11 



has given my friend Grant abundance, more then he will 

 ever want: but never gives poor old Carver one shilling. 



Doctor Franklin said, God took care of those that 

 took care for themselves. But it is not in the power 

 of all to do so. We are all in a chequred state, up to 

 day down tomorrow. In the 15 chapter of his journal, 

 he calls it a slander on New York, as it respects the 

 priests, in being poorly paid ; the ministers, he says, 

 receive only from one to three thousand dollars per an- 

 num. I think they are well paid for doing worse then 

 nothing they make fanatics, and superstitious bigots. 



It is probable my old sboptnate might think there was 

 no harm in his bringing me the second time into the 

 arena of the public papers there would have been none 

 had he not stated a falsehood: he said the only thing in 

 the room of any value was a coffin ; if so I must be poor 

 indeed, as the coffin with the inscription, plate and motto 

 Memento Mori ; never cost five dollars, it being made of 

 of pine wood painted white, striped black: I wish no 

 better shroud then what the coffin contains, which is a 

 large quantity of old newspapers; I thought soon to 

 quit this place, and it was proper to provide an other. 



The last time that my friend Grant called to see me, 

 he said all creeds were a delusion, hut hundreds died 

 happy under the Christian religion, he might have add- 

 ed millions have died miserable through persecution for 

 disbelieving its principles and dogmas. The same cruel- 

 ties would be inflicted by priests and fanatics at the pre- 

 sent day, had not philosophy and the press, stopped their 

 mad career. The two great champions of superstition 

 were persecutors, Calvin got Servetus put to death ; Lu- 

 ther said the Jews should be exterminated, and their 

 synagogues razed to the ground. 



