Nothing could induce me to keep alive the remembrance of an affair which you will easily believe I wish might be forever forgotten, but the consideration of the importance it is of to me that my Character should stand fair in the opinion of a person with whom I have had, and in all probability am likely to have, such a connection as with you; and that no suspicion of my fidelity should remain in your mind to produce hereafter very disagreeable Consequences to both.

That any suspicion does at present remain I will not say; what determined me to write to you on this subject was a sight of some figures in your hand writing by which I perceived that you were at a loss to find any minute in the writ book of 10/4 part of the 13–8/ which I had received. I suppose that a thot might occur to you upon this, that I might have received monies without acknowledging the receipt in the book and who could tell how much? Yet a moment's Reflection will convince you that a fraud of this Kind could not long be concealed. The person who pays the money must know to whom he pays it; what then could avail this trick? I must be responsible for what I had thus received. I could not plead a mistake—for tho' I might forget to minute it, I could not say I forgot to pay you the money.

With respect to this sum of 10/4 I find in the list of Actions for April Term a minute of the receipt of it with the date in the Case of Gooch vs Stone.

Upon the whole Sir I take the liberty to say, that my fidelity to you has been uniform and constant; that, except the money in question, I never received a farthing to my knowledge that I did not immediately account to you for—that I never conceived the taking that money could any way injure you, as I believed my father would immediately repay it and he has since informed me that he intended to do it the day he went to Salem which was Wednesday. I am sorry the delay of 124it so far incommoded you; I am with much respect, yr very humbl. Servant,

I Received your favor of the 23d. ult. but not til Satterday night as the man who promisd. to give it me forgot it. I am, Sir exceedingly oblidg'd to you for your thoughts and tender consern for my Son; the Carector you give him must be very agreeable to me and his Mother and all related. I hope and beleave it tis so except the prudent part, in that I think he is short, but perhaps a few Years more, with som experence may be of servise on that point, and for this affair, I should be glad to see him Settled in Life with som discreet and prudent Woman, sutch a young Lady as Ms. S—— of W—— but this is a delicat point. Should he think of and get one that would be agreeable to him Self, his Mother and me, I should think it one of the happyest times of my Life and act accordingly. May the Father of all our Merceys direct and bless him in this important affair.1

As to the times, the difeculty of young Lawyers, the length of time to get into Buisness &c. I have thought of, and just before I mov'd from Boston he presented me with a paper, Setting forth his difecultys sutch as you mention: he propos'd in said paper my giveing him the Rent of my House &c. that I moved from to Cambridg, or to consider him in som other way. I am thinking sence I Received your thoughts and Carrector of him, (as well as before) to give him the Rent of said House, it letts for 200 per Yr O.T.2 'tis worth 300. I have in my Will given it to him (he laid the Corner Ston) with the Warfes, Stores and Shops adjoining. But I must not troble you Sir with to long an Epistle, but Grattetude obliges me to return you and Mrs. Adams her Father &c, my Harty Thanks for your uncommon regards to my Son. I trust that he and I shall ever thankfully remember all your favors.