Meriwether L. Randolph to Nicholas P. Trist
| Dear Brother | Belle Mont Feb 23 |
Friday evening has, at length arrived & I have time to write answer your letter This is the day on which I intended to ha write to you if [. . .] had I not received the first letter but since our correspondence has thus commenced I assure you I will not be slack in continuing it.
You advised me if you recollect to learn English. Only one or two [. . .] boys are learning it one class is studying Blairs Lectures1, another passs a few lines [. . .] every day I did not suphose that either would d be of much service to me therefore I joined neither [. . .] Nor have I commenced mathematics yet & indeed I have had no time to study it for my Greek & Latin have hitherto kept me [. . .] employed constantly Greek I had totaly forgoten & Latin I was very defective in I began with the gramar & Lucian in Greek & Horace in Latin I can now keep pace with my class with ease. I will therefore I think begin mathematics as there is no class in English as I have said2 before. Mr Rockferd teaches French in a manner (that is) he teaches [. . .] The translation [. . .] but knows nothing of the pronounciation. I wrote word in my last letter that I thought Mr Egan would probably go to Charlottesville to live but I believe that he is altogether uncertain about it he has a brother in Florida sometimes he says he will go there sometimes to Charlottesville & sometimes he says he will remain here—
[. . .] When you answer my letter [. . .] I would be much oblidged to you for any advice that you could give me about what I ougth to learn now. give my best love to every body it is now after 12 o clock at night which is my usual bed hour I must therefore beg that you will be satisfied with this miserable scratch ([. . .] for I am very sleepy) and beleive me to be [. . .]
Any paper [. . .] that you can spare. I will be very glad of—
