I find the best time for writing, is to rise about an hour earlier than the rest of the family; go into the Presidents Room, and apply myself to my pen. now the weather grows warmer I can do it. His Room in which I now write has three larg windows to the south. the 171 sun visits it with his earliest beams at the East window, and Cheers it the whole day in winter. all my keeping Rooms are North, but my forenoons are generally Spent in my own Chamber tho a dark one, and I often think of my Sun Shine Cottage at Quincy.

I was calld from writing on the 15 by a summons below stairs, and have not been able to reassume my pen untill this morning. Yesterday the 17th I received your kind Letter of March 9th.1 I hope mr Cranch will be able to obtain the appointment he has so much at Heart, but I know not what will be the result of the judiciary Bill which is not yet reported to the House. Congress seem loth to enter upon buisness of the most concequence. some are for postponing this Bill untill the next sessions, which has already Cost much time, and labour of the Committe. they will find themselves much less agreably Situated the next session I presume, besides its being a short one but they have spent much time, and I fear always will upon very trifling buisness— Jacky Randolph & Thomas Nash or Robbins have occupied a whole Month— but whilst there is so great a disposition in the House to let the Jacobins through obsticales in the way of every measure usefull and benificial to the public, and prate whole days, least it should be said that they were affraid to contend with them—much time must & will be waisted—

I do not regreet that my Nephew is dissapointed, if so he is— I am sure the family connextion could never have proved happy however amiable Ann was, or is, she will be better the wife of any other Man. I never thought it a judicious connextion. oil & water Might as well mix, as the Fathers harmonize, then Boylstone always despiced the ignorance selfishness & want of Breeding in Beals. how was it possible for him, to respect or treat him, as a son ought to treat a Father? Many other things I could add why it was unequal— Ann had been Educated in a different Stile from what she might expect to live— I shall wish her joy more cordially the Wife of mr Prince if they like, or any other Man they chuse. I never want any nearer relationship than that of Neighbour or I know, there was a time I might have had it.—2

I communicated to the President Mr Whitneys desire, and the President says mr Whitney shall have the House and that it shall be put into decent repair—3 I have directions to write to Dr Tufts upon the subject— the House is to be painted the Garden fence new Sit, and every proper repair made to render it decent & comfortable—but 172 I am at a loss to know what to do with mr Adamss Books. the furniture belonging to me, I can take away as soon as I can get Room to place it at home; but as the rest part of the House wants the most done to it, that may be accomplishd first. mr Brisler would have his furniture which remains there removed to Mr Mears’s Mrs Mears knows what it is— I heard from mrs smith Yesterday.4 she says, as her happiness did not consist in the Size of the House in which she lived, it is not essentially diminishd by Removing, from that where she has past the Winter, to a Log Hut that her Disposition is accommodating, that She has always found that she can support herself against the Present, but that in anticipating the future she has much more anxiety— she says there are 13 Hundred Men all in Huts, but so perfectly quiet both by Night and Day that no Noise but that of the Drum & fife is heard amongst them—

I intend to propose to her passing the summer at Quincy with me. I have not mentiond it to her—

I am sorry for the distresses misfortunes of my Neighbours—particuliarly so for dr Phips whose situation must be very distressing, with a large Young family Present me kindly to mr & mrs Greenleaf when you see them. their Brother James is here; and has been to see us a number of times. I saw him yesterday walking with miss Allyne, as I was going to return some visits. she is a beautifull figure, and with the assistance of a little Rouge, a beautifull face, which however I think she does not need— He appears as easy, and looks as happy, as tho neither care or sorrow ever approachd his Heart5

Tell miss hazel that she is in so good Hands that I cannot think she wants any advise of mine, as I believe her to be modest diffident & tracktable.6 it was oweing to a different opinion that I offerd to an other an admonition. the Lay Preacher of Pensilvana who has publishd a peice in Fennos Gazzet of the last week thinks there are some Ladies in this city, who stand in need of admonition, & I fully agree with him. his text, was “In like Manner also, that women adorn themselves in Modest apparel.”— He observes that where the Semblance of Modesty is wanting, there is strong ground to presume the absence of the virtue itself. what shall we say then? is there virtue in the woman who artfully seeks to display the rich luxuriance of natur’s Charms, at the hazard and expence of sporting with all claim to Chaste appearence?—7

The stile of dress which the preacher attacks is really an outrage upon all decency— I will describe it as it has appeard even at the 173 drawing Room— a sattin peticoat of certainly not more than three breadths gored at the top, nothing beneath but a chimise over this thin coat, a Muslin sometimes, Sometimes a crape made so strait before as perfectly to show the whole form, the arm naked almost to the shoulder and without Stays or Bodice a tight girdle round the waist, and the “rich Luxurience of naturs Charms” without a hankerchief fully displayd. The face a la mode de Paris—Red as a Brick hearth. when this Lady has been led up to Make her curtzey which she does most gracefully it is true— every Eye in the Room has been fixd upon her, and you might litterally see through her— but in this stile of Dress, She has danced nor regarded the splitting out of her scanty coat. upon the occasion, I askd a young Gentleman, if Miss —— was at the dance last Evening. the replie, was yes most wickedly— to do justice to the other Ladies—I cannot accuse them of Such departures from female decorum, but they most of them wear their Cloaths too scant upon the body & too full upon the Bosom for my fancy; not content with the show which nature bestows; they borrow from art, and litterally look like Nursing Mothers— to Disguise the Strait appearence of the Gowns before, those Aprons, which you say look like fig leaves, were adopted— the Mother of the Lady described & sister, being fine women and in the first Rank, are leaders of the fashion—but they show more of the … than the Decent Matron, or the modest woman—8

I am glad to learn that sister Peabody has recoverd her Spirits. she must not be too hard upon Betsy nor forget that she herself was once Young—and possesst a heart as liable to impressions—and as susceptable of the tender passions as any body I can recollect. Betsy has a heridatary spice of the Romantic in her constitution. Guide her right. her heart is good. a cold youth, would be a frozen Age— if she has more pangs in concequence of her disposition she has more pleasures— adieu my dear sister

I must write to dr Tufts before the post goes out

affectionatly Your sister

Last Sunday the tenth, we had a deep snow here and as I know we usually have our proportion at the Eastward I fear it has obstructed the commencment of our Building, but at present the weather here is very Moderate; I hope, equally so with You. I wrote to you inclosing two Hundred Dollors under cover to mr Smith of Boston. you will inform me whether it got Safe to hand the President says if you have present occasion, You may apply to Gen’ll Lincolm for what ever you want. the interest upon the funds you have, he had rather you would apply when due to the purchase of New stock, and call upon him for what you want for other expendatures. I saw in a late Paper that the Gen’ll court had granted to the cannal company a perpetual annuity upon their Share’s which I think will render the property Valuable; as you are concernd in them, if not on Your own account as agent for others, you can inform me whether it would be advantages to purchase in some Shares when any are to be sold, at what price the shares sell at &c I have just read an able report of Judge Sullivans respecting the cannals.1 the property will not be Productive for some time to come I know, but cannot fail to be so in process of time.

The President will write to you his own sentiments respecting the new Road. I always sit my face against it, and do hope the petitioners will not succeed, but if they do, the advantage will not pay the expence I think— I would not encounter the Musketos in some parts of the Season, to Shorten 4 mile’s of the Road.2 I have been thinking whether it would be best to engage William Phebys Husband by the Month to work in the Garden. she says he understands it. George planted out some Grape Vines last year and tho a very drunken 175 fellow, did a good deal of service— therefore in diging the Garden much care should be taken— I design if the Roads will permit to be home early in May. Stutson is so slow and old, and So uncertain that no dependance is to be placed upon him. he must however attend to the strawberrys and assparagrass Beds Soon— the President says he does not intend to have any ground broken up for corn so that less labour will be required— shipley promised me to return by the first of April I hope he will keep his word— if oats are to be had at Bridgewater or Abington two Hunderd Bushels will be wanted; corn does not answer to give Horses—

I believe I mentiond to you the fence before Mr Clarks Garden— mr Porter or French can get Some Red ceadar posts, and the fence had better be new set as Soon as the frost is out of the ground, and a new Gate made. If a new corn House could be built for French out of materials which we may be able to spair, I wish you would have it done, without Saying any thing further about it. I know it will be approved when done—but to a person unaccustomed to building, having no Love for it, or taste about it—it is urksome— you will be So good sir as to send me the dimensions of the Rooms after the clossets are taken off, the height of the Jams and the length and width of the Hearth—also the size of my keeping parlour you will give Mrs Cranch Your Letters, and then I can communicate such parts as I chuse—

you will see by the papers that a Majority of the House have voted Peace to the Ghost of Robbins, which was conjured up for to answer particuliar purposes—3

with a kind remembrance to all Friends—

I am dear Sir your truly affectionate

Porter must plant Potatoes early in April Be so good as to get me a Lavator made upon as large a scale as my family will require—