Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

The arrival of my dear Neice and Nephew has indeed filled my bosom with pleasure indiscribable. I had been led to beleive you would not at this time afford me that gratification and felt real concern that with those so dear to my heart. I should be so much seperated—& feel in every thought on the subject that my dear Sister might (if she would determin to do so) remove the dificulties to her coming down & make compleat the happiness we fondly wish for of having you with all the dear children with us. I can not agree to excuse you. I will watch over Mary’s health, as to her movements. she is in my estimation too prudent and correct to require a caution & I am sure you must feel satisfied, that Mr Thweatt as well as myself appreciate the indulgence, which deprives you of such a companion. & hope you will spare her as long as you can & when you must have her, claim her in person for I shall hardly give her up on any other terms.I wish you had allowed John to come down, tell him Wilie has promis’d to remove from his mind any unfavorable impression against me. In saying his master whiped him I never cast any reflection on him, but often express’ed the concern I felt that he should be at such a school and did not know I had stated that which was not correct until Mary got here—the Idea of being thought capable of telling an untruth has been very harrassing, and convinced me that a person can not even with a pure conscience, always avoid uneasiness; Mr Thweatt led me in the error and understood, it as John our Nephew. when Wilie ment John Kirpartrick as we now understand him.—

I send you some, pamphlets which I hope will amuse you and in some measure compensate for Mary absence until you can come down when you can bring them back and you shall have some more of them. I have not yet read them they have been lately presented to me, and I think so well calculated to entertain and edify a mind disposed to dwell too much on the troubles of this World that if you find them what I think I shall be much pleased at having it in my power to loan them to you. I have tryed my best to keep Wilie longer. not expecting he would go so soon I am limited for time and have to bid you an abrupt adieu after beging you to kiss all the dear little ones and to bring them to see us as soon as you can—God bless you my dear Sister & restore you to happiness prayrs your truly fond Sister