Page:Letters of John Andrews.djvu/87

 LETTERS OP JOHN ANDREWS. 3 I

January \0/h. Its about ten mouths since Ruthy began to cut a coal of arms, on vellum, for yom- uncle Joe; which hurt her eyes to such a degree as thai she was oblig'd to lay it by. This fall she reas- sum'd it again, and compleated it a few days since. It- about eight inches square, with his and his wife's arm quarter'd, supported at the lower corners by Jupiter and Minerva inimitably executed, and to- gether with the embellishments of her fruitful fancy, forms the mosl ex- traordinary piece of workmanship of the kind, that I believe was ever perform'd. It was sent home yesterday, and this morning the follow- ing poetical note was sent Ruthy by your uncle (accompanied with a neat silver salver about 8 inches diameter) address'd to GarteriUa, principal Queen at Anns.

(cuter, Clarencieux, and Norroy May boast a tawdry painted toy; Pleas'd to adjust, by Herald's rules Their Argent, Azure, Or, and Gules. Judicious eyes take more delight To view ifiir simple black and white.

Then as a favor let me ask You"d undertake another task; Since in my Arms such art you've shown, Pray on this Plate engrave your own.

which I think show an ingenuity and a delicacy peculiar only to

him.

January 11th. This morning the soldiers in the barrack opposite our house, left it, and took quarters with the royal Irish in Gould's auction room or store — in the street leading to Charlestown ferry.

January 13th. By a court martial which continued two days this week on board the Sommerset, Captain Maltby of the Glasgow was broke, being convicted of embezlement. He not long since bro't the Gunner of his Ship to tryal for some small misdemeanor, ami mulcted him a year's pay. The latter made reprisals on him by the above

accusation.

January 15th. A few days since an Officer carried a manuscripl to Henry Knox for him to publish ; being an answer, as he -aid. to < Gene- ral Lee's pamphlet (which you sent me). He told him he did not mean to confute every part, as the principal of it was unanswerable. Knox perus'd a few pages of it and found it to he rather a weak per- formance, and therefore declin'd undertaking the publishment — excus- ing himself as its being out of his way.

January l§th. Am not much surpriz'd at the dearness of provisions

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