Autograph letter signed : to Peter Collinson 1756 Nov. 5.

Saying he has had little time to write his Friends due to his commitments to the Assembly and the Commissioners; commenting that "The Quakers have now pretty generally declined their Seats in Assembly, very few remaining. We shall soon see if Matters will be better managed by a Majority of different religious Persuasions;" expressing his pleasure at "being chosen a Member of the Royal Society" and asking him to "present my humble Thanks to the Society, whose truly noble Design I wish I may be able to any Degree to promote;" responding, in detail, to the criticism by Collinson "that you hear I ride about with a Party of Men with drawn Swords, which gives great Offence to some Folks" and explaining the circumstances that surrounded the event; responding to criticism that Collinson wrote of that the Proprietors "are greatly incensed at some Parts of my late Conduct;" saying that he is "not much concern'd at that, because if I have offended them by acting right, I can, whenever I please, remove their Displeasure, by acting wrong. Tho' at present I have not the least Inclination to be in their good Graces on those Terms;" continuing to comment on his opinion of the "Publick Good" and his ability as a "private Person" to "do more Good in their Country than they, because he has the Affections and Confidence of their People, and of course some Command of the Peoples Purses;" adding, in a postscript, a request for "some Musick and Harpsichord Wire" and in a second additional postscript, apologizing for talking so much about himself saying "I must mend that Fault in my next, for I cannot now correct it in this."