I have recd. and should have answered your Letter1 immediately, had I not found myself more disposed to Violence, than might be justified on cool Reflection.

I believe th[ere is no one] less dis[posed to in]jure or insult oth[ers than my] self, or more ready to give Satisfaction to such as have a Right [to] require it.

You speak of a Stab given your Honor this Morning. I have reflected deliberately on the Conversation which then passed between us, & cannot recollect any Thing that could offend the nicest Delicacy. I should have imagined, that the Motives which led me to a personal Conference with you, instead of causing Resentment, would have laid you under Obligations to me. You may remember I told you, this was the first Instance of my having ever explained the Reasons of my Conduct as a Manager; and I then acquainted you that my Reason for telling you the Real Objections I had to your Admission, was, in order to convince you that I had nothing personal against you, and to give you an Opportunity of removing those Objections. I repeatedly told you, that in point of Family you was unexceptionable, and that I knew Nothing to be censured in your Character or Behaveour but that notwithstanding you did not appear to me to be connected with the People who frequent the Assembly and as such Connection was in my Opinion necessary to intitle one to Admission, I objected to your Admission f[or the Pre]sent. I told [you] further [that y]ou might easily cultivate an Acquaintance with them, and that then I would readily vote for your becoming a Subscriber.

Now Sir! consider the Tenor th whole Tenor of my Conduct, and then determine dispassionately whether you had more Reason to think me your Friend than your Enemy. Instead of taking the precipitate Step you have, as my Objection arose from my Ignorance of your Acquaintance with the Subscribers, you should have requested some of them to recommend you to the Managers, in Consequence of which you would have ^instantly^ been admitted.

Tho acting with Spirit does Honor to a Man, yet that Spirit should be calm and reasonable. In short Sir! I desire to withhold Justice from no Man, and if any reasonable Person will say I have injured you or that you have a Right to Satisfaction, I will either ask your Pardon or fyght fight you. I am Sir your hble Servt