Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

My mind is made up at last, & I have resolved on going to Columbia Philadelphia in preference to Columbia. F. Eppes wrote me immediately after his arrival there and from the tenor of his letter I formed no very high opinion of the place. one circumstance alone is enough to deter me, it is this, that rooms are taken by lot & the chance is that you may be crammed in with four or five noisy idle fellows, for me such a situation would be the worst imaginable as I have not the power of abstracting myself so completely as not to be disturbed by noise immediately at my ears. I am heartily tired of such school-boy fashions. no one has given me advice on the subject except Mr Burwell who is positively in favour of Philadelphia and said I ought to be very [. . .] thankful for the opportunity of spending a few years in that city. I was very much pleased to hear him express himself so positively as I was wavering myself and the scales were so equally poised that it required something to make them preponderate on one side or the other, what Mr Burwell threw in served effectually to turn them in favour of Philadelphia. he left this to day on his way to Congress & if I had been ready I could have gone as far in his company. I am to call on him for some letters of introduction which he promised me to some friends in P. Mr Jefferson gave me one to Mr Patterson he could recollect no other person. mr J. also left us to day for Poplar Forest accompanied by Miss E. & miss V. they expect to remain until Christmas.—Father no doubt thinks me very fickle, he sent money with the conviction that I was to go to P. I have since written him that I thought Columbia was entitled to the preference & the next letter will probably be from P. but it was extremely difficult to decide situated as I was, without any adviser, & having heard that there was not much to choose between the colleges in this Country all being equally bad—Mr Burwell was so kind as to offer to send his carriage for Grandmother in the spring if she chose it. this will suit me very well as it will save time, trouble, & expense; accordingly I have settled the matter with my conscien[ce] and will advise her to accept the offer. If you have to conduct her [. . .] Your trip will be very expensive and less agreable & as God knows whether we shall have a cent in you our pockets by the time you propose setting off. the letter you mentioned is not to be found you must have it with you for I have rummaged my desk to no purpose. I have more letters to write so Good bye