I have received your Letters Numbers 1. 2. 3. 4. and 5. but not in the order, in which they were written— Number one, was the last recd as it came to hand by the last Post.1

Never was a Father more Satisfied, or gratified, than I have been with the kind Attention of my sons Since they went abroad. I have no Language to express to you the Pleasure I have recd from the Satisfaction you have given to The President and Secretary of State, as well as from the clear, comprehensive, & masterly Accounts in your Letters to me of the public Affairs of Nations in Europe whose Situation and Politicks it most concerns Us to know— Go On, my dear son, and by a dilligent Exertion of your Genious and Abilities, continue to deserve well of your Father but especially of your Country. The more faithfully you have discharged and fulfilled your Duty to me, the more anxious I have been least I may not have fulfilled mine to you with so much Punctuallity. It is painful to the Vanity of an Old Man to acknowledge the Decays of Nature: but I have lost the habit of Writing, from the Want of a Clerk, from weak Eyes and from a trembling hand, to such a degree, that a Pen is as terrible to me, as a sword to a Coward, or which is perhaps a more suitable comparison, as a rod to a Child.

The Revolution in Holland as We generally call it, though some call it a Conquest, will probably have an Influence in Europe, and eer long produce a Peace. All Nations must be nearly exhausted.

Of France I presume not to predict any Thing except their Success in their military Operations, untill there is more tranquility and more toleration of political Opinions and discussions. Untill they discover, that a Bridle is necessary to the Horse whoever is the Rider, they will be in danger of Stumbling, Starting and being run away with.

In Politicks We enjoy a Serene sky— The Season is rainy beyond almost any Example in my Memory. This fair Weather in Public affairs and foul Weather in private Concerns is a Coincidence in favour of our Happiness which I pray may continue, and then blessed shall We be indeed. Pacific and Foederal Politicks prevail, even to the Overthrow of Mr Austin for the present. Mr Dexter however is supposed to have lost his Election to the great Regret of the best Men. The Clergy have loaded the Press with sermons in favour of Government.

Our Friends are generally well—extreamly anxious to read your Letters and your Brothers and highly delighted with them.

I am happy that Mr Jay communicated to you his Progress. I presume his Labours will be rewarded. I doubt not, though I know not the Contents of the Treaty, that the Same Honour, Candour, 424 Equity, Magnanimity, Address and Penetration which he has shewn on former Occasions will appear on this.

In the inclosed I have corrected a foolish Error of the Press, and put delighted for delightful and his for the. I wish you to have it translated and published in French—2

My Love to your Brother. I consider myself as writing to both when I write to one, being to / both an Affectionate Father

I add a line to your Fathers Letter to inform you that I wrote to you and your Brother last week by a vessel going direct to Amsterdam belonging to W Cunningham, & I wrote you by an other vessel going to Hamburgh a month since.3 We are anxious to hear from you both. I feel the freedom of communication so curtaild that I can only add, what cannot suffer a Revolution, the fervent affection / of your Mother

Your kind Letters of Nov. 2. and Decr 20 are before me. You will Soon learn the meaning of the Word Ennui, among others in the French Language, which have no parallel Expression in English. I Suffered more from this Dæmon in Europe than I can express; more for what I know than from all the other Pains of my whole Life. had I not found in Books a relief from it, I should have perished under it.

Your Brother as well as Yourself, in your purchases of Books, will I hope be more judicious and OEconomical than I was.— Purchase none but the best— I purchased every Thing with too little discrimination.

The French Language will soon be yours— You cannot avoid it in that Country. I wish however you could have learned to Speak it in Paris, where it is Spoken with greater Accuracy and Elegance. Indeed it is probable by this time there are at the Hague So many Officers and other Gentlemen from France, who Speak their Language in Perfection, that you may learn it there as well as any where.

I am glad to find you attentive to your health. My daily Practice was to Cross the Barrier beyond The Maison [du] Bois with my Walking stick every day. If every night when you [. . . .] to rest you can recollect that you have performed this Ceremony in the Course of the day, your Conscience may serenely say that you have not entirely failed of your duty to yourself for that day.— Walk before dinner from 12 to 2.

My Curiosity is quite awake to see the new Dutch Constitution. But I fear Franklinianism and Turgotism will prevail there and if they should they will do more Mischief, than Mammonism and Devilism of every other Species I think. Indeed I have named it wrong.— It is Nedhamism and I think it has been found in Practice the most detestable form of Government, for the time it lasts, which God Almighty in his Anger ever permitted to chastise Mankind for their Sins.1

I hope there will not appear in Holland a Spirit of Intollerance in political Discussions— If there should, Chance and Passion will give them their Government— if there should not Reason may have a share in its Composition.

I long to hear of Peace in France that the Learning Ingenuity, Sagacity and sensibility of that Nation may have time to exert themselves in the formation of a Constitution for themselves.

I am my dear Child your / affectionate Father

I wrote you at the same time I did your Brother and have only now to add, that all the fine Girls in Phyladelphia are marrying off Hitty Morris is married to a mr Marshall of virginia miss Anthony to a mr Polock of N york, and miss Wescot to—to Nobody that I hear of2 I find you were Susceptable in England. miss Copley was a fine Girl when I was there. You must take care & not get fascinated. be 426 carefull of your Health. the Air of Holland is as liable to Agues & Rehumatism as Penssylvania

adieu ever your affectionate / Mother