[274] Delegates from eleven Colonies met at Philadelphia,
September 5, 1774, and constituted themselves a Congress. A
Declaration of Rights was drawn up, in which it was shown that
recent Acts of Parliament had infringed those rights. Resolutions
were passed to suspend all imports from, or exports to, Great
Britain and Ireland and their dependencies, till American
grievances were redressed. An association was formed to carry out
these resolutions and on October 26 Congress dissolved.
233.
_To J. B. Holroyd, Esq._
Dec. 24th, 1774.
I do not upon the whole like your Sackville Street plan. At least I
should not like it, were it not for an unlucky guest I have got in
the house. I do not mean my Gout, for that is on the wing, but a bad
kind of small-pox which has attacked one of my Virgins in the Garret.
[Sidenote: DEEP IN AMERICA.]
I am deep in America with Maudit, passed four hours with him
yesterday, and I shall dine and spend the day tête-à-tête with him
next Monday. He squeaks out a great deal of sense and knowledge,
though after all I mean to think, perhaps to speak, for myself. I
likewise (at his house) conversed with Governor Hutchinson,[275] with
whom I mean to get acquainted.
Tremlett I will try to see in May, but his book is not worth the 18
pence he gave for it. I mean barring the good Spanish. That Spanish
is in truth the original, composed by one Miguel de Luna in the
sixteenth century, as a pretended translation from an imaginary
Arabic Manuscript of General Tarikh.[276] The History is a Romance
mixed up with gross improbabilities and anachronisms. Adieu. Young
Cooke[277] of Turin dined with me to-day. I thought it a civility
to Denham, though I believe only half the house will thank me for
it. He is a _very_ fine Gentleman. Adieu. I salute My Lady. Do you
salute _Madame ma Mère_, Sunday morning, tell her that I am sorry for
her Rheumatism, have taken care of the Lees, and will epistolize her
Monday or Tuesday.
À propos--I thought of the Arabic MS., but had almost forgot to tell
you that Gilbert of Lewes was with me this morning. He has discovered
the owner of the Tythes, an Attorney--Mr. Charles Down of Hythe,
where he is at present, but who lives in town.
I fear to put the Saint to any expence, and remembered what you
said of negotiating in person. Therefore agreed that when Gilbert
comes to London next month, we would see Down together; in the
interim--silence. But if you think not a moment should be lost, I can
by a line despatch Gilbert to Hythe.
Again--Adieu.
[275] Thomas Hutchinson, Governor of Massachusetts, and Andrew
Oliver, Lieutenant-Governor, had corresponded with a private
friend in England, Thomas Whately, formerly secretary to George
Grenville. Their letters were purloined and placed in the
hands of Franklin, who sent copies to the House of Assembly
of Massachusetts. The House petitioned for their recall in
consequence of the language they had used in these letters. The
petition was dismissed by the Privy Council. Hutchinson, however,
returned home early in 1774. He had already published (1764-68)
two volumes of his _History of the Colony of Massachusetts_. He
died in 1789, at the age of seventy-eight. The third volume of
his history was published from his manuscripts in 1828.
[276] The work in question is _La verdadera Hystoria del rey Don
Rodrigo: compuesta por Abulcacim Tarif Abentarique_. Nuevamente
traduzida de la lengua Arabiga por M. de L[una]. In two parts.
Granada, 1592-1600, 8vo. It was really written by Miguel de Luna,
and, as Gibbon points out, the Arabic MS. is imaginary. The book
was translated into English as _The Life of Almanzor_, translated
into Spanish by M. de Luna. London, 1693. 8vo.
[277] Probably a nephew of Mr. Benjamin Way, of Denham, Mrs.
Holroyd's brother, who married Miss Elizabeth Cooke.
234.
_To his Stepmother._
Bentinck Street, Dec. 28th, 1774.