289 Thomas Hollis to Benjamin Colman

    London February 4, 1723/4

    Mr. Benja. Colman

    Reverend Sir

    I suppose you received safely all my letters writ to you last yeare, as I also suppose I have received all you wrote me. The letter you were in paine about, is come to hand last of all, the Ship being stranded on the coast of France, and I suppose half lost. One letter July 27, one Sept. 2, one October 26, one by your Brother dated Nov. 4, one by C[apt.] Osborn Nov. 18, and two from Samuel Sewall, one of them to you and one for me. I Received Mr. Presidents two letters Sep. and November by Osborn, and Mr. Tresurers account, and write to them again herewith by Osborn in answer. You will therefore excuse me if I do not answer yours in order, to avoid repetition or being tedious. Pray give my servise to Mr. Sewall and thanks for all his good wishes, and tell him I did not send my letters last yeare as Tobiah did of old, to put him in Feare.

    The packet you sent to me for your Governour, and letter to Mr. Nuton which I received October 14 I sent presently by my Servant. I have not seen your Governour now a great while, my Lord Barrington being this Winter in the Country and the Colonel removed to lodg at St James’s or Westminster, that I know not how his matters goe on at writing hereof, whether it will come before the Parlament or not. However since what I have written by way of advice last yeare, has been taken by so wrong a handle, it is fitt I should be more careful for future, though I have peace in my past honest intentions. I thank you for your Election Sermon and for the Sermon on occasion of Dr. I. Mathers death.71 I delivered the rest as directed. Your Brother dined lately with me, he had been a while very ill of a cold but was somewhat better then. He speaks of building a still house in our Goodmans feilds, I wish he may succeed, he beleives he shall. We have had an open Winter, much Raine and stormy winds. I shall be glad to heare the Professor is Confirmed Fellow of your Corporation, which I presume your next will acquaint me. K. George long stay in Germany has caused that our Parlament did not meet till about the 10th January and your Governors affaires necessarily postponed.

    I thank you for your perticular account of my old and new Students and have writ on that head to Mr. President and Mr. Professor and refer. I shall be glad to heare of an end put to your Indian War, so also to your Boston Debates and quarrells, that methods for Peace and reconciliation may once take place again among you. The King of Spaine having resigned his Crowne to his eldest Son and he and his Queen retiring from worldly affaires, fills the heads of our politicians with amuzements, whether it be Trick or Superstition. I take it kindly the respect you have shewn to my Professor at your Bord and am pleased they think he deserves incouragment, and have ordred it. If hereafter it apears needful for Me to alter or amend any thing in my articles concerning him, I shall heare the Reasons and Judg, but at present I cant come into any alteration about him, or about my Students; the Corporation are to Judg of the Children, if fitt and likely to be made good Preachers, or to refuse them if Dunces or Rakes every Comencment, without waiting the expiration of the 3 yeares.

    I lately received a letter from an anonimous freind (and I think one about a yeare before) it seems well writ, when you have read it, perhaps you may know the Author, and the reason of his concealing his name. Two parts I supose is fulfilled, and the third part, I shall wait a while and heare what is farther offred before I alter, viz. the new election at 5 years end. As to any presents that may be made by any related to the Students for the Incouragment of the Professor to care and dilligence, I never meant to oppose it, no more then I did your Corporations bounty to him, but to prevent any demands for his labour. And you Sir led me into it, by telling me £80 per Annum would be an honourable allowance; else perhaps at that time, I might have inlarged, but not by robbing Peter to pay Paul, as this Author insinuates. Since writing above lines, I receive a letter from Mr. H. Flynt by Barlow acquainting me with what was newly done about the Professor, by adding £40 this yeare to his salary, and that the Corporation had chosen him a second time Fellow of the Corporation. I have now writ to him in answer, that I am pleased with what is done and return all the Gentlemen my thanks.

    Feb. 7. Yesterday your Brother and Mr. Pemberton came and dined with me and brought me a letter from you dated December 26, and in the afternoon I had one from Mr. President inclosed in one from Mr. Tresurer, by all which letters I learn the Respects shown by you to Mr. Professor and I now let you know and them also I am glad to heare it, and like all your 3 resolvs relating to the Professorship very well.

    When the box of Catalogues comes to hand, I will indevour to disperse them as desired, and be ready to speake in favour of Mr. Secretary Willard72 as occasion may offer incouraged by the Character you give of him. I was in Company with your Governour by an appointment consulting upon Mr. Presidents letter to him that came by Capt. Osborn, when Mr. Pemberton brought us word of Doctor Cooke73 and his Sons arival—as Agent. He could not well imagine how Mr. Cook and Mr. Dummer would agree. Your Governour seems willing to do all the good Services he can in honour do, for New England—but he knows not yet—when affaires will come before the King and Councill. I imagine its not yet ripe, but will be refered back to the Bord of trade, to heare Mr. Cooks replies. We must waite to see that and Mr. Neale and my self be very cautious what we write to Boston since we find minutes of our letters sent over and sifted at our NE coffehouse in London, and exposed among a number of Dr. Cutlers admirers, who are enemies of your orders and discipline. You will imagine it is not very pleasing to us, though I know not any thing we writ but will beare a review with satisfaction to us. I am sorry to find by yours that Capt. Cary has lost his passage. I wrote several letters sent by his ship, I hope will arive though late.

    The address you are sending to King George, I doubt not but will be well received, and I think you send it to a proper person to deliver it, for he seeks to be Leader now, and Dominus fac totum, since he has so vilely trampled on and gloried over, Lord Barrington and some of his Brethren in the Ministry, who have more modesty, and for peace sake keep their temper.

    May God preserve peace in our Churches and holines, and among yours also, and grant a favorable issue of your State quarrells. My Love and service to you and all freinds, that inquire after me.

    Sir

    Your Loving Freind

    Thomas Hollis

    Feb. 18. when you have read the inclosed pray burn it, let no one see it.74

    [Endorsed:] No. 44.

    Hollis Letters and Papers, p. 44.