Colonel Smith has been so good as to take charge of a printed copy of Mr Dwight’s Poem and a letter from that gentleman to your Excellency, which I found at my return from London had been forwarded under cover to me. He is also the bearer of a manuscript copy of Mr Barlow’s Vision of Columbus together with letters from the Author and our friend Mr Trumbull on the subject of its publication.1

As you are placed in the enviable situation of being considered as the Mecænas of America2 and as I have often heard you express your wishes that the Poems in question might be published; I find it unnecessary for me to say what might otherwise have been proper with respect to these performances & the Authors of them. Indeed the Public, as well as your Excellency, is already in posession of my opinion of their poetical abilities: but I cannot conceal my anxiety that their works may be ushered into the old world under as favourable auspices as the circumstances will permit. The success or failure will operate powerfully in stimulating or extinguishing the future efforts of genius in America.

While writing the above, I am honoured with the receipt of your letter of the 27th Ulto. 3 and will tomorrow make effectual arrangements for securing a passage in the April Packet for a Gentleman, Lady & Servt agreeably to your instructions.

With my best Complts to the Ladies / I have the honor to be Yr Excellencys / sincere friend & / Most devoted servt

I return you my sincere thanks, Sir, for the petition from the City of Bristol in 1775, which I have found here on my return from Holland in the letter you did me the honor to write me the 29th. of December. It will be of great service to prove, that the conduct of our Countrimen has been & is continually misrepresented. The petition, memorial, or address to the King, or some body else from the Merchants of London, would answer the same end, & as far as I remember still better. Therefore I hope you will not spare some trouble to find it, as you are so good as to say in your said letter. In my performance I have endeavoured to offer to the Public a striking contrast between the well reasoned & true patriotism of our People, & the vain enthusiasm of the Romans. I want anecdotes, & have put several noble fellows under contribution for that purpose. Our good friend Col. Smith (the bearer of this) a gentleman for whom I feel a great regard & friendship, as I always reckon from the merit & never from the date of an acquaintance, has favoured me with some. Marquis de la Fayette has done the same, & has promised me more. My dear Sir, will you suffer to be put under contribution too? I Know that you have it greatly in your power to supply me with many very interesting ones. For such things I am in want of I beg leave to refer you to Col. Smith, who will be able to inform you better than I could myself, particularly as I find that the older I grow the worse I write in this language. The high esteem & great attachment I find with pleasure the bearer has for you, encourages me to take such 202 liberty without making an apology for it. Pray, present my respectful compliments to one of the most valuable & amiable wemon on earth, I mean Mrs. Adams, whose merit I shall not be satisfied to Know only from the testimony of others, as soon as she becomes inhabitant of another part of the globe. Beleave me most respectfully, / Dear Sir, / Your Excellency’s most humble / & most Obedient Servant