Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 11.

[p. 20] I mention this to let you see how much a Slave I have been for fear of that Distemper so that I have been to no Public Diversions but to see One Play and Two Oratorios but that I don't so much regret if my Health was but in any degree restor'd I intended to have been Innoculated but my Sickness render'd it improper and which has been the case ever since. This is a Country where Gaiety and Dissipation are too apt to get the preeminence tho I have seen but few diversions and little Gaiety myself for neither my time of Life or Purse will admit of it and I thank God my inclinations do not now lead to it however they might have done some years past. I have not seen Lord North or any of the Ministry nor have I been in company with any of the Nobility nor have I been able to go either to the House of Lords or Commons to hear the Debates since I have been in England except Lord Edgcumb who I saw once or twice at my Son in Law Sir William Pepperells and once about a year ago had the pleasure of dining at a Friends House at Brighthelmstone with the Duke of Manchester who seems to be a very sensible and agreable gentleman. I have shewn Capt. Salter Copies of Two Letters I wrote Lord Dartmouth at the commencement of these troubles with an intent to convince him I did every thing in my power to prevent their taking place and to clear up the misrepresentations that might have been made to his Lordship concerning our Province I sent them enclos'd to my Friend and Correspondent Joseph Paice Esqr to deliver them with his own Hands which he has since inform'd me he did but they had not the desir'd effect Mr William Winter copied these Letters fair for me and if he is living can doubtless remember a good part of the contents of them and I think I shew them to Charles Pelham Esqr before I sent them. Upon my first arrival in England I thought it my Duty to wait upon Lord Dartmouth and accordingly did and likewise upon Lord North and Lord Germaine but had not the honor of seeing them as the Servant said they were gone out of Town