I am far less concerned about my
self, than about my Friends &and ruined
Country: They, not I, claim pity, tho’though I
fall (1751)

fall a Victim to Truth, Honour and
Uprightness by the Rage of Hanoveri-
an Countess, the declared Enemies
to every Virtue. I thank God, I am
hearty, &and in much better Health, than
I have been for some Years past;
more especially since I saw that Let-
ter, which gives me such Hopes of
your future Conduct from the Desire
you express in it, that I should ra-
ther sacrifice my Life than save
it on dishonourable Terms. [Macht
+ Mur in d’ hair (as Rothie used to
say) i.e. the Son is like the Father.]
I thank my God, I was always easi-
er asham’dashamed than freightenedfrightened.

I have no Money to leave You as
a Legacy, but take what is of infi-
nite more Value; viz, above all Things,
first serve God, next your King,
Prince &and Country; then be always
in your Duty to your Mother, Broyrsbrothers
and Sister; act honourably &and honest-
ly by your Neighbour; meddle in no
party Quarrels; but when you are per-sonally 1752(1752)

sonally wrong’dwronged, demand Justice
with Coolness, Regularity &and Resolu-
tion, without personal Reflections;
beware of ever speaking to the
Disadvantage of the Absent, even
tho’though they should deserve it.

I recommend to you in a particular
Manner the Care of your Health;
observe great Moderation in eating,
at any Rate abstain from heavy &and
late Suppers, &and above all avoid
Drinking ^&and Whoring. Be a good Oeco-
nomisteconomist of your little Money and
CloathsClothes. Let the Company you fre-
quent be rather of your Betters
than your Inferiors.

My Time and writing Implements al-
low me only to recommend my most
hearty Thanks to my noble &and wor-
thy✝ Colonel: Don’t neglect your Du-
ty to him.

My Love &and dying Benediction to my
Children, Affection to my Brother’s Chil-
dren, best Wishes to all my Friends,
&and hearty Compliments to all my good
Acquaintance. And - - - - - - - -

Here this great good Man was
obliged to leave off, probably for
Want of a Knife to cut his Bit of a
pencil; &and he never had another Opportunity 1753 (1753)
Opportunity to add what he
had to say farther to his Son,
except what he told a Friend
by Word of Mouth, the Morning
of his Execution, in delivering
him the last Present he sent to
his Son, which was a pair of
steel [] Shoe-Buckles, with this
Charge, (which, that it might
not be forgotten, he repeated
several Times) viz, “These I
“send by you to my Wife as my
“last present to my Son, &and bid
“her tell him from me, That I
“send him these, &and not my silver
“Ones; &and that, if I had Gold Ones,
“I would not send him the Gold,
“but these Steel Ones, which I
“wore when Sculking; For, as Steel
“is hard &and of small Value, it is
“therefore an Emblem of Constan-
“cy, &and Disinterestedness: So I would
“have him constant &and disinter-
“ested in the Service &and Defence
“of his King, Prince &and Country,
“&and neither be bribed nor frighten-
“ed from his Duty.”