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comfortable at home. There we shall be happy to see any of our friends so long as life is lent, and it is no complimentary expression when I assure them that a visit from none can give us more pleasure than an interview with Mr and Mrs Cary. Do come on in the Course of this season—the journey is nothing to those who have so many years the advantage of younger life. Your family I am sure can spare you for such a purpose a few days—every thing will go on as well under the prudential eye of miss Margarette.2 I will expect you. Let me know when I may with probability calculate on the pleasure of seing you at Plimouth. I have heard that Mr. Cary has lately escape[d] a very dangerous wound. I congratulate you on his recovery. May you long be continued to each other and to your family. What does he think of the aspect of the times? Consequences are indeed beyond the reach of human calculation—and the only consolation of the affected Children of men is that the lord reigneth. In that hand may we safely deposit our public and private concerns. May we tread with composure , dignity, and rectitude our narrow path of duty untill the curtain falls—and we are introduced to scenes of unmixed felicity. In this prayer I know you will ever unite with your unfeigned and affectionate friend, Mercy Warren has your daughter no wish to visit your friends here—to her my love— cfp3, rc 1. “Retreat” was the name given to the Cary home in Chelsea. 2. Margaret Cary, Sarah’s daughter, born in 1775. Sarah had eight children living at home. 98 to robert treat paine [Robert Treat Paine, a local literary figure in Boston, had launched a new magazine, the Federal Orrery, on October 20, 1794. Apparently, he must have written to mow on October 11 to ask her to submit something to the journal. In her reply, mow must have had a copy of the first issue in hand, for she refers to the Orrery essay column, “The Reaper,” in the first paragraph.1 ] 240  to robert paine, october 1794 [October 1794?] Sir, Had not indispotition prevented Mrs Warren would have thought herself negligent thus long to have postponed the acknowledgment of the very polite address of the 11th of October from the editor of the Federal Orrery. Mr Pain may be assured he has her esteem as a writer, and the editor of the Orrery has best wishes for his success in this new and arduous literary work. She is persuaded if it does not excell the lucubrations of a common[?] news paper that it will not satisfy the ambition of Mr Pain— nor the expectations of the public. The reaper has announced a design of reaping indiscriminantly—but I hope the wheat will be seperated with just precission and the chaff judiciously dispersed off. If my [??] mite could add anything to that weight of reputation I hope the Orrery will deserve, I would with alacrity take up my pen—but you probably have already so many political & moral observations, so many poetical scraps and entertaining annecdotes—so many new systems of Theology , ethics, & taste in this age of Reason & fashion to select from that the writers of the last age have only to read and to learn. If in any future day I should put anything into your hand it must be under the inviolable seal of secrecy. The spirit of party in our country establishes the criterion of merit— blasts the works of genius—encores or damns every literary production: as the political pendulum may happen to vibrate either to the East or the West. Your own pen may perhaps give as much entertainment as any of your numerous correspondents. I hope the scale of truth will be equally ballanced in your paper—and that it never will be tinctured with the spirit of party—the fell disease of the times—that has no motive but to subserve its own narrow principles—may you escape both the influence and the sting of this Hydra that has been tossing his snakes for a long time into every paper from New Hamshire to Georgia.2 These sober & friendly hints I doubt not will be received as merit from yours, etc. [no signature] Robert T. Pain mwp2, draft to robert paine, october 1794  241 [18.119.131.72] Project MUSE (2024...

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