Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

My very dear Grand Son your letter of the 18th of last month I received with heart felt pleasure, last evening, tho its contents was not alltogether calculated to increase my happiness it relieved my mind from apprehensions for your safty having heard of the fever that raged in orleans and that it was extending its ravages up the Country but I hope it has not reached you I wish from the bottom of my soul that you cou’d leave that Country, it has been fatal to our family and I dread its operation on you, leave it, my beloved Browse you are young and can make your living without so much risk tho many can make their way in that climate but they happen not to be of bilious habits, you always were from your earliest Infancy subject to bilious attacks. I am too much interested in your welfare to wish you to do any thing inimical to your interest, but your existance is of too great importance to be trifled with, if you cou’d only dispose of our property in that Country and remove to a more selubrious climate it wou’d renovate my sperits which are often depress’d on your account come my beloved Grand Son and give comfort to the declining years of your affectionate Grand Mother my time is limited and am the more anxious to see you, I wrote you that I was comfortably Lodged at Parson Hatches your Brother agreed to pay him 335 Dollars a year for my Board washing and Lodging I am perfecty satisfied with my Situation tho it seems a great deal to pay I dont think it wou’d be as expensive as keeping House not having even a servant of my own I shou’d have to purchase every thing for House Keeping, the times have become hard for me, I feel my dependent situation but I ought not to complain, Nicholas is kind to me but he thinks I believe that I am extravagant for he preaches up œconomy to me but my heart does not upbraid me with any act of extravagance having had but slender remittances since your Mothers Death obliged me to get necessarys that I stood in need of on credit they have amounted to more than I had an Idea off but am detirmined never to go in debt again for I had no Idea that I was so much in arears I shou’d be very glad if you cou’d dispose of the land at Nachez and that at the Hilands of Manshack tho I dont think you can get what it cost forty years ago, misfortunes seems [. . .] to attend us. at least I consider Louisiana as being the bane of my happiness God grant that it may not be the bane of yours leave their there as soon as you can and contribute to the comfort of your devoted Grand Mother