NOTES AND DOCUMENTS *An ^American in J^ondony 1735—1736 II EDITED BY BEVERLY MCANEAR Saturdayy July 26} 1735. I rosse Early and wrote till 2, when I dined. My father read the persian letters.84 After dinner one Kerr85 came to wait on my father with letters from Capt. Pearse, with whom He came from Virginia. Captn. Pearse was stoped at Portsmouth] by Adll. Cavindish86 and Had Sent my fathers letters and papers up by Ker. He left New York the 22 of June, and all the family well. We read over our letters and the papers that came with them. I dress'd and went to Capt. Tubly, who was walking on the Bishops Walk. I told Him of the arrivall of Capt. Pearse, with whom Young Grey is, who the Capt. designs for his daughter. I walked with Him till past 7 oClock, when we went to the Club. Comissary Cullif ord being there, we Had some discourse about the Cheapness of arms made at Brum- idgham, where, the Comissary told us, he was offerred Cutlases to all appearance as good as those used in the queens ware at sea for two Shillings a piece and guns for 7 pound a score, but the guns he believed to be good for little. I stayed till Capt. Man and Doctor Smart came, when, taking my lieve, I walked some time with Miss Balcion and, coming Home, went to bed. Sundayy July 27y 1735.1 rosse Early and, Having read in the per- sian letters till 11,1 dress'd, as did my father. After writing some time in his memoriall and reading some of our letters from New York, between 12 and 1 we sat out for London, having promiss'd to dine with Capt. Long. We got to his House after one. Found him at Din- 84 Charles Louis Montesquieu, The Persian Letters. 85 Robert Kerr, commissioned a lieutenant of the royal navy in 1734. A List of His Majesty's Ships, p. 25. 86 Philip Cavendish (d. 1743), commissioned captain of the royal navy in 1700 and at this time admiral of the blue and a lord of admiralty. Hardy, op. cit., p. 23. 356 i94o NOTES AND DOCUMENTS 357 ner. We dined, sat the afternoon with Him. Told Him of Harrisons87 being arrived, which he much Doubted and said He could not believe He was come Home. We came away about 7 and Capt. Long Came with us as far as Hide Park Corner and invited us to dine with Him tomorrow. We came home and, it being a fine Evening, the walk was Verry pleasant. We found at Home Mr. Luke, an Attorney, and his wife and daughter. My father Had some talk with Him about the method of practice at the Courts of Westminster Hall and about Judgementes finall and interlockitory. They went home and we to bed. ^Mondayy July 28\ 1735* I rosse Early and finished reading the persian letters, which held me till betwen 11 & 12, when I dress'd. My father imploy'd Himselfe all the morning in writing his memo- riall, but got dress'd time Enough to go to Capt. Longs, which we did, where We found a Prattleing, chattering Apothicary who talked more by %'s than came to his share. We dined on a fine piece of Beef and some veneson, after which We drank a health to the Morrisania family. We sat till about six, when, parting, we came home, but in our way went to Tyburne Tree and so through the park and over the fields to Burtons Court, where we sat on a seat, my father being tired. He there looked over a book that treats on the nature of fluids lent Him by Capt. Long, and, being rested, we came Home. I went, after speak- ing to Capt. Tubly, to the Bishops Walk, where were Miss Tubly and Miss Betty Wachter. I walked with them some time till I was Joyned by Capt. Tubly, when, taking a turn or too with him, we came to the Coffey house, where Staying till about 8 and finding no Company at 87 Francis Harison, a New York lawyer, recorder of New York City, and member of the council of New York. He had deserted the Morris party during Burnet's regime, and, under Cosby, had become one of the most important advisers of the governor. His sudden and unexplained departure from New York in May, 1735 aroused a host of con- jectures, which attributed his voyage to flight from an indictment returned against him in New York County, an attempt to assassinate Lewis Morris, Senior, and a gigantic land speculation. Since he later resigned his seat on the council rather than return to the prov- ince, his fear of the indictment very possibly was the impelling motive for his voyage. Long's opinion was sought presumably because he had sailed from New York on April II, 1735, after a long period of duty there. Acts of P. C, Col, II, 821; III, 834; N. Y. His., Coll. (1935), p- 308, 312-18; Sarah Kearny to R. H. Morris, [New York], May 17, June I5» 1735; Lewis Morris, Jr., to R. H. Morris, [New York], July 26, 1735, James Graham to R. H. Morris, Morrisania, Feb. 4, i734[5], Matthew Norris to R. H. Morris, New York, April 11, 1735, Boggs Papers, Rutgers; N. Y. Col. Docs., V, 860. 358 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS July the Club, I went home with Capt. Tubly, where I Stay'd till almost 12, when I came home. Found my father in bed. I went to bed. Tuesdayy July 29y 1735.1 rosse at 7 and wrote till 10. Then brake- fasted. My father began a letter to Capt. Pearse. After I Had wrote Two days transactions, I began a letter to my mother, which Held me till about four in the afternoon, when I dress'd and took a walk on the Bishops Walk. Then went to wait on Maddam Balchon, where I drank tea and took my Leave in order to go to the Garden, but, Coming Home, found Mr. Tattam, who sat some time with us and gave us and Account of Blags two sons88 being arrived and told us that Hari- son was come in Stevens.89 We talked much of New York, which He said He would rather live in than in any other place He Knew in the world, and said He offerred Capt. Norris's90 master 20 pistoles to Change with Him, but He would not Accept of it. He took lieve and I went with Him as far as Burtons Court, and, as I returned, spoke with Mr. Tomlinson91 at Mr. Gearneys window in the Colledge. I stood Half an Hour at the window and then the ladies Came out and walked. Mrs. Tomlinson and I parted with Her daughter and Mrs. Gearney on this side the Colledge. I came Home with Mrs. Tomlin- 88 Members of a rather numerous New York family by the name of Blagge. They came armed with letters from Francis Harison and Governor Cosby in order to seek some type of preferment. They returned home in the fall, their mission unsuccessful. Lewis Morris, Jr., to R. H. Morris, New York, Dec. 3, 1735, Boggs Papers, Rutgers. 89 Captain John Stephens sailed in the brig Thomas from New York for London about June 16, 1735. N. Y. Journal, June 16, 1735. 90 Matthew Norris (d. 1739). He was the son of Sir John Norris and, by December, 1734, and very possibly earlier, he had married Euphemia, daughter of Lewis Morris, Senior. Commissioned captain of the royal navy in 1724, he was for some time a commis- sioner of the navy at Plymouth. Hardy, op. cit., p. 36; Lefferts, op. cit., chart A; Stillwell, op. cit., IV, 33; Euphemia Norris to R. H. Morris, New York, Dec. 9, 1734, Boggs Papers, Rutgers; Receipt of John Nicholls, New York, March 10, 1738-9, Receipt of Garret Van Gelder, New York, March 12, 1739, Misc. Mss. Matthew Norris, N. Y. H. S. 91 Captain John Tomlinson, a London merchant and agent for New Hampshire. In 1756, R. H. Morris, commenting upon William Alexander's efforts to succeed to his father's offices, advised that "no letters will do him more good than those to Mr. John Thomlinson and John Handbury . and I know of no two Merchants in London that have such Per- sonal weight and interest with the Ministry and if they can be brought to use their Power ... he will have no doubt of success, let Mr. Belchers conduct be what it will." However, in 1734, John Yeamans (note 19 on page 182 of the April issue) was considered to be the most influential agent in London. [R. H. Morris] to P. V. B. Livingston and [John?] Stevens, April 12, 1756, (draft), Matthew Norris to Lewis Morris, [Sr.], Bath, Jan. 28, 1734, (duplicate), Boggs Papers, Rutgers; James J. Burns, The Colonial Agents of New England (Washington, 1935), p. 59, 83. i94o NOTES AND DOCUMENTS 359 son and, taking leave of Her, came Home mySelfe. Suped, waited on Miss Balchon Home, and went to Bed. But my father sat up till 2 with Mr. Middleton.92 Wednesday, July 30,1735.1 rosse at 7, and, Having wrote till 10, I shaved and dressd, as did my father, who rosse nigh ten. When we were dressd, we went down by water to the Steel Yeard and from thence we walked to Coles Coffey House in Birchin Lane, where we were to meet a committee of the West Jersie society.