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me to madness and lunacy. All the ancient hatred, 

 sanctified in their eyes by the motives you know, 

 without any scruple about the means, for the same 

 reason are and have been exerted by this monster 

 of ambassador to effect my ruin, either by sending 

 me back to Portugal, where the Duke of Lafoens is 

 now in disgrace, or in England if he can. I have 

 been for many and many weeks almost driven to 

 madness, living the greater part of the time with 

 him, and have afterwards left him and given my 

 resignation, which he did not choose to accept, but 

 I have sent it directly to Portugal. He is the son 

 of the Marquis of Ponte de Lima, cousin to the 

 Grand Inquisitor. I am, my dear friend, in the 

 situation of Laocoon when encircled and torn by 

 the serpent, — and this is a poisonous one. 



Believe me, I am most sincerely yours, 



Joseph Correa de Serra. 



The Abbe's next letter, written twelve years after, 

 is dated from America, whither he went in a high 

 official capacity, as Portuguese minister plenipo- 

 tentiary at Washington. 



Dear Sir and Friend, Boston, Nov. 18, 18 is. 



From what a distance do I address you at present ! 

 but it is to send you not only the assurances of my 

 unalterable friendship and respect for you, but also 

 a compensation, and a thorough one, for my long 

 silence, as time I am perfectly confident will show 

 to you. 



Botany is still in her infancy in America : some 



