Phillips has this moment handed me yours of the 5th. and I now throw by a Qui tam 1 in which I have been drudging this ½ hour, to 70thank you for your letter.— Whence comes this Listlessness—this depression of Spirits? What can relax the Elasticity of your Mind? I have often found myself in the same Situation. I felt it yesterday without being able to trace the least Cause. The Connection between the Soul & body is so inexplicable that I believe it impossible to account for the peculiar temper of mind which a man will frequently find himself in. I have sometimes puzzled myself much about the matter. I wish I had Shakespear by me that I might turn to the passage you allude to. Whatever may be the Cause, I will not make it a subject of derision; not from the motive of pure friendship alone, but because I think it a disorder or Disease to which a man may as necessarily be subjected as to the Stone or the Gout. The best remedy I believe is determined Resolution opposition. My depressions seldom last more than a few hours. I can generally reason them away. If neither Reason nor opposition will prevail, I take the first opportunity to run away from them. Some trivial Circumstance generally occurs in the Course of a few hours, which I convert into a source of Pleasure and I soon make out to dissipate the Gloom—

Just as I finished the last page I was interrupted in the office & since that time I have spent 2 hours with Betsy Foster, solus cum solâ.2 I should not have mentioned this Circumstance, which is nothing very uncommon, but that it partly concerns you. She said she did not know any person she should be so afraid of, as you. I demanded the grounds upon which she had formed such an opinion. She said she was not much acquainted with you, but that she had in her pocketbook a little piece of satirical Poetry which she thought would justify her fears. She then produced a Copy of the Vision.3 She was charmed with it, but she could not help being afraid of the Author. She read to me several of the Characters. Miss Jones's was very beautiful. She hoped Miss Frazier had profited by the Advice,—& she had been told that you now saw her Character in quite a different point of view. The latter part of Mrs Farris's,4 she thought she could apply to herself and recieve much advantage from the hint. She did not read me that of Miss Bradbury, but said it was very illiberal & tho she did not know the lady, yet she presumed it very unjust,— Upon the whole she thought it an elegant performance; and I was not displeased to find that she discover'd so good a Judgment.

I assured her that you are one of the most like candid young men of my Acquaintance, and that if there is anything illiberal in the Vision I was certain you could not be the Author. She said she had her 71inforation from the lady who loaned her the Copy, but would not tell me who that lady was.

Last thursday I paid my Respects to Mrs Otis. It would be but a common place observation to say that the Bride & her husband made an elegant appearence. I do not think either of them improved by joining their Charms.5 I n[ever] yet thought a Woman look'd better for Finery [. . .]

Jack Forbes is in town. He becomes less erratic [as he ap]proaches the Center of Life.6 he sends you his Love.

Moses Little dined with me on Saturday. In the P.M. Foster & I accompanied him down the Bay in a boat. After we parted in Nantasket Road, he was soon out of sight.

It is a long time since I heard from our friends at New York. Our friends at Braintree & Weymouth are all well—

May cheerfulness & Peace be with you / yours affectionately

I received your Letter of May 16. and was very happy to find that you were all upon the recovery. we have daily mercies to be thankfull for, tho no state is exempt from trouble and vexation. the one which at present Torments me is the apprehension of a Removal from a very delightfull situation, to I know not where, and I am too short sighted, or too much blinded, to see any real advantage from a Removal unless a Permanant Seat was fixed. the fatigue and expence are objects not very pleasing in contemplation, and the 72Removal to a more southern state what I do not like, especially to Baltimore where I am told we cannot in any respect be half So well accomodated. if I could see that the publick good required it, I should submit with more Satisfaction, but to be every session disputing upon this subject, & sowerd as the Members are, is a very unpleasent thing. if we must move I must relinquish every Idea of visiting my Friends, and I had a latent hope that I should come for a few weeks merely on a visit, after Mrs Smith gets to Bed, which I presume will be in july. I wish to hear from my Mother & Brothers Family. I know not what to do with the House. I must request you to have an Eye to it, and if any trusty Body could be thought of to go into the kitchen part I could wish they might, but I own I do not know of any Body. all the interest we have must go to destruction, and we can barely live here upon the publick allowence. Your Romancing Neighbours may amuse themselves, but their storys will never gain credit. there is a Gentleman here, several indeed of whom I could inquire, but I am ashamed to ask, and indeed I do not recollect enough of the first part of the Story to inquire properly about it, and I have every reason to think it all fabulous. they are all together the strangest Family I ever heard of— I last week accompanied mrs Washington to the Jersies to visit the falls of Pasaick we were absent three days and had a very agreeable Tour.

I wish to have the articles I wrote for, sent by Captain Barnard. We have a fine growing season, is it so with you? I wish to hear from you with respect to commencment, what will be necessary and how can it be managed? I fear it will give you a great deal of trouble especially as you are not very well accomodated with help. as it will be impossible for us to be at Home, I have thought that it might be dispenced with, yet as Thomas has conducted himself so well I could wish that he might be gratified if it is his desire.

Be so good as to let mr smith know that Prince is very well and quite contented. we are all well & Polly is better, than she was. adieu write to me as soon as you can remember me affectionatly to all Friends.

Yours most tenderly