Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

I have been wishing to write to you for some time but as usual lazy, lazy. my desire to know what is the matter with mamma conquers that vile infirmity of mine. I think you must have been administering some sort of powders to her, for with the exception of her three precious pets, she appears to care for no body but you. I should perhaps be reconciled to such an unequal distribution of affection, if I could believe her happiness [. . .] secured by it. yet I cannot but think from the tenor of her letters that her spirits grow worse. with me time reconciles every thing: I am afraid it is too much the reverse with her. [. . .] misfortunes has fallen on us all, heavier it is true on her, but why should she add to them by distrusting her friends. I could find from Aunt Carrs manner when I last saw her that she was not at all pleased with mamma’s last letter. she thinks they are all offended with her because she has ventured on certain occasions to give advice. if the most constant and anxious interest in the welfare of others, added to the most disinterested friendship, and affection. [. . .] [en]title any one to that liberty I think she might enjoy [. . .] true she will have her jokes which are perhaps [not alw]ays the most gentle, but we all know her heart [. . .] that we ought to let it pass. besides in money matters [. . .] disapprove of in a her aunt, still she must allow that a m[ore] noble heart never dwelt in woman. do not suppose that [I?] am exg exagerated in her praises on account of her ana[. . .] about Mamma. for she says, and I know, that she never can repay her the debt of kindness which she owes to mamm[a] my personal obligations are sufficiently great, for had she not come forward last spring we as well as Robert would have been entirly ruined. [. . .] by the bye what sort of notion has mamma taken that Wilson has only an overseers lay in his bargain with Aunt Carr. she certainly cannot understand it. he upon first going there has one third of the profit paying his proportion of the expenses, and at the end of three years a fee simple in one third of the whole property. she risks her childrens money which I never thought she had a right to do, and he risks his life over which he has undoubted control. suppose Jefferson should ask his grandfather for one third of his property at the end of three years. for he certainly has risked his life and worked as hard as any body could do. it would certainly be considered a liberal compensation. Dabney says he would not desire any thing better than that his mother would give him the same. he would never ask her for any thing more and indeed if the thing succeeds it will not be in her power to give any one of her children so much as she has given to Wilson. if it does n[ot succeed?] why she will be the only losee loser. as for Roberts barg[ain] [. . .] a better one I think he is entitled to it being the s[. . .] of the scheme, and having encountered all the [. . .]

I expect to be frozen this winter. this is a desperate cold [h]ouse if you do not hear from me you may guess that [the] torpor has come on but as yours is such a snug little [. . .]am place I shall expect from mamma two for one. I wrote last week. so you see I improve kiss your children for me I hope they remember they have such an aunt. Margaret has been planing this evening how she will make all the ladies cry when she gets big by the beauty of her dress which she is to get from England. so you see what trouble I have in store if there is no money