The Virginia Gazette

Mr. Parks,

Desire the Favour of you to give the following Epistle a Place in your next Paper, and you'll oblige

Your well-wisher, and

humble Servant,

H. P.

Ad utroque causa sapiens aptus et; bonorum rector,

malorum victor. In secundis non confidit, in ad-

versis non desicit. Nec avidus periculi, nec fugax;

prosperitatem non expetans, ad utrumque paratus,

adversus utramque intrepidus; nec illius tumultu, nec

hujus fulgore percussus.

Seneca.

As there is no Man of Honour above acknowledging a Civility, by the same Rule and

As a Principle, no Man of Spirit will suffer him-

self to be ill us'd; I declare to all the World,

that I have been, and am at present, oblig-

ed to the Chief of the Gentlemen in this Country, for

the Countenance and Respect they have Shewn me, e-

ver since I came amongst them; nor have I Vanity

enough to claim it from any Merit of my own, but

impute it to a natural Proneness to Hospitality, a Great-

ness of Mind, a generous Disposition, like the Sun, whose

Rays are diffusive without Partiality. They have, in

all Respects, executed their Part, and I have done my

Endeavour, to fulfil mine.

From June 1734, to June 1737, I believe, I may

venture to say, I have had as many Patients as any one

Man of my Profession ever had in this Colony; and as

many different Subjects : I may likewise venture to say,

without any Injustice to the World, that I have had as

much Success. Give me Leave then to embrace this

Opportunity, to return my Thanks in the most public

Manner, for the Favours conferred upon me; and at

the same Time, to set forth the ill Treatment I have.

met with, from People of a meaner Rank, and those

who call themselves my Countrymen.

First, then let me appeal to every County that hath

employ'd me: Have I ever loiter'd my Time when sent

for, by Day or by Night, hail, rain, or Shine ? --- Have

I preferred my Pleasures to my Business? --- Have I

ever omitted going to the Poor? ---Have I neglected a

Patient, and not given him true Attendance? -- Have

I distress'd any Man? --- Have I defrauded any Man? ---

Have I mortgaged my Estate, or collected my Fees,

and refus'd to pay my just Debts? ---- Have I not been

open in my Practice? ---Have I exhibited any Medi-

cine but to the Poor? And that God hath given a

Blessing to : And as long as I have Life, and am able,

let me be in whatsoever Corner of the Earth the Great

God shall place me, the Poor and Needy shall be wel-

come to me.

As to Defamation and Scandal, I value it not; let

a Man refresh his Memory with Antiquity, and he'll

find the best and bravest Men have been liable to Ca-

lamity, and Disgrace. Aristides, Themistocles, Phocion,

and Socrates have wore this Mark of Distinction: Nay,

it was the usual Reward which the People bestow'd

upon those that had done them the best Service. And

as to the Calumny thrown upon me, let them

go

on,

let it be as black as Malice can invent, it shall

give me

no further Pain.

The Reverse of Truth hath a Hundred Thousand

Several Shapes, and the Space it ranges in is infinite;

a Man of Integrity is always liable to be deceived, be-

cause he hath the same Opinion of others as he hath

of himself. I find Innocence to be the slightest Ar-

mour a Man can wear, but notwithstanding I shall ever

be of the Opinion, That Honesty is the best Policy;

however, I'll not repine, but endeavour to make a Vir-

tue of Necessity.

Non et aliud est fugium necessitatis, quam velle quod ip-

sa cogat.

And now give me Leave to appeal to the whole Race

of Mankind, if it can be thought justifiable, when a

Man is about his Lawful Occupation, and far from his Ha-

bitation, if every Debt, Small, or Great, he hath con-

tracted, be allowed a sufficient Plea for a Justice of

Peace, to grant an Attachment upon his Goods and Chat-

tels; if that's the Case! what Man is safe ? Such Proceedings

must appear to the World, as if there was an Intentions of

Thought, labouring to do me a Prejudice. But I will not

trouble my Readers with a long Detail of my Ill-Usage,

but be as brief as possible : Therefore, I make a general

Appeal to that sanguine Torrent, that flows in so vorati-

ous a Manner to swallow me up. ---- Have I acted the

Part of a Villain to any one of you? Let the most

Partial Enemy I have among you, lay his Hand upon

his Heart, and then give his Sentiments; let him do it

in the most Public Manner to the Face of the Earth.

If they find they cannot accuse me, let them stop their

Course; and the most agreeable Satisfaction they can

make me, is to repent to the All-gracious God, which

will be a sufficient Reward to the most injur'd,

H. Potter.