I have but lately received your kind Letter from Amsterdam of the 17th of November and another from the Hague much longer and of an earlier date.1 The last I have Sent to Mr Randolph to be laid before the President, as it contains ample and important Information. These are the only Letters I have as yet recd from you. Your Mother has received others. Your Letters both public and private, I have reason to think have given Satisfaction.

The Treaty arrived Since the Dissolution of Congress and Senate are Summoned to meet at Philadelphia on 8. of June, which will occasion me a Supernumerary fatiguing Journey.2 The last Session of Congress was so peaceable that I presume the Treaty will be ratified, tho I know not what it is.

The News I can give you are worth very little. The Rage of Speculation in Lands in the southern and Eastern States is as violent as 401 ever. The Prices of Things are very high. The Banks have Stopped discounting for some Months, in Boston which may check the disorder in some degree. Our Governors will be the Same this Year as last.

The State of Europe is Such, that Peace must be made, this Year or the next. What Terms the French will exact of England I cannot conceive. Surrender, and Restoration of all Conquests; Demolition of Portsmouth to revenge Dunkirk;3 Limitation of the Number of Line of Battle ships & Frigates for the future, have been suggested by Some French Republicans here. But these are too humiliating for Englishmen as yet.

Our Friends are all well. Mr Cranch and Miss Lucy are both to be married next Week.4

My Farm gallops like a gay hobby Horse— My Eyes are worse this Spring than ever; So bad that I can Scarcely see what I write to you.

Any new Publications of real Merit, I shall thank you to send me.

Will not the flight of Mr Van Staphorst, injure our Money Interests somewhat? American Bankers, any more than American Consuls or Ministers or Agents of any sort, should not be Party Men, in Holland.

The American General you mention, is intitled to Attention and Respect from you as far as Justice claims: but I have particular Reasons for hinting, that, by what I have heard of his Conduct in America during & after the late War, although he is a Stranger to me, your Confidence Should be reserved with discretion.5

Collect yourself, my Dear son: Be always upon your Guard.— If your Father was not always so, he has dearly earned by Experience, the Right of advising you. No Character in human Life requires more Discretion, Caution, and Reserve, than that of a Public Minister in a foreign Country.

Make my Compliments acceptable, if you can, wherever I was known. You Say nothing of Mr Luzac Dr Maclane &c &c.6

May God bless and prosper you and your manly Companion My dear Thomas from whom We have recd Letters as charming as your own, and that is Compliment enough.

I am my Dear son, with a tender Affection your / Father

I believe in one of my Letters I told you I had troubles of various kinds— I need to be possessed of more wisdom than the Serpent, joined to the innocence of the Dove, more meekness than Moses, more patience than Job—& to abound richly in the fruits of the Spirit— In one word our people have been very Jealous of me, they were conscious they had not used Mr Shaw well, & thought it imposible for me, to be possessed of so great a share of Phylanthropy as not to inform Mr Abbot how much they are in the arrears, & so prejudice his mind as to make him unwilling to stay— In the true spirit of Chivalry they made windmills, for there own foolish passions to contend with, & vexed themselves with their own vain imaginations, & suspicions— Some were for removing Mr Abbot, & thought it very imprudent, & impolitick to place him with me— Nat B—— was so passionate as to tear up the paper which was 403 subscribed in order to get me some wood—& to carry the mony back—1 But thanks to a kind providence we had some cool heads, & good hearts among us, who took care to stiffle the flame in its beginings, & told them they knew me too well, to believe a word prejudicial to me— But notwithstanding this, I found the report produced some baneful effects, & was the cause of my not having it brought in season, & by that means lost the Opportunity of its being cut & brought by those who did not subscribe mony— However I believe I had about 5 Cords, I have been obliged to keep three fires, I have not wantd a stick, though it has been some care for me, but that is a triffle— Through the great kindness of my Friends, I have been enabled to pay for every article I have had— a sense of their favours & my own unworthyness quite overwhelms me, & I think sometimes I shed as many tears, as if they did not shew so much affection— strange creatures we are— I often long for your counsel, & direction— I say, what would my dear precious Sisters advise to—& if anything rational is suggested to my mind, I embrace it as their opinion— This little foolish matter among the People troubled very much— Some said I should not live here after the 12th of March— but they acknowledged to me it was the language of passion, & were very sorry afterwards— Indeed I did not know what method was proper to take— I was too proud to go after any person to tell them it was false— But Mr A. did me a great kindness without knowing it, to this moment— They enquired of him respecting me, & he frankly told them I said everything I ought to induce him to stay— I hope the method I took to convince them of their mistake, will meet with your approbation, which was by writing to the Committee— I send a Copy of it, & when you have read it please to return it—2 Some of the Committee waited upon me, immediately, & desired I would give myself no further uneasiness, for the report was quelled at once, & would do me no injury—in there minds they should have said— But when I consider it was owing to the great love, they have for Mr Abbot, I suppose I ought to forgive them— excessive Love often creates jealousies—especially where there is a consciousness of demerit on one side—

They are now quite restless, & uneasy because Mr Abbot does not catch at the bait, in a moment—they wonder what he can deliberate for— Whenever he can feel, as if he could chearfully accept he will not keep them in suspense one moment— It is as dissagreeable for him, as for the people— Mr Denny of Newbury is to preach here tomorrow, & I suppose Mr Merill will be here the next Sabbath, & 404 read his answer—if not in the affirmative— they are a reined parish, for the present, at lest—3 Not long since I received a letter from Mr Cranch, he says he shall be with us in April— He comes on the wings of Love, & will I suppose speed time away, that may bring him to the arms of his lovely Nancy—

May all gracious heaven shower down its richest blessings, & make my Nephews, & Neices as happy as they are deserving— They will all come, & make me a visit— I have room enough— I should be glad when he comes, to know by the Post when he will be here—

Excuse everything, I must go, & wait upon the good young minister, Mr Denae who was ordained at Newbury, over Mr Murrys Society, & has exchanged with Mr AA—4

Betsy Quincy has received her Gown I hope, do for her, I pray you, what you think is proper, for her body, but especially for her Soul— My Love to my dear Brother Cranch, & Brother Adams, & to all who enquire after / Your Sister