SIR W. JOHNSON TO THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING ARTS &c.

Gentlemen,

Johnson Hall Jany 4th 1765.

I did not receive your favour of the 10th ulto till a few days ago, neither had I a moments leisure to answer it till now. You may be assured that I shall think myself happy In any opportunity of promoting the Welfare of this Province, & of encouraging as far as in me lyes a laudable Spirit for that purpose, which can not be better effected than by the Suppression of Luxury & the promoting Husbandry and Manufactures, the former has not as yet crept in to the parts where my Interest & acquaintance chiefly lyes, to any Degree requiring a restriction, & shod rather think that a little turn for possessing more of the conveniencies of Life wod rather stir up a Spirit of Industry am'st the people here, who tho' they have Lands well Qualified for it, nevertheless neglect Husbandry as they have little relish beyond the mere necessarys of Life, & are too Indolent in Gen to Labour for more than a bare subsistence. I am far from thinking the suppression of Luxury, an unnecessary article, on the Contrary I most earnestly wish that the people of America may be prevailed upon to live with the bounds prescribed by their Rank & fortune, and so far as that it would give me great pleasure to support the undertaking as well as to encourage Husbandry in all its branches. And altho' I am persuaded you will not encourage any schemes which may be disagreable to the Mother Country Yet you must allow that in a Society composed of persons of all Ranks some things may at least be proposed by some of the Members which cannot be pleasing to Gt Britain, and in which I couldn't with the least propriety engage, as a Servant to the Crown.

The Nature of my Department likewise affords me little time to advert to matters of this nature which I presume you will readily allow when I assure you that so far from having leisure to attend to any domestic concerns, I cannot command the ordinary hours of refreshment amply enjoyed by every Labourer in the province, & tho' I might give myself more Ease I could not do so consist

ent with myself and with my desire to promote the public Tranquility.

I must request your Acceptance of £10 Curr which I shall Direct Mr Darlington of N York to pay into the Treasurers hands, and if circumstanced as I am, I can be of any farther service to your undertaking, I shall most Chearfully comply, to convince you how much I am a Wellwisher to this province

and your very humble Servt.

Sr

REV. MR BROWN TO SIR WM JOHNSON.

I have received yr kind Favor by Paulus, & have, (I hope) given him Satisfaction. I have paid him in cash

I have likewise Paid to Mr Abm Lyle for goods Twenty Pounds eighteen shilling's, so that I have paid him three shillings too much.

I shall do the Duty at Albany on Sunday next; but propose being at the Mohock Castle the Sunday following. shall therefore be obliged to you to acquaint the Indians of it. As for News we expect all from you; we are quit dull & stupid in this Place. I see you laugh & say to y'self when was you otherwise. However the Weather being Dull & Heavy I think it add's to my dullness likewise, so shall conclude by subscribing myself yr oblidged Hum Servt T: BROWN.

Albany Jan 8th 1765

SIR WM. JOHNSON TO THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE ARTS.

Gentlemen

Johnson hall Feby 27th 1765.

I have received your favor of the 5th Inst and I am very glad to hear that the Society do not avow any articles affecting England, as such would have evidently apeared in the Mother Country to be the result of rancour and passion, which might be productive of Disagreeable effects to the province in General, & I am Persuaded that a due attention to those Improvements, which can in no wise be construed to affect his Majestys dominions at home will answer many Salutary purposes..

The state of Agriculture in this country is very low, and in short likely to remain so to the great Detriment of the Province, which might otherwise draw many resources from so extensive and valuable a Country, but the turn of the old settlers here is not much calculated for improvement, content with the meer Necessaries of Life, they don't chuse to purchase its superfluities at the expence of Labour neither will they hazard the smallest matter for the most reasonable prospect of gain, and this principle will probably subsist as long as that of their equality, which is at present at such a pitch that the conduct of one neighbor can but little influence that of another.

Wheat which in my opinion must shortly prove a drug, is in fact what they chiefly concern themselves about and they are not easily to be convinced that the Culture of other articles will tend more to their advantage. If a few of the Machines made use of for the breaking of hemp was distributed amongst those who have Land proper for the purpose it might give rise to the culture of it—or if one only properly constructed was sent as a model, it might Stir up a spirit of Industry amongst them, but Seed is greatly wanted, & Cannot be procured in these parts, and the Germains (who are the most Industrious people here) are in general in too low circumstances to concern themselves in anything attended with the smallest Expence, their Planta

tions being as yet in their infancy, & with regard to the old Settlers amongst the Germans who live farther to the Westward, they have greatly adopted the sentiments of the rest of the inhabitants. The Country Likewise labours under the disadvantage of narrow, and (in many places) bad roads, which would be still worse did I not take care that the inhabitants, laboured to repair them according to law. the ill Condition of Publick roads is a Great obstruction to husbandry, the high Wages of labouring men, and the great number of tepling houses are likewise articles which very much want regulation. These disagreeable circumstances must for sometime retard the Progress of husbandry; I could heartily wish I had more leisure to attend to these necessary articles of Improvements to promote which my Influence and Example should not be wanting. I have formerly had pease very well split at my mills, and I shall set the same forward amongs't the people as far as I can, I have Likewise sent for Collections of many Seeds, and usefull grasses which I shall Encourage them to raise, and from the great wants of stock, even for home use, & Consumption, I am doing all I can to turn the intention of the inhabitants to raising these necessary articles, for the purchase of which, a good deal of cash has hither to been annually carried into the N. England Collonies.

Before I set the Examples, no farmer on the Mohock River ever raised so much as a single Load of Hay, at present some raise above one Hundred, the like was the case in regard to sheep, to which they were intire strangers until I introduced them, & I have the Satisfaction to see them at present possess many other articles, the result of my former Labors for promoting their welfare and interests. my own Tennants amounting to about 100 Familys are not as yet in circumstances to do much, they were settled at great Expence and hazard dureing the heat of the War, and it was principally (I may venture to affirm, solely) oweing to their residence & mine, that the rest of the inhabitants did not all abandon their settlements at that Distressfull Period; But tho' my Tennants are considerably in my Debt, I shall yet give them all the assistance I can for encouraging any usefull Branches of Husbandry, which I shall contribute to promote thro'out the rest of the country to the

utmost of my power, and Communicate to you any material article which may occur upon that Subject.

Your Excellency's Favour of February 19th by David and Peter came safe to Hand. I thank your Excellency most heartily for all your Condescension, and repeated Favours shown me; and particularly, for your love for, and kindness to, my dear Mr Kirtland. I have been concerned, lest, through the Zeal and Vigour of his youth, the natural Sprightliness of his Genius, and Unacquaintedness with the Business he was sent upon, he would be surprized into some indecent and imprudent Sallies. But my principal confidence, under God, has been in that paternal care for such, which I take to be a Native in your Excellency's Breast. I pray your Excellency to continue your paternal Kindness towards him and whatever Supplies he shall stand in Need of please to provide him with the same, and charge them to my Account. I have inclosed to him an Address to the Chiefs of the Nations, to be convened by your orders this Month, and have desired him to submit the same to your Excellency's censures, which I hope you will not at all spare, out of Favour to me.

I am well pleased with Peter and David. They both seem honestly desirous to be instructed.

We expect to have Opportunity to recommend to your Excellency's favourable Notice, two likely young Gentlemen, in the capacity of Missionaries, this spring; and three young Indians of this School, in the capacity of school masters. I purpose also, that all your five first Boys shall come home this Spring, or by some Time in June, to visit their Friends, and return to me in the Fall. It is proposed that they shall keep Schools under the conduct of the Missionaries.