I have unexpectedly been hon’d with a letter from your Excellency.1 The present edition of the Little performance I sent you, consists of only 350, most of which have run off beyond my expectations; some 455 of my eastern friends have advised me to secure a copy right, & prepare for a 2d. edition upon a more enlarg’d scale: should this be tho’t expedient or not any remarks you may please to furnish me, will confer a particular favour. Should I attempt a second edition I have thoughts of interspersing the work with extracts either from my Journals in America, France, the Netherlands or in England, haveing always kept a regular diary from day to day in all my perigrinations since the year 77. My tour in Holland was so limitted, & my stay there so short, that I must necessarily have been led into many inaccuracies.

In some of my general reflections particular in respect to America, I have adopted several Ideas I catch’d from you when at the Hague.

Your friendly solicitation for my wellfare claims my fervent gratitude. Altho’ my former commercial exertions in Europe terminated most fatally to my purse, & peace of mind; yet I cannot reproach myself for any misconduct or inattention; and I have the pleasing consolation of haveing Left England with honour & advantage; because I obtained my compleat discharge, in addition to an allowance of about £700—from my assignees. this Sir, with small speculations, & strict economy has enabled me to subsist my Little family with decency, without invadeing this small Stock. As I had from the begining taken a decisive part in exerting my little mite to promote the progress of the new constitution, I had form’d some hopes of obtaining under the new government a small appointment adequate to my experience on the active stage of business.

From a personal acquaintence with several members of both houses, who appeared anxious to promote my views; I was Led to cherish such hopes—but Alas! I soon found myself lost in a host of greedy applicants. You see Sir—I write with freedom and without reserve—the familiar stile of your letter, seems to warrent it, by your removeing the barrier, which places your elevated Station, from my obscurity at such an immense distance.

Respecting the Tory business, the whole matter had escaped my mind; but I recolect now to what I had perticular referencce. In the year 82 as well as 84 I spent about a month in each year in Birmingham; where resided Judge Oliver, Elisha Hutchenson, Doctr. Oliver, & many other refugees— you may recollect Sir our family connection by intermarriages—so in fact, I was upon the most familiar footing—divested of political prejudices: Your name being frequently on the carpet—the Judge in perticular seem’d fill’d with rancour & mortification— Indeed he appear’d to lay all his reverse of fortune at your 456 door, as the original & principal cause of the revolution, as well as the persecution of the tories.2

I am (with respects to Mrs. Adams family) Very respectfully / Your devouted & Oblig’d Hl. St.

I have had the pleasure of receiving your letter1 and should be happy to furnish you with any hints concerning the study of the Civil Law, which may occur to me after having laid aside all such studies for many years. Under the general phrase Civil law is often understood what is commonly considered the learning necessary to obtain a degree of Doctor of Laws LLD the common abreviation signifies Legis Legum Doctor or Utriusque Juris Doctor. One branch of the division is the Law of Nature and Nations and the other the Roman Law

Of the first of these, Grotius, Puffendorf, Burlamaque, Vattel Heineccius, Bynkershoeck, Noodt, are the writers most in use and I suppose as good as any— Of the last, if your intention is to confine your inquiries to the English language, Woods institute of the Civil Law, Domat, Dr Taylor and Wiseman’s Law of Laws may answer your purpose. But if, as I presume it will, your ambition and curiosity should prompt you to become a master of this divine science as it used to be called, you will in the first place find it necessary to increase your familiarity with the Latin language and the Roman learning in general. The institutes of Justinian, the Code the Novells and the digest are all in latin. Commentators on all these writings are innumerable. But Hoppius, Vinnius, Gail and Cujaicius with Oughtons Ordo Judiciorum are esteemed the best.2 There are many little Compendium’s or abridgments in latin of the institutes, which you may read to 457 advantage— They will frequently fall in your way at sales and may be purchased cheap. But if you read carefully the institutes and acquire a familiarity with the titles and indexes of the Corpus Juris, So that you may be able readily to Search a point as you may have occasion, you will find it very useful and agreeable.— Those who pretend to be very learned in this way Study the Greek translation of Theophilus, of the institutes of Justinian which is indeed rather a commentary I wish you much pleasure and profit at the bar and am with much affection your friend as well as Uncle