I received yours of the 21 July upon my return from a Ride. your Father said he had a Letter for me worth a thousand pounds I found it had been read; I complaind, but was told it was put in unseald, on purpose that it might be read. I had not any objection to its being seen, yet you know one chuses in such cases to be judge for themselves; I delight very much in your Letters. you have a faculty of rendering common objects & familiar subjects interesting, from the Rock founded Cottage, to the Hoars croaking frog—From the Nymph who lightly treads the dew besprinkled Lawn, to the dazling Princess of a sumptuous Palace— yours of July 29th received on saturday 2d August, you do not make mention of a Letter from me containing some extracts. I hope it was not lost. I do not want any comments, only to know that it went Safe. it was an omission in me that I did not notice the receipt of the Letter for dr Tufts, but as he has himself written you, it is not now of concequence—1

I am glad to find that you are so agreably situated, and acquiesse in your resolution to remain Unless the fever should prevail, and then I do not think you will be safe so near the city, subject as Germantown is to be crowded at such a time— one thing I shall insist upon, if it please God to spair my Life and give me Health sufficient to pass the comeing winter at Philadelphia, that you live in the Family with me this winter. keep your office where you please, be Master of your own Time, but let your Home be your Fathers House. Heaven knows whether we shall ever again have an opportunity of being together. it has always been a subject of regreet to me that my Family have always been Seperated more or less from me; but a still more distressing thought, that I cannot have joy in them all, tho so few in Number— I hope I am not unmindfull or unthankfull for the blessings I enjoy possess; there can be no higher enjoyment to a parent than to see their Children deserving, and prosperous, beloved and honourd. you have estimated in a very just Ratio the Services renderd by one Family to their Country—yet who beside you will do them that Justice? as the good Country people say sometimes when praising a relative “I say it, that should not say it.”2

Who of the Generation now rising into Life know any thing about it? and we have not any Historian to record these facts—so that a Man is sometimes, as in the case of Talbot, obliged to state his own 533 services, and refresh the minds even of his Cotempories “not to be degraded, or forgotton—not to have others come Tittering on & push them of the Stage”3

We have quite an acquisition to Quincy. mr Quincy yur Friend has come to his Country seat to spend the summer Months, and mr smith has moved up his Family.4 We made a strong party I assure you the other day to visit the castle, and had a very agreable time carrying from Quincy between 30 & 40 persons of Quincy Quality.5 we prepared a dinner for them, and all was pleasent and agreable

since dog days have commenced we have had constant rains fogs & sultery weather, which must try all constitutions. I fear you have not had better, tho your situation is vastly preferable to the city— I have not any fears for you myself, as they respect Your Heart. I know you have a Head to guide and Govern it— it was even predicted at our table yesterday, that Thomas would be a Batchelor.— now I do not believe this— Let him alone. let him take his own way and time, is the language of your ever / affectionate Mother

As I am in the City for a few days, you may wish me to write rather oftener than usual, to convince you that I am not ill. The weather since the month of June has been generally more than commonly favorable for this climate— it still continues so, and we begin to flatter ourselves that the City may escape the afflicting scourge it has heretofore experienced.

The mortality which lately prevailed on board the friggate Genl: 534 Green, was a very distressing affair— I lament it the more, as I see among the list of victims in the crew several names of persons with whom I made a slight acquaintance, when I was at Newport.1

You will have read the publication for which the Aurora-man has been bound over to appear & answer at the next district Court. It was republished by Brown & Relf in the Philada: Gazette of the [. . .] currt:— His defence, will, I understand, be an attempt to prove the tr[uth] of what he has asserted— The letter under the hand of John Adams is said to be one in which the subject of his recall from the mission in England & Mr: Pinckney’s appointment as Successor, was spoken of & animadverted upon with freedom— The partition of Braintree into three separate & distinct townships, bearing several names and the calling that Quincy in which he resides, is jocosely mentioned in the same letter as having deprived the Duke of his title. I collected these particulars in conversation, a few minutes ago, with a young man, who is in the secrets of the Aurora party, from being one of its patronizers— Truth, said another, of the same sett to me, is no libel— the Aurora man means to justify by proof of the facts alledged.2

I was told further, by the first of these youth’s, that it looked as if there was likely to be a division in the Cabinet— How so? said I— They say, the old gentleman wont go with them— with whom? Why the violent war party, that pretends to dictate all Executive measures— It is further said, continued he—that the violents are in despair, because the President will have an opinion of his own & will not follow the extravagances of any body. If he perseveres he will shortly have the hearts of all the democrats— God forbid! I exclaimed— I dont mean said he, that the P——t must turn democrat, but only if he acts Independently— Has he ever done otherwise—said I— No, but then we were not always sure of him so much as we are now. This pap & sugar, might do to pacify a crying hungry baby, but what else it is good for, I pretend not to know.

Report says that Truxtun has resigned—disputing precedence with Talbot— This, I suppose, is in part, the tale, which you told me, hung upon the report of Talbots resignation— I heard yesterday, the matter had been referred to the President & he had decided in favor of Talbots right—3

You accompanied the P——t, I perceive, to Castle William and assisted at the Baptismal rites of Fort Independence— I was rejoyced to see your name in company with Mrs: Washington—4

I find the Mansion house in Market Street a very comfortable resort when I come to town, even though I meet but poor cheer—even the water pump is dry in the yard— I believe some of the wood has been carried away, though not much— I shall take particular care of the things I use, & see every thing as secure as I found it.

There is a leak somewhere in the room that serves as a passage from the entry to the kitchen— I found the floor almost covered with water, and as I have no keys to the doors, I cannot open them to admit the air— I have left open the inner doors, which were shut, and the floor is gradually drying, though the next rain will probably wet it again— Dust & Cobwebs are plentiful enough—

Present me kindly to my father & every body—