∞ №. º： tae № ſ. | 7 ： ： № ！ | 7 ： * | . . . . . . . LETTERS or P H I L L I S W H E A T L E Y. Qſìe Negro – Šlaut 330rt of 330gton. LETTERS or P H I L L I S W H E A T L E Y, QThe Negro - $lage 330gt of 330gton. BOST ON: PRI W. A. T E L Y P R IN TE D. 1864. 0 at jum or tº ſo pit #. - Boston - PRINTED BY JOHN WILSON AND SON. A few copies of the LETTERS OF PHILLIS WHEATLEy, in a form separate from the “Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society,” are here printed for private distribution. The brief account of Phillis, from the Boston “Daily Adver- tiser,” written by my friend Dr. N. B. Shurtleſſ, and which contains some facts which had escaped her former biographer, Miss Odell, is introduced in the notes on pages 9–11. CHARLES DEANE. Boston, July 20, 1864. LETTERS OF PHILLIS WHEAT LEY. AT a meeting of the Massachusetts Historical Society on the 12th November, 1863, Mr. CHARLEs DEANE com- municated several original letters of Phillis Wheatley, the negro-slave poet of Boston; and remarked as fol- lows: — At the last meeting of this Society, the President read from the original manuscript a poem of Phillis Wheatley, found among the papers of his ancestor, Governor Bowdoin. This recalled to my mind a letter of hers, placed in my hands some years ago, which seemed to me at the time to indicate much maturity of mind, and refinement and delicacy of feeling and character. Of this letter I kept a copy. Since the last meeting, six additional letters of Phillis's, in her own hand- writing, have been placed at my disposal by the same person* * The letters were put into my hands by the Rev. Edward E. Hale, one of our asso- ciates, who kindly procured them for my use from Mrs. William Beecher, of Brookfield, 2 6 PHILLIS WHEAT LEY. who favored me with the former letter; and the Society has liberty to take copies of them all for its own use, if it shall see fit to do so. I have thought it desirable that they should somehow be preserved; for, so far as my observation extends, but few letters of this remarkable person are extant. Indeed, with the exception of the brief note to Washington which accompanied the poem she addressed to him while he was in Cambridge in 1775, and which was published in the “Penn- to whom they belong. In a letter to Mr. Hale, dated October 23, 1863, enclosing the six letters from Phillis Wheatley to Obour Tanner, this lady writes:– “They were given to me ages since by the person to whom they were addressed. She was then a very little, very old, very infirm, very, very black woman, with a great shock of the whitest of wool all over her head, - a picture well photographed on my mind's eye. She died in the odor of sanctity, sometime in 1833 or '4, an uncommonly pious, sensible, and intelligent woman, respected and visited by every person in New- port who could appreciate excellence. “Obour gave me also one of Phillis Wheatley's books, which I read with pleasure, and almost wonder, quite through: but, to my lasting chagrin, it was soon lost, — either mislaid, or spirited away somehow; and it is long years since I have seen token of it. I have no doubt, however, that many copies of it are still extant among the old resi- dents in Newport, as you will observe, from one of the letters, it was published by subscription. “You will notice, also, that Phillis speaks of ‘Mr. John Peters,’ ‘a complaisant and agreeable young man,’ ‘an acquaintance' of Obour's, &c. This was the man she married. . . . Obour informed me, pious soul as she was, with more than a gleam of that aristocracy of feeling, if not hauteur, which sits so curiously on those full- blooded creatures, that “poor Phillis let herself down by marrying: yes, ma'am. It is just possible, however, that this opinion might have originated in her own condition of single blessedness, but not probably so, as I heard the same thing expressed fre- quently by old people in Newport who remembered the circumstances. Phillis lived some twelve or fifteen years after her marriage; and died in 1794 or 5, a little more than forty years of age. - “Perhaps more details, and letters and books as well, might be gleaned in Newport: but the old class who knew Phillis when I lived there a young woman must have greatly passed away; and I cannot, at this distance of time, designate any one who could assist such an investigation.” Mrs. Beecher, as will be seen, errs as to the time of Phillis's death. PHILLIS WHEATLEY. 7 sylvania Magazine, or American Monthly Museum,” for April, 1776, I have never met with any of her letters in print. What judgment, therefore, has hitherto been formed of her literary attainments, and of the strength and general culture of her intellect, must have been derived chiefly from her poems. At a moment, too, when so much attention is drawn to the colored race, I feel that I need not apologize for occupying so much of the time of members as to call their attention to the letters of one of this class (who, nearly a century ago, was the object of so much attraction both here and in Eng- land), and to read some portion of them to the meeting. These letters, which are written in a beautiful hand, are addressed to a negro friend in Newport, R.I. (a young woman named Obour Tanner), probably serving in the same capacity as Phillis herself; and, from some expressions in the first letter, it may be inferred that they were both brought from Africa, and perhaps at the same time. This and the next following letter were written in 1772, when Phillis was about eighteen years of age. She was brought to this country in the year 1761, when she was, as is supposed, between seven and eight years old; and was purchased by Mr. John Wheatley, a respectable citizen of Boston, for his wife, who, it is said, was desirous of obtaining a young negress to bring up under her own eye, in order that she might “secure for herself a faithful domestic in her old age. She visited the slave-market [in Boston] to make a personal selection from the group of unfortunates offered for sale.” Her choice fell upon Phillis, who appeared to be a delicate child, being influenced in her selection “ by the humble 8 PHILLIS WHEAT LEY. and modest demeanor and interesting features of the little stranger.” The child soon gave indications of unusual intel- ligence, and well repaid the attentions bestowed upon her.” * A Memoir of Phillis, without the name of the author, was published in Boston, in 1834, by George W. Light, prefixed to a new edition of the Poems. It was written by Miss Margaretta Matilda Odell, of Jamaica Plain, who says that the facts therein stated “were derived from grand-nieces of Phillis's benefactress, who are still living,” and “corroborated by a grand-daughter of that lady, now residing in Boston.” I long had had the impression, that this Memoir, or at least a memoir of Phillis, was written by the late B. B. Thatcher; and, in Duyckinck’s “Encyclopædia” (i. 369), it is stated that a brief memoir by this gentleman was published by Light in 1834. It is also stated in the new “American Encyclopædia,” in the notice of Thatcher, that he wrote such a memoir, published that year. Mr. Light, however, assures me that this is a mistake. He says that Mr. Thatcher interested himself in the publication of the work, and over- looked the manuscript (which he remembers as being in Miss Odell's handwriting); giving it an editor's supervision, but nothing more. I subsequently called Mr. Light's attention to an advertisement (at the end of the second edition of the same Memoir, published by his house, “Light and Horton,” in 1835) which gives a list of the works published by them. The first book on the list is, “Memoir of Phillis Wheatley, a Native African and a Slave. By B. B. Thatcher. Adapted to general Readers and Sabbath Schools. With a well-executed Portrait. 18mo, cloth.” On the next page is advertised the “Memoir and Poems. . . . By a Relative of the Mistress of Phillis,” &c. This would indicate two memoirs, – one by Thatcher, separate from the Poems; and one by a descendant of Mrs. Wheatley, with the Poems. But Mr. Light still assures me, that there was no memoir published separately from the Poems, and that Mr. Thatcher was not the author of any memoir of Phillis published by his house. He writes to me under the date of 23d March, 1864: “As to the Memoir, I am perfectly sure Mr. Thatcher never did more than edit the book. The blunder in advertising must have been made in my absence. I recollect making some alterations in punctuation; while Mr. T. made a few alterations in the words of the manuscript, written in Miss Odell's handwriting. So you may rest assured that what I have stated to you is correct.” I would add, that the concluding paragraph of this Memoir reveals the sex of the writer: “The author of this memoir is a collateral descendant of Mrs. Wheatley, and has been familiar with the name and fame of Phillis from her childhood.” The following notice of Phillis, written by our associate, Dr. Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, appeared in the “Boston Daily Advertiser” on the 21st of December, 1863. It contains some facts not related by her biographer. The occasion of its appearance was the issue at this time of some copies remaining on hand of what is called the “third edition” of the “Memoir and Poems of Phillis Wheatley,” which had been published in 1838. Dr. Shurtleſſ was not present at the meeting of the Society at which the letters of Phillis PHILLIS WHEAT LEY. 9 The health of Phillis was always delicate; and, in the spring of 1773, it was decided to send her on a voyage to England, in company with a son of Mr. Wheatley, who, with his family, were produced, and was ignorant of the existence of such memorials when he prepared his article. “PHILLIs WHEATLEy, THE NEGRo-SLAvrº PoET. – The recent appearance in print of the poetical writings of Phillis, the negro servant of Mr. John Wheatley of Boston, leads me to present at this time a few facts relating to this remarkable woman, which are not generally known, and some of which have escaped the notice of her biographers. “Phillis is supposed to have been about seven years of age when she was stolen from her parents in Africa, and brought to Boston, in the year 1761, to be sold as a slave. Fortunately, at that time, a benevolent woman, the wife of John Wheatley, a tailor, dwelling in Boston, was in need of a domestic possessing traits of disposition which would make her an agreeable companion, rather than a drudge and servant of all work. Phillis, being of feeble constitution, and very gentle in her demeanor, appeared to be just the person Mrs. Wheatley required; and was therefore purchased of the slave- dealer, and taken home; where, after decent clothing had superseded her miserable rags, she gave evidence of vivacity of genius, a superiority of intellect, good personal appearance, and affectionate disposition, which surprised and gratified not only the family in which she was domesticated, but also the principal personages of the town who were frequent visitors to Mr. Wheatley's hospitable mansion in King Street, then noted as much for its grand residences, as it now is, under the name of State Street, for its commercial and banking offices. “The family consisted then of Mr. Wheatley, his wife Susannah, and their son Nathaniel, and daughter Mary, with a few slaves who had grown old in service, and who could not be relied upon for the time when the old folks should come to their dotage, and the young folks should leave the mansion of their parents to become the heads of other families. Nathaniel and Mary were twins, and were born on the 4th of May, 1743: the other children of Mrs. Wheatley, born subsequently, -Sarah, John, and Susannah, - had died in youth. “Miss Mary, then eighteen years old, took charge of the new inmate of the family: and so rapid was the young negress in the acquisition of learning, that, in less than a year and a half from the time of her importation, she could converse fluently in English (a language she had never heard spoken before she was kidnapped), and could read and correctly pronounce the most difficult passages of the sacred writings; and, before she had been under pupilage ten years, she wrote letters and poetry that astonished the literary men of New England, who were then numerous, and had acquired for the metropolis the name of the modern Athens. “On the 31st of January, 1771, when about seventeen years of age, Phillis was called 10 PHILLIS WHEATLEY. was about to take up his residence in London. The time of their embarkation may be inferred from her poem, “A to suffer her first grief. Her young mistress was taken from the family to become the wife of Rev. John Lathrop, the pastor of the Second Church in Boston. This event may have led her to the step which she took on the 18th of the following August; for then, under the simple and unpretending name of ‘Phillis, the servant of Mr. Wheatley,’ with no surname whatever, she became a communicant of the Old South Church in Boston, then destitute of a settled minister, but which had lately experienced the excellent teachings of Rev. Dr. Joseph Sewall. About this time, Phillis began to fail in health; and in 1773 her decline became so apparent, that, by the advice of friends, she left Boston, to visit England, in company with Mr. Nathaniel Wheatley and his family; he going to London to open a branch of his mercantile business, which had already become fºrge for a New-Englander. While in England, she received much attention from the patrons of literature; and there her poems, which were bringing her into considerable note, were published: but she was soon recalled to Boston to attend the sick-bed of her mistress. “Some time after her return to Boston, her volume of poems was offered for sale; the following advertisement appearing in the ‘’Boston Gazette' of January 24, 1774, and in the other papers published about that time: — THIS DAY, PUBLISHED, Adorn'd with an Elegant Engraving of the Author, [Price 3s. 4d. L. M. Bound,) PO EMS, on various subjects, – Religious and Moral, By PHILLIs WHEATLEy, a Negro Girl. Sold by Messrs Cox & BERRY, at their Store, in King-street, Boston. N. B. The Subscribers are requested to apply for their copies. “Mrs. Wheatley, her kind friend as well as mistress, died, in the sixty-fifth year of her age, on the 3d of March, in the year 1774; and Mr. Wheatley, on the 12th of March, 1778, aged seventy-two. This left Phillis alone: the old folks were dead; Mary had become the wife of Rev. Mr. Lathrop; and Mr. Nathaniel was already married, and residing in London. At this sad hour of her existence, she became acquainted with a colored gentleman, John Peters, whom she married in April, 1778, about a month after her kind master's decease. He was indeed a colored gentleman; for report says of him that he kept a shop, wore a wig, carried a cane, and felt himself superior to all kinds of labor. At the time of her marriage, she was styled ‘a free negro;' and it is supposed that Mrs. Lathrop, who became her owner at the decease of her father, gave Phillis her freedom, perhaps in words similar to those of Rev. Increase Mather, who PHILLIS WHEATLEY. 11 Farewell to America,” addressed to “S. W." (probably Susannah Wheatley, her mistress), and dated “Boston, May 7, manumitted his slave with the following words in his will: “It is my mind and will that my negro servant, called Spaniard, shall not be sold after my decease; but I do then give him his liberty; let him then be esteemed a “free negro.” “Sadder times, however, came to Phillis. A few months later, she lost her kind young friend: for Mrs. Lathrop died at the age of thirty-five, on the 24th of September, 1778; and she was left entirely to her miserable husband, who proved to be improvident; failing in business, and becoming too lazy to do anything that would conduce to her comfort in the days of her sickness and sorrow. In the summer of 1783, Mr. Nathaniel Wheatley also died, the last of her natural protectors; and about this time she lost two of the three children born to her and her husband in their days of extreme poverty and distress. Soon after, in 1784, her husband had become so shiftless and improvident, that he was forced to relieve himself of debt by an imprisonment in the county jail; * and she, poor Phillis! was obliged to earn her own subsistence in a common negro boarding-house, at the west part of the town. And now her disease rapidly increased; and on the 5th of December, 1784, at the early age of thirty-one years, poor Phillis Peters, alias Wheatley, drew her last breath, and soon, together with her last offspring, which seemed to have been left till then to make the occasion more mournful, was carried to her last earthly resting-place, without one of the friends of her prosperity to follow her and without a stone to mark her grave. “All that is known of the death and burial of this talented person may be summed up in the following notice published on the Thursday succeeding her decease, in the * Independent Chronicle: ‘Last Lord's day, died Mrs. Phillis Peters (formerly Phillis Wheatley), aged thirty-one, known to the literary world by her celebrated miscellaneous poems. Her funeral is to be this afternoon, at four o'clock, from the house lately improved by Mr. Todd, nearly opposite Dr. Bulfinch's, at West Boston, where her friends and acquaintances are desired to attend. The house thus referred to was situated on or near the present site of the Revere House, in Bowdoin Square, formerly known at times as a portion of Cambridge Street, and sometimes as the westerly end of Court Street. “Could the spot of her burial be found, there could be no more befitting epitaph than the following expressive words from her own pen: – “Remember, Christians, negroes black as Cain May be refined, and join the angelic train.” N. B. S. * “Soon after his liberation from jail, Peters worked as a journeyman baker. Subsequently he attempted to practise law, and finally imposed upon the credulous by pretending to be a physi- cian.” 12 LETTERS OF PHILLIS WHEAT LEY. 1773.” We have no means of knowing how long she remained in London; but her stay must have been very brief. It is said she was suddenly called home by the alarming illness of her mistress; and from one of her letters written after her return to Boston, dated October 30, 1773, we should infer that she had then been at home some weeks. Mrs. Wheatley survived Phillis's return some months. She died in March of the next year. A few years afterward, on the death of Mr. Wheatley, Phillis married a person of her own race and color, whose name was John Peters. This was in 1778. The marriage was an unhappy one. Her husband is said to have been unworthy of her. She had children who pro- bably did not survive her; and after living for some years, often in a state of destitution, she died in Boston on the 5th of December, 1784. This brief account of Phillis is given as introducing her letters to the notice of the Society. To Arbour Tanner, in Newport. Boston May 19th 1772. DEAR SISTER,--I rec'd your favour of February 6th for which I give you my sincere thanks. I greatly rejoice with you in that realiz- ing view, and I hope experience, of the saving change which you so emphatically describe. Happy were it for us if we could arrive to that evangelical Repentance, and the true holiness of heart which you mention. Inexpressibly happy should we be could we have a due sense of the beauties and excellence of the crucified Saviour. In his Crucifixion may be seen marvellous displays of Grace and Love, sufficient to draw and invite us to the rich and endless treasures of his LETTERS OF PHILLIS WHEAT LEY. 13 mercy; let us rejoice in and adore the wonders of God's infinite Love in bringing us from a land semblant of darkness itself, and where the divine light of revelation (being obscur'd) is as darkness. Here the knowledge of the true God and eternal life are made manifest; but there, profound ignorance overshadows the land. Your obser- vation is true, namely, that there was nothing in us to recommend us to God. Many of our fellow creatures are pass'd by, when the bowels of divine love expanded towards us. May this goodness & long suffering of God lead us to unfeign'd repentance. It gives me very great pleasure to hear of so many of my nation, seeking with eagerness the way to true felicity. O may we all meet at length in that happy mansion. I hope the correspondence between us will continue, (my being much indispos'd this winter past, was the reason of my not answering yours before now) which correspondence I hope may have the happy effect of improving our mutual friend- ship. Till we meet in the regions of consummate blessedness, let us endeavor by the assistance of divine grace, to live the life, and we shall die the death of the Righteous. May this be our happy case, and of those who are travelling to the region of Felicity, is the ear- nest request of your affectionate Friend & humble servant PHILLIS WHEATLEy. To Arbour Tanner, in Newport. To the care of Mr. Pease's Servant. Rhode Island. Boston, July 19th, 1772. MY DEAR FRIEND,--I rec'd your kind epistle a few days ago; much disappointed to hear that you had not rec'd my answer to your first letter. I have been in a very poor state of health all the past winter and spring, and now reside in the country for the benefit of its more wholesome air. I came to town this morning to spend the Sabbath with my master and mistress. Let me be interested in your prayers that God would please to bless to me the means us’d for my 3 14 LETTERS OF PHILLIS WHEATLEY. recovery, if agreeable to his hºly will. While my outward man languishes under weakness and paſin], may the inward be refresh'd and strengthen’d more abundantly by him who declar'd from heaven that his strength was made perfect in weakness May he correct our vitiated taste, that the meditation of him may be delightful to us. No longer to be so excessively charm'd with fleeting vanities: but pressing forward to the fix’d mark for the prize. How happy that man who is prepar'd for that night wherein no man can work! Let us be mindful of our high calling, continually on our guard, lest our treacherous hearts should give the adversary an advantage over us. O! who can think without horror of the snares of the Devil. Let us, by frequent meditation on the eternal Judgment, prepare for it. May the Lord bless to us these thoughts, and teach us by his Spirit to live to him alone, and when we leave this world may we be his. That this may be our happy case, is the sincere desire of, your affectionate friend, & humble serv't, PHILLIS WHEATLEy. I sent the letter to Mr. Whitwell's who said he wou'd forward it. To Obour Tanner, in New Port. Boston Oct. 30, 1773. DEAR OBour, – I rec'd your most kind epistles of Aug 27th, & Oct. 13th, by a young man of your acquaintance, for which I am oblig'd to you. I hear of your welfare with pleasure; but this ac- quaints you that I am at present indispos'd by a cold, & since my arrival have been visited by the asthma. Your observations on our dependence on the Deity, & your hopes that my wants will be supply'd from his fulness which is in Christ Jesus, is truly worthy of your self. I can’t say but my voyage to England has conduced to the recovery (in a great measure) of my health. The friends I found there among the nobility and gentry, LETTERS OF PHILLIS WHEAT LEY. 15 their benevolent conduct towards me, the unexpected and unmerited civility and complaisance with which I was treated by all, fills me with astonishment. I can scarcely realize it. This I humbly hope has the happy effect of lessening me in my own esteem. Your reflections on the sufferings of the Son of God, & the inestimable price of our im- mortal souls, plainly demonstrate the sensations of a soul united to Jesus. What you observe of Esau is true of all mankind, who, (left to themselves) would sell their heavenly birth rights for a few mo- ments of sensual pleasure, whose wages at last (dreadful wages!) is eternal condemnation. Dear Obour, let us not sell our birthright for a thousand worlds, which indeed would be as dust upon the balance. The God of the seas and dry land, has graciously brought me home in safety. Join with me in thanks to him for so great a mercy, & that it may excite me to praise him with cheerfulness, to persevere in Grace & Faith, & in the knowledge of our Creator and Redeemer, —that my heart may be fill'd with gratitude. I should have been pleas'd greatly to see Miss West, as I imagine she knew you. I have been very busy ever since my arrival, or should have now wrote a more particular account of my voyage, but must submit that satisfac- tion to some other opportunity. I am Dear friend, - - Most affectionately ever yours. PHILLIS WHEAT LEY. My mistress has been very sick above 14 weeks, & confined to her bed the whole time, but is I hope somewhat better, now. The young man by whom this is handed you seems to me to be a very clever man, knows you very well, & is very complaisant and agreeable. P. W. I enclose Proposals for my book,” and beg you'd use your interest to get subscriptions, as it is for my benefit. * This refers to the first edition of Phillis's collected Poems, which was printed in London, in 1773. The title of the volume is as follows: “Poems || on | various subjects, 16 LETTERS OF PHILLIS WHEATLEY. To Miss Obour Tanner. Newport. Boston, March 21, 1774. DEAR OBour, - I rec'd your obliging letter, enclos'd in your revd Pastor’s & handed me by his son. I have lately met with a great trial in the death of my mistress; let us imagine the loss of a religious and moral. By || Phillis Wheatley, Negro Servant to Mr. John Wheatley, of Boston, in New England. || London: | Printed for A. Bell, Bookseller, Aldgate; and sold by || Messrs Cox and Berry, King Street, Boston. | MpccLxxiii.” It contained an engraved portrait of the author, said to be a good likeness, beneath which is the fol- lowing inscription: “Published according to Act of Parliament, Sept. 1", 1773 by Arch" Bell. Bookseller Nº 8 near the Saracens Head Aldgate.” Phillis's auto- graph was written on the back of the titlepage of many of the copies. The publica- tion of her poems in London appears to have been contemplated the year before, and may have been in progress before her visit to England. The volume was probably in the course of publication or of printing while Phillis was there. The dedication to the Countess of Huntingdon, which bears date “Boston, June 12, 1773," may have been written while she was in London. She was probably there at this time. Copies of the work were received here in the early part of the next year. Messrs. Cox and Berry, of King Street, whose names were upon the titlepage, advertised the book, Feb- ruary 8, 1764, as published that day; and subscribers were requested to call for their copies. The next edition of the Poems, of which I have seen notice, was published by Bar- ber and Southwick, for Thomas Spencer, bookseller, Market Street, Albany, in 1793. See Duyckinck's Cyclopædia, i. 369. An edition was printed in Philadelphia in 1801, “by and for William W. Woodward, No. 17, Chestnut Street.” It was printed at the end of the second volume (and paged continuously) of a work entitled “The Negro equalled by few Europeans; " a Romance, translated from the French, and published in London, in three volumes, in 1790. The Philadelphia edition of this Romance was in two volumes. An edition was printed at “Walpole, N.H. Printed for Thomas & Thomas. By David Newhall, 1802.” The two editions last named are in the possession of Dr. Shurtleſſ, of Boston. The next edition of the Poems which I have met with is that published by George W. Light, in Boston, in 1834, to which was first prefixed the Memoir of Phillis, above LETTERS OF PHILLIS WHEAT LEY. 17 - parent, sister, or brother, the tenderness of all these were united in her. I was a poor little outcast & a stranger when she took me in : not only into her house, but I presently became a sharer in her most tender affections. I was treated by her more like her child than her servant; no opportunity was left unimproved of giving me the best of advice; but in terms how tender how engaging ! This I hope ever to keep in remembrance. Her exemplary life was a greater monitor than all her precepts and instruction; thus we may observe of how much greater force example is than instruction. To alleviate our sorrows we had the satisfaction to see her depart in inexpressible rap- tures, earnest longings, & impatient thirstings for the upper courts of the Lord. Do, my dear friend, remember me & this family in your closet, that this afflicting dispensation may be sanctify'd to us. I am very sorry to hear that you are indispos'd, but hope this will find you in better health. I have been unwell the greater part of the winter, but am much better as the spring approaches. Pray excuse my not writing to you so long before, for I have been so busy lately that I could not find leisure. I shall send the 5 books you wrote for, the first convenient opportunity; if you want more, they shall be ready for you. I am very affectionately your friend, PHILLIS WHEAT LEY. referred to. This contained a lithographed copy of the portrait published in the first edition. - Another edition (a second) of the Memoir and Poems, united, was published by Light & Horton in 1835. - A third edition of the “Memoir and Poems” was published by Isaac Knapp, Boston, 1838. This edition contains, at the end of the Memoir, the letter of Washington to Phillis, taken from Mr. Sparks's edition of his writings, iii. 297, 298. It contains also a number of poems by a slave, George, the property of Mr. James Horton, of Chatham County, N.C. Some of the oversheets of this edition came into the possession of Mr. George W. Light, the publisher of the first edition of the Memoir; and, by reprint- ing a few pages that were wanting, he was able to make up some two hundred copies, which have been placed on sale within a few months past. 18 LETTERS OF PHILLIS WHEAT LEY. To Miss Obour Tanner, New Port, Rhode Island, ſawd by Mr. Pem- berton. DEAR OBour, - I rec'd last evening your kind & friendly letter and am not a little animated thereby. I hope ever to follow your good advices and be resigned to the afflicting hand of a seemingly frowning Providence. I have rec'd the money you sent for the 5 books & # more for another, which I now send & wish safe to hand. Your tenderness for my welfare demands my gratitude Assist me, dear Obour ! to praise our great benefactor, for the innumerable benefits continually pour’d upon me, that while he strikes one comfort dead he raises up another. But O that I could dwell on & delight in him alone above every other object While the world hangs loose about us we shall not be in painful anariety in giving up to God that which he first gave to us. Your letter came by Mr. Pemberton who brings you the book you write for. I shall wait upon Mr. Whitwell with your letter and am Dear sister, ever affectionately, your PHILLIS WHEATLEy. I have rec'd by some of the last ships 300 more of my Poems. Boston May 6, 1774. Miss Obour Tanner, Worcester. Bostos May 29th 78. DEAR OBour, −I am exceedingly glad to hear from you by Mrs. Tanner, and wish you had timely notice of her departure, so as to have wrote me; next to that is the pleasure of hearing that you are well. The vast variety of scenes that have pass'd before us these 3 years past, will to a reasonable mind serve to convince us of the un- certain duration of all things temporal, and the proper result of such LETTERS OF PHILLIS WHEAT LEY. 19 a consideration is an ardent desire of & preparation for, a state and enjoyments which are more suitable to the immortal mind. You will do me a great favour if you’ll write me by every opportunity. Di- rect your letters under cover to Mr. John Peters in Queen Street. I have but half an hour's notice; and must apologize for this hasty scrawl. I am most affectionately, My dear Obour, your sincere friend PHILLIS WHEATLEy. Miss Obour Tanner, Worcester, ſawd by Cumberland. Boston May 10, 1779. DR. OBOUR,-By this opportunity I have the pleasure to inform you that I am well and hope you are so; tho' I have been silent, I have not been unmindful of you, but a variety of hindrances was the cause of my not writing to you. But in time to come I hope our cor- respondence will revive—and revive in better times — pray write me soon, for I long to hear from you — you may depend on constant re- plies — I wish you much happiness, and am Dr. Obour, your friend & sister PHILLIS PETERs. The venerable Jos AH QUINcy, who was present at this meeting, — the last meeting of this Society which he ever attended, - expressed much interest in the let- ters of Phillis Wheatley which had been read; and remarked, that he well remembered the man (Peters) whom she married; that he, at one time, practised law, or professed to ; and Mr. Quincy had met him in the court-room.