I hope my amiable friend has before this received my letters of the 9th: of last month, and of the 6th of the present; and that all her doubts, if doubts she really had, whether she still retained all her Empire over my affections have vanished into thin air. Though there was a letter which must have reached her very shortly after the impatient anxiety which she expresses in her letter of July 24th: it is possible that I might have indulged yet more frequently than I have, the inclination which I always feel to converse with her, but for the repeated hints of her aversion to writing contained in her preceding letters.— Yes! let me freely own, that I have more than once sat myself down to my table, and taken up the pen to give you my sentiments “warm from the soul and faithful to its fires.”1 But the reflection has occurred, that you hated writing, and that even the assurance of my constant attachment might lose its charm in the painful sensation of an obligation to return an answer. So that I was consulting your pleasure even when I sacrificed that of writing to you. But indeed for my satisfaction the oftener we write the better for nothing can exceed the delight that a letter from you gives me, so long as we are absent from each other, and if it were really a painful task for me to write to others it would be an enjoyment to write to you.

I have mentioned to you in my last Letter that I expect to remain 359 here some months longer; perhaps till the next spring; but of all the sorts of gratification that I can derive from my new destination the most delicious is, that it gives me the hope of terminating sooner than I could otherwise have expected the vile embarassments which made our separation absolutely necessary.— It is the promise of decent support and Independence for us both that I value, and if you find it necessary to suppress some of the little attachments to splendor that lurk at your heart, perhaps imperceptibly to yourself, at least we can both console ourselves with the reflection that the deductions from present pomp will all be added to the securities of future comfort.

My orders to remove may possibly come suddenly, and earlier than I now expect them. I shall have no other inducement to take the way of England, but that of meeting you. I shall hope therefore that it will not require a long time for your preparations to bear me company. I must not stay an hour longer than will be necessary.

Let me again my dear friend recommend to you to fortify your mind for circumstances inevitably attached to our connection. The hardships of traveling, by sea or by land are formidable to you, in the delicate life to which you have always been accustomed. Yet you must be prepared to undergo them.— The modes of life, the manners and customs of the people where you may have occasion to reside, will be entirely different from those which you have been used to: perhaps many of them will appear unpleasant to you. For your own happiness, endeavour to acquire the faculty not merely of acquiescence, in unavoidable inconveniences, but even of a cheerful conformity to things which must be endured, and above all establish as an invariable rule for your conversation, to express no general or national reflections.— You will forgive me for this intimation. I have often experienced, and in many different countries that nothing is more natural, and nothing more offensive than reflections applying to nations or numerous classes of people; and I know your heart is so good that I would not have the misconception of any thing said by you ever give dissatisfaction to any one.

I understand that you have been during part of the Summer at Clapham, and I am persuaded, you have employed your time to advantage. It would give me pleasure to have from you a detail of every thing interesting to yourself in your situation.— Write to me with perfect confidence, as I have given you the example. Your progress upon the Harp I am persuaded is great, and as you are in the habit of reflecting, I have no doubt you will not be inattentive to the 360 qualities, the exercise of which will be necessary or useful in the prospects, which I ardently hope will soon be realized.

Do not think I am sitting myself up for a Mentor, but give me your advice and opinions with equal freedom in return. Remember me affectionately to all the family, and be assured of the invariable and inexpressible attachment of your friend.

There has been an interval of Eight Months Since I received a line from Your Hand. this Suspension of intercourse grows Daily more and more painfull to me as I learnt from your Brother that you had been sick first with a severe attack of the Rhumatism, and after ward with a Billious Remitting fever; I fear that the Climate of Holland is peculirly unfavourable to you, as your constitution is Heriditaryly disposed to those complaints. I have sufferd so severely from them myself, that beside a parentall solisitude for you, I have a sympathetic Suffering with You. at this distance I can render You no other aid than to pray for your restoration to Health, and to add my wishes that you would return to your Native Country

Your Brother has informd me that he has enterd into a connexion which he designs shall be permanant as soon as circumstances will admit.

I have supposed that he will go to England, & probably Marry before he goes to Portugal; if he should, there will not be that occasion for your continuance abroad, which there was whilst he was alone, without any one to tenderly care for him. a Young Man must have a companion, or Do worse. I hope all my Sons will avoid those snares which lead to destruction, and that you my Dear Thomas will hold Yourself free, for an American wife. I am not informd of your prospects, or designs. if you and your Brother should judge it most adviseable for You to go to Portugal, I will acquiese, tho I hope your Stay will not be long. I think You will have a better prospect of rising in your own Country, and becomeing more usefull, to it, here than abroad.

Your Friends here are all well. William Cranch is setled in the city of Washington, has a fine Boy of Eight Months old. Your sister and 361 Family were well when I last heard from them; the col. had sufferd in his affairs by the villany of a st Hillair who married Peggy. it has however had a happy effect, so far, that he has come to a settlement with all with whom he was concernd: and tho it has obliged him to dispose of some of his Lands to less advantage, than he would otherways and stoped him in perhaps too rapid a career; he has a handsome property remaining, as I am assured. he has stoped building a Much too large Country House; and I hope will curtail all unnecessary expence, and live a more quiet and retired Life which I am sure will be more for his happiness, and the benifit of his Family. it is the wish of your sister, who you know has ever been averse to all kinds of extravagence and dissipation

Charles goes on gradually, and I hope Successfully in Buisness. he has two Clerks, he lives moderately and will do well I hope. Sally makes him a prudent discreet wife I suppose my next letters will anounce the birth of a Grandson or Daughter. poor Woman, She was Sick with the Ague & fever when I heard from her a fortnight since, which makes me anxious for her.1

Your Aunt Shaw, that was, is Married to mr Peabody of Atkinson, and is very comfortably situated. William is getting on through his Education by the assistance of his Friends.

Dr Welch and Family are well Your Aged Grandmother is still living, and send you her Blessing William and Isaac Smith are setled in Buisness in North Carolina2 Mary is going to Washington to live with Your Cousin Cranch Eliza has been with me chiefly since Your Aunt left Haverhill3 Louissa is as a Daughter to me. she desires to be rememberd to you.

Your Father wrote you last week.4 he is as buisy as usual in attending to his Farm, which Seems his only recreation, & keeps his spirits in action, and gives him Health for his Winters confinement; indeed I belive he could not endure the one if he was not relieved by the other.

as to Politicks, it is a perfect Calm what mischief may be brewing in the Jacobinical Cawldron, time will discover. it will be composed of as venomous ingredients as Mackbeths Hell broth, but Heaven has yet graceously provided us with Antidotes for all their poison. if any Material alteration should take place at the approaching Election, there will be a new trial of their Skill.

adieu my Dear Son. Heaven Send you Health, and with it every other Blessing is the fervent prayer / of Your ever affectionate / Mother