Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol. IV

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 wo 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.