Note 4 — THE HANCOCK HOUSE AND ITS FOUNDER.

The following letter from Mr. Faneuil's own hand, found among Mr. Hancock's papers, is sufficiently curious to warrant its insertion here:—

"Boston, February 3^d. 1738.

"Capt. Peter Buckley,

"S^r,—Herewith you have Invoice of Six hh^s. fish, & 8 Barrells of Alewifes, amounting to £75. 9. 2—which when you arrive at Antiguas be pleased to Sell for my best advantage, & with the net produce of the Same purchase for me, for the use of my house, as likely a Strait limbed Negro lad as possible you can, about the Age of from 12 to fiveteen years, & if to be done, one that has had the Small pox, who being for my Own service, I must request the fav'r. you would let him be one of as tractable a disposition as you can find, w^ch. I leave to your prudent care & management, desireing after you have purchased him you would send him to me by the first good Opportunity, recommending him to a Particular care from the Captain by whom you send him. Your care in this will be an Obligation,—I wish you a good Voyage, & am

"S^r. your humble Servant "Peter Faneuil.

"P.S. Should there not be En^o to purchase the Boy desir'd be pleased to Add, & if any Overplus, to Lay it out for my Best Advantage in any thing you think proper. P. F."

Truly, in confronting this ghost of departed manners, may we say with the Clown in "Twelfth Night,"—"Thus the whirligig of Time brings in his revenges." The Hall which was the gift to the town of this merchant, who proposes to trade codfish and alewifes for a slave, afterward became everywhere known to the world as the very "Cradle of Liberty."