I have several letters from your mother, who, I thank God, appears to be in good health.

Mr. Josiah Quincy is now in this town, and is bound to Savannah in Georgia; whether after the example of his father as a mere traveller to acquire information, or whether with some share of the spirit of his grandfather in pursuit of speculation, I know not. This young man is a rare instance of hereditary eloquence and ingenuity in the fourth generation. He comes into life with every advantage of family, fortune, and education, and I wish him all the success which such auguries naturally present to him in prospect. I yesterday, in the presence of half a dozen Senators, laughingly advised him to go to the President and Mrs. Washington, and ask their leave to make his addresses to Nelly Custis, or her sister, at Georgetown, in the course of his journey. The young gentleman blushed, and he may have left his heart in Boston; but I think him the first match in the United States.1

I hope with you, that good sense will prevail over prejudice. But I despair of much tranquillity in this country, till France shall have established a good government. And although by the adoption of three branches they have made a great improvement on their former inanimate conceptions, yet they will find that their plural executive will be a fruitful source of division, faction, and civil war. In a few weeks the five directors will be divided into two parties, three against two. The three will be for decisive and vigorous measures, the two for wavering and feeble ones, under the names of moderation, republicanism, and liberty. The two will strengthen themselves 118 by connections with numbers in the Council of Ancients, that of 500, and in the city, and among the people at large, till the two become more powerful than the three. The latter will be the victims. The essential emulation in the human heart will never permit the five to be long unanimous. Such is the lot of humanity.

Their elective judiciary, too, will be found an instrument of party, instead of a sanctuary of justice.2

Your brother was empowered to go to England; but if not arrived by a certain day, the business was to be done by Mr. Dean. The despatches did not arrive in season, so that I suppose he will not go over.

I expected the pleasure of seeing Col. Smith at Christmas. My love to him, and to my grandchildren all. I am your / Affectionate father,

The Weather here is as fine as it was the last Year. The Festival season of Christmas and the new Year, is enjoyed in Perfection by all, for what I know, but poor Cabot and me. He is as solitary and disconsolate as a lone Goose. He strives to keep up his Spirits and preserve his usual Gaiety but one plainly perceives it is all Exertion.

There are Letters to the secretary of State upon public affairs, from J. Q. A. as late as 5th. of october.1 I dont expect that he will go over to England at all. Upon the whole it will be as well that he should not.

Two Speculating Landjobbing Villains, in combination with Indian Traders at Detroit, will take up the House of Representatives half the Winter for what I know. I see no Necessity for all this Parade— They might have been sent to Prison at once for Contempt, during the session and ordered to be prosecuted by the Att. Gen.

our two Grandsons at New York have the Meazles and the Grandaughter is expected to have them. The season of the Year is as favourable As their age, and will be fortunate for them to have gone through this unavoidable Evil thus early in Life.

The H. of Reps in S.C. have behaved amiss—but they did not dare to send their firebrand to the senate, and almost half their Number went out of the House.

The Vote is the meanest which has ever been passed. not one of the Mobs have been so sordid as to put the whole Treaty upon the single Point of Pay for the Negroes.2

S.C. V. and Kentucky I believe will be the only States which will shew their Teeth and they can not bite.

Goodhue is almost discouraged or at least quite out of Patience. He says “the whole History of the Government has been one continued Labour to roll a stone up a steep hill. It is too fatiguing to be always on the Stretch—and a Government that requires So much Pains to support it is not worth preserving.”

Van berckel tells me that the new French Government is not agreeable to The Dutch— They are as yet too Jacobinical. He thinks the French Constitution will turn upon a Pivot, and come round at length to “The Defence of the C. of U.S.” De L’Etombe tells me that [“]‘The Defence’ has not only been laid down by Boissy D’Anglass, as their future Model, but has been frequently quoted of late in the Convention by many other of the principal Members as their first Authority.”

I wish they understood their Authority better or had more Fortitude, Consistency and Influence in adopting and establishing the genuine Principles of that Work.

I have often told you laughing, what may become a real Truth that “I shall be the great Legislator of Nations and that Nations must learn of me or cutt one anothers throats.”

This sounds like the Bombast of Mad Tom: Thus much is a Serious Truth that free Nations must all become followers of Zeno not of me, or wrangle & fight forever. I am but a Disciple of Zeno.

I dined on Thursday with Adet who called upon me for a Toast— I gave an happy Success to the new Government in France. The French Company seemed to relish it better than our Frenchified Americans—

I am, and that is enough