SIR，——IwasatColo。PeterRandolph’saboutaFortnightago，&mySchoolingfallingintoDiscourse，hesaidhethoughtitwouldbetomyAdvantagetogototheCollege，&wasdesirousIshouldgo，asindeedIammyselfforseveralReasons。InthefirstplaceaslongasIstayattheMountainstheLossofonefourthofmyTimeisinevitable，byCompany’scominghere&detainingmefromSchool。AndlikewisemyAbsencewillinagreatMeasureputaStoptosomuchCompany，&bythatMeanslessentheExpencesoftheEstateinHouse-Keeping。AndontheotherHandbygoingtotheCollegeIshallgetamoreuniversalAcquaintance，whichmayhereafterbeserviceabletome；&IsupposeIcanpursuemyStudiesintheGreek&Latinaswellthereashere，&likewiselearnsomethingoftheMathematics。I
shallbegladofyouropinion。
OLDCOKEANDYOUNGLADIES
_ToJohnPage_
_Fairfield，December25，1762_
DEARPAGE，——Thisveryday，toothersthedayofgreatestmirthandjollity，seesmeoverwhelmedwithmoreandgreatermisfortunesthanhavebefallenadescendantofAdamforthesethousandyearspast，Iamsure；andperhaps，afterexceptingJob，sincethecreationoftheworld。Ithinkhismisfortunesweresomewhatgreaterthanmine：foralthoughwemaybeprettynearlyonalevelinotherrespects，yet，IthankmyGod，IhavetheadvantageofbrotherJobinthis，thatSatanhasnotasyetputforthhishandtoloadmewithbodilyafflictions。Youmustknow，dearPage，thatIamnowinahousesurroundedwithenemies，whotakecounseltogetheragainstmysoul；andwhenIlaymedowntorest，theysayamongthemselves，comeletusdestroyhim。IamsureifthereissuchathingasaDevilinthisworld，hemusthavebeenherelastnightandhavehadsomehandincontrivingwhathappenedtome。Doyouthinkthecursedratsathisinstigation，Isupposedidnoteatupmypocket-book，whichwasinmypocket，withinafootofmyhead?Andnotcontentedwithplentyforthepresent，theycarriedawaymyjemmy-workedsilkgarters，andhalfadozennewminuetsIhadjustgot，toserve，Isuppose，asprovisionforthewinter。ButofthisI
shouldnothaveaccusedtheDevil，because，youknowratswillberats，andhunger，withouttheadditionofhisinstigations，mighthaveurgedthemtodothis，ifsomethingworse，andfromadifferentquarter，hadnothappened。Youknowitrainedlastnight，orifyoudonotknowit，IamsureIdo。WhenIwenttobed，Ilaidmywatchintheusualplace，andgoingtotakeherupafterIarosethismorning，Ifoundherinthesameplace，it’strue！but_Quantummutatusabillo！_allafloatinwater，letinataleakintheroofofthehouse，andassilentandstillastheratsthathadeatmypocket-book。Now，youknow，ifchancehadhadanythingtodointhismatter，therewereathousandotherspotswhereitmighthavechancedtoleakaswellasatthisone，whichwasperpendicularlyovermywatch。ButI’lltellyou；it’smyopinionthattheDevilcameandboredtheholeoveritonpurpose。Well，asIwassaying，mypoorwatchhadlostherspeech。Ishouldnothavecaredmuchforthis，butsomethingworseattendedit；thesubtleparticlesofthewaterwithwhichthecasewasfilled，had，bytheirpenetration，soovercomethecohesionoftheparticlesofthepaper，ofwhichmydearpictureandwatch-paperwerecomposed，that，inattemptingtotakethemouttodrythem，goodGod！_Menshorretreferre！_Mycursedfingersgavethemsucharent，asIfearInevershallgetover。
This，criedI，wasthelaststrokeSatanhadinreserveforme：heknewIcarednotforanythingelsehecoulddotome，andwasdeterminedtotrythislastmostfatalexpedient。_”Multisfortunaevulneribuspercussus，huicunimeimparemsensi，etpenitussuccubui！”_Iwouldhavecriedbitterly，butIthoughtitbeneaththedignityofaman，andamantoowhohadread{tononton，tamenephemin，tadokephemin}。However，whatevermisfortunesmayattendthepictureorlover，myheartyprayersshallbe，thatallthehealthandhappinesswhichHeavencansendmaybetheportionoftheoriginal，andthatsomuchgoodnessmayevermeetwithwhatmaybemostagreeableinthisworld，asIamsureitmustbeinthenext。
Andnow，althoughthepicturebedefaced，thereissolivelyanimageofherimprintedinmymind，thatIshallthinkofhertoooften，I
fear，formypeaceofmind；andtoooften，Iamsure，togetthrougholdCokethiswinter；forGodknowsIhavenotseenhimsinceI
packedhimupinmytrunkinWilliamsburg。Well，Page，IdowishtheDevilhadoldCoke，forIamsureIneverwassotiredofanolddullscoundrelinmylife。What！aretheresofewinquietudestackedtothismomentarylifeofour’s，thatwemustneedbeloadingourselveswithathousandmore?Or，asbrotherJobsays，who，bythebye，I
thinkbegantowhinealittleunderhisafflictions，”Arenotmydaysfew?Ceasethen，thatImaytakecomfortalittlebeforeIgowhenceIshallnotreturn，eventothelandofdarkness，andtheshadowofdeath。”Buttheoldfellowssaywemustreadtogainknowledge，andgainknowledgetomakeushappyandadmired。_Merejargon！_Isthereanysuchthingashappinessinthisworld?No。
Andasforadmiration，Iamsurethemanwhopowdersmost，perfumesmost，embroidersmost，andtalksmostnonsense，ismostadmired。
Thoughtobecandid，therearesomewhohavetoomuchgoodsensetoesteemsuchmonkey-likeanimalsasthese，inwhoseformation，asthesayingis，thetailorsandbarbersgohalveswithGodAlmighty；andsincethesearetheonlypersonswhoseesteemisworthawish，Idonotknowbutthat，uponthewhole，theadviceoftheseoldfellowsmaybeworthfollowing。
Youcannotconceivethesatisfactionitwouldgivemetohavealetterfromyou。Writemeverycircumstantiallyeverythingwhichhappenedatthewedding。Wasshethere?because，ifshewas，IoughttohavebeenattheDevilfornotbeingtheretoo。Ifthereisanynewsstirringintownorcountry，suchasdeaths，courtships，ormarriages，inthecircleofmyacquaintance，letmeknowit。
Remembermeaffectionatelytoalltheyoungladiesofmyacquaintance，particularlytheMissBurwells，andMissPotters，andtellthemthatthoughthatheavyearthlypartofme，mybody，beabsent，thebetterhalfofme，mysoul，iseverwiththem；andthatmybestwishesshalleverattendthem。TellMissAliceCorbinthatI
verilybelievetheratsknewIwastowinapairofgartersfromher，ortheyneverwouldhavebeensocruelastocarrymineaway。Thisveryconsiderationmakesmesosureofthebet，thatIshallaskeverybodyIseefromthatpartoftheworldwhatprettygentlemanismakinghisaddressestoher。IwouldfainaskthefavourofMissBeccaBurwelltogivemeanotherwatch-paperofherowncutting，whichIshouldesteemmuchmore，thoughitwereaplainroundone，thanthenicestintheworldcutbyotherhands——however，Iamafraidshewouldthinkthispresumption，aftermysufferingtheothertogetspoiled。Ifyouthinkyoucanexcusemetoherforthis，I
shouldbegladifyouwouldaskher。TellMissSukeyPotterthatI
heard，justbeforeIcameoutoftown，thatshewasoffendedwithmeaboutsomething，whatitisIdonotknow；butthisIknow，thatI
neverwasguiltyoftheleastdisrespecttoherinmylife，eitherinwordordeed；asfarfromitasithasbeenpossibleforonetobe。
Isupposewhenwemeetnext，shewillbe_endeavouring_torepayanimaginaryaffrontwitharealone：butshemaysaveherselfthetrouble，fornothingthatshecansayordotomeshalleverlessenherinmyesteem，andIamdeterminedalwaystolookuponherasthesamehonest-hearted，good-humored，agreeableladyIeverdid。Tell——tell——inshort，tellthemalltenthousandthingsmorethaneitheryouorIcannoworevershallthinkofaslongaswelive。
Mymindhasbeensotakenupwiththinkingofmyacquaintances，that，tillthismoment，IalmostimaginedmyselfinWilliamsburg，talkingtoyouinouroldunreservedway；andneverobserved，tillI
turnedovertheleaf，towhatanimmoderatesizeIhadswelledmyletter——however，thatImaynottireyourpatiencebyfurtheradditions，Iwillmakebutthisonemore，thatIamsincerelyandaffectionately，DearPage，yourfriendandservant。
P。S。Iamnowwithinaneasyday’srideofShadwell，whitherI
shallproceedintwoorthreedays。
AVISITTOANNAPOLIS
_ToJohnPage_
_Annapolis，May25，1766_
DEARPAGE——IreceivedyourlastbyT。NelsonwhomIluckilymetonmyroadhither。surelyneverdidsmallheroexperiencegreatermisadventuresthanIdidonthefirsttwoorthreedaysofmytravelling。twicedidmyhorserunawaywithmeandgreatlyendangerthebreakingmyneckonthefirstday。onthesecondIdrovetwohoursthroughascopiousarainaseverIhaveseen，withoutmeetingwithasinglehousetowhichIcouldrepairforshelter。onthethirdingoingthroughPamunkey，beingunacquaintedwiththeford，IpassedthroughwatersodeepastorunoverthecushionasIsatonit，andtoaddtothedanger，atthatinstantonewheelmountedarockwhichIamconfidentwasashighastheaxle，andrendereditnecessaryformetoexerciseallmyskillinthedoctrineofgravity，inordertopreventthecenterofgravityfrombeingleftunsupportedtheconsequenceofwhichwouldaccordingtoBob。Carter’sopinionhavebeenthecorruitionofmyself，chairandallintothewater。whetherthatwouldhavebeenthecaseornot，letthelearneddetermine：itwasnotconvenientformetotrytheexperimentatthattime，andI
thereforethrewmywholeweightonthemountedwheelandescapedthedanger。IconfessthatonthisoccasionIwasseisedwithaviolenthydrophobia。IhadthepleasureofpassingtwoorthreedaysonmywayhitheratthetwoWill。Fitzhugh’sandCol’o。Harrison’swherewereS。Potter，P。Stith，andBenHarrison，sincewhichtimeIhaveseennofaceknowntomebefore，exceptCap’t。Mitchell’swhoishere——butIwillnowgiveyousomeaccountofwhatIhaveseeninthismetropolis。theassemblyhappenstobesittingatthistime。
theirupperandlowerhouse，astheycallthem，sitindifferenthouses。Iwentintothelower，sittinginanoldcourthouse，which，judgingfromit’sformandappearance，wasbuiltintheyearone。I
wassurprisedonapproachingittohearasgreatanoiseandhubbubasyouwillusuallyobserveatapublickmeetingoftheplantersinVirginia。thefirstobjectwhichstruckmeaftermyentrancewasthefigureofalittleoldmandressedbutindifferently，withayellowqueuewigon，andmountedinthejudge’schair。thisthegentlemanwhowalkedwithmeinformedmewasthespeaker，amanofaveryfaircharacter，butwhobythebye，hasverylittletheairofaspeaker。
atoneendofthejustices’benchstoodamanwhominanotherplaceI
shouldfromhisdressandphishavetakenforGoodallthelawyerinWilliamsburgh，readingabillthenbeforethehousewithaschoolboytoneandanabruptpauseateveryhalfdozenwords。thisIfoundtobetheclerkoftheassembly。themobforsuchwastheirappearance
satcoveredonthejustices’andlawyers’benches，andweredividedintolittleclubsamusingthemselvesinthecommonchitchatway。I