Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

Your Cousin Browse came to see me yesterday and inform’d me of the event that your letter announced, I was much surprised not having had a hint that any thing so important was in expectation Aunt Divers observed to me one day when I was expressing some anxiety at not hearing from your Mother that probably she might be in a situation that rendered her indifferent or averse to writing I laughd and observed that cou’d not be the case with all the family but had no Idea that she wou’d have kept me in the dark on a subject so interesting to her self and family but I am glad now that I was not inform’d as I shou’d have sufferd great uneasiness and have attributed the Silence observed by the whole family to some calamitous cause—I am very glad to hear that she is in a fair way of recovering from her confinement and that the little Girl is so well what has become of Emma but I must excuse her not writing as I presume she is the House keeper pray inform me who nurses your Mother I hope every attention is paid her, and that the children make no noise to disturb her, with pleasure I inform you that Uncle and Aunt Divers are not Ill he complains a little but she says that she is very well but she looks pale and I think and so does Miss Polly that her Spirits fail my own health is not so good as it was the last six months but I can eat my rations I have not heard from yr Cousin Nicholas except through Browse for Six weeks he seems to give over the scheme he had of visiting he acts from the belief that it wou’d these hard times be attended with too great an expence beside interfering with his more important duties he has met with a mathematical work in several volumes that pleases him very much and he is also to commence the Study of Philosophy and as he can not attend me to Bedford he begs Browse that Browse will perform that duty, and if he lives till next the next after this summer he will certainly see me in Bedford, and he is certain that I will not disapprove his present plan, he advises his Brother to enter at Cambridge and to call on him at W Point and get some furthur improvement in Mathematics he says that he shall aid him with a 150 Dollars to get there presuming that he will not have much left after he leaves Albemarle, The Money I have been expecting has not yet arrived nor have I heard from Louisiana since the 9th of Jany till yesterday I read Mrs Browns letter to Browse she mentiond that inconsiquence of the Post Master at Donaldsonville not knowing how to read english the letters sent there were often misforwarded, and that she sent her letter with one Mary wrote me 9 miles to another Post Office kept by one Mr Holey her letter arrived, but mine has not come to hand, and I am afraid it has been intercepted—Your Uncle Minor and Aunt Lucy Rode over here last Thursday they staid till after Dinner the next day and had to encounter a high wind, we have had a very windy spell of weather which ended in a snow Storm on Sunday yesterday it cleard a way but the snow melting made it a perfect quagmire in Charlottesville the Election was well attended, Wm Meriwether was a candidate for the Assembly but lost his election on account of his being a Federalist Doctor Everett and William Gordon were re-elected—I am very glad My Dear William that you have at last taken up the pen it has been a long time since I had the pleasure to receive a letter from you but as you have thrown the gauntlet I shall not decline the Challenge and will answer all you write to me present me affectionately to your Father and Mother Sister and Brothers also to William Burwell, let me know what your Father means to do with his people that are in Henry I take for granted as he has sold his land that he will not make another Crop there Remember me to the servants and believe me your Sincere and affectionate Friend