ing passages of it; the poets they quote I know nothing of, but do you take care, James, that you don't give into this folly. If you want to read poetry, read Shakespeare, Milton, Dryden and Pope, and throw all the rest in the fire, these are all that are worth reading."

The following letters were addressed one to his brother, and the other to his father. Though they relate only to the ordinary occurrences of private life, they are inserted here, because with the exception of some copies of letters of business in an imperfect letter-book, these brief and familiar epistles are almost the only vestiges in his own hand writing, of his most extensive correspondence.

"DEAR BROTHER,

BOSTON, OCTOBER 11th, 1752.

"I HAVE sent you what you wrote for; the buttons are more fashionable than plain. I would have sent you a better whip, but that you would not go to the price for one of the best. I am sorry to find by your letter that you are yet so weak. I am no physician, as I could wish, but recommend the advice of Sir William Temple, which is, care, temperance and patience. Whatever you do, engage in no pursuit of business till you find yourself strong; even thinking with any degree of intenseness may be prejudicial. If you can, bring yourself to a moderate degree of cheerfulness, for I am of opinion that bodily infirmities may some times be greatly allayed, if not removed, by getting the mind into the easy,

facetious frame-but above all things abstain from meat of any kind, and from any thing stronger than beer. I know as well as the best of the doctors. I hope with God's blessing to see you ere long in a better situation of health than ever you was, as I doubt not you will be, if you once get the better of your present indisposition.

I am your affectionate brother,

JOSEPH OTIS, ESQ."

J. OTIS.

BOSTON, APRIL 3d, 1758.

*HONOURED SIR,

"SINCE mine of this morning I have been sent for by the Governor, upon the receipt of yours by Mr. Coffin, and he hath sent the enclosed orders. He thinks it as strange as you do, that they don't know their own minds at York, however he saith you have nothing to do but obey orders, and whatever extraordinary expences accrue you shall be allowed, and that you may draw on him for money as you want it. By his order I send Barker with this, which will all go into your account as it ought; I received these orders at sunset, and have desired Barker to ride all night, for fear of any delay-as our Court

The style of this address is a trait of former manners. Our puritan aneestors and their descendants down to the last generation, in their intercourse with their children, discouraged familiarity: a severe restraint was imposed on them, and their duty was exhibited in the line of submissive reverence rather than in that of endearing affection. To have appeared unconstrained in the company of a parent, or to have used the style of modern times in writing "My dear Father," instead of "Honoured Sir," would have been considered indecorous, and a subversion of all discipline and respect.

sits to-morrow and my affairs here are situated, I could not come to Plymouth-Since my last have received fifty shillings for Lot Case's gun which brother Joseph knew nothing of, not having the certificate, so remains due to me 10 shillings besides. what he is willing to allow me for my trouble, which don't care much about.

I am your dutiful son,

JAMES OTIS.

HON. JAMES OTIS, BARNstable.

In the spring of the year 1755 he married Miss Ruth Cunningham, the daughter of a respectable merchant. The lady was very beautiful, and was possessed of a dowry which in those times was considered very large. They had three children, one son and two daughters. The son was named James, after his father; he was a boy of very bright parts, and some eccentricity, but his career was terminated before a just estimate could be made of his character. He entered at the beginning of the war, as a volunteer midshipman, and died after being a short time in the service, before he was eighteen. The eldest daughter Elizabeth, married Captain Brown, an officer* in the English army, of a good family in Lincolnshire, who, after the conclusion of the war, coming into possession of a handsome pro

Mr. Brown was wounded at the battle of Bunker Hill; he was then a Lieutenant, was promoted, and afterwards placed in command of one of the fortresses on the coast of England.

perty, resigned his commission. Mrs. Brown left the country with her husband during the war, and did not return to it again except for a short visit in 1792. This lady was in 1821, still living a widow in England. The youngest daughter, Mary, married Benjamin Lincoln, eldest son of General Lincoln.* This gentleman was in the profession of the law, and gave promise of great distinction, but died deeply regretted at the early age of twenty eight. His widow, who possessed fine talents and an agreeable character, died suddenly at Cambridge in 1806. They had two sons, Benjamin a physician, and James Otis Lincoln, a lawyer, who like their father, were cut off prematurely; the elder died in August 1813, and the younger in August 1818, leaving a widow and two children.

Few characters could be more unlike than those of Mr. Otis and his wife, yet they were attached to each other. Beautiful, placid and formal, she was suited to the calm and monotonous routine of a quiet existence, while his ardent mind, impetuous genius, and energetic will, qualified him to direct the leading events in a great crisis of national affairs. Her feelings too were not in sympathy with his, on political topics: the consequence was shewn in the

* General Lincoln, who commanded in Carolina and capitulated at Charleston: afterwards received the sword of Lord Cornwallis when his army surrendered at York-Town. As a military man, he was one of the most distinguished in the revolutionary army; and as a private individual he had that union of simple dignity and benevolent courtesy, which mark the gentleman: as a citizen he was one of the most estimable that Massachusetts ever possessed. An account of his life, remarkably well written, may be found in the 3d Vol. 2d series, of the Mass. His. Soc. Collections.

marriage of her eldest daughter with a British officer, which took place after his unfortunate, mental disorder. An alliance of this kind, though there were no personal objections to the individual, and in this case the match was unexceptionable, would have been most repugnant to his feelings; and afforded one of the examples to shew, how cruelly the calamities of war, and especially of civil war, interfere with the natural affections of mankind, and carry confusion and bitterness among the dearest connections of private life. In his unfortunate state of mind, when reason could not exert its influence to subdue prejudice and hatred, this marriage was always a subject of exasperation. His wife, though exposed to many painful trials, from his misfortune, never lost her tenderness and respect for him. While amidst all the diminution of income and embarrassment of his private affairs, from neglecting his own concerns to take care of those of the public, he sacredly preserved the fortune he received with her; and after her decease, which was very sudden, on November 15th, 1789, in her 60th year, it was divided between her daughters.

In connection with these family notices, a brief account of his sister, a very distinguished woman may be here introduced. This sister, Mercy Otis, married the Hon. James Warren of Plymouth, a descendant of some of the first and most respectable pilgrims, who founded the Plymouth colony. General Warren and his wife were both of them earnestly attached to the cause of the revolution, in which he