It must be charged to want of taste in the age, I believe. I more than sympathize with you, for I have not sold enough of my Collections yet to pay for printing the 1st volume! and I believe you have. Our friend Morse seems to be the only successful author in the triumvirate. What a pity it is that we had not been geographers instead of historians!

How silent the public are about Randolph's Vindica

tion! *

I have not read it; for I was determined not to pay for it, and have heard so much about it that I have not curiosity enough to stimulate me to borrow it. He is generally condemned here, and even the Democrats leave him to his own vindication. Congress are sitting; but I am so hurried with insurances, dividends, &c., that I have not time to enquire what they are doing. It is near 10 o'clock at night, and I have not left the office yet; but I must go, lest Colonel Elliot should be gone to bed, and he talks of leaving town in the morning. I intended, but forgot to mention, that, if it will afford you any convenience or accommodation, I would pay the whole amount of Cr. of the cash account ($25.65) to Aitken, and leave the balance due me ($22.63) on account o my collections to be settled by you when you may find it will suit you better. Let me hear from you on this head.

By the bye, don't I owe you something for the Society's Collections? We are all well. We are all well. Give our love to Mrs. Belknap and family. Can't you visit us in the spring? It is probable the ride will be of service to you.

I am,

dear sir,

Yours affectionately,

EBEN. HAZARD.

HAZARD TO BELKNAP.

PHILADELPHIA, July 18, 1797.

MY DEAR SIR,

Having a good opportunity by Mr. Larkin, I send you Robinson's Apology for the Brownists, to be added to the Historical Society's Library, and $20 towards aiding them in their publications. Robinson is a great curiosity, and this is the only copy of it that I have

* Edmund Randolph, who in 1794 succeeded Jefferson as Secretary of State, and resigned in the following year, in consequence of an alleged intrigue with the French minister. He published his own "Vindication." - EDs.