Thomas Jefferson Randolph to Jane H. Nicholas Randolph

My dearest Jane

I am once more so far on my way back to my own dear home; rendered dear to my me by my dearest wife & our little ones. When I shall fairly get under way for home them, as yet I know not: the tickets are nearly all ready we shall come out with the prospectus next week and tickets offered at once for sale. I can then probably see my way more clearly. In the mean time I keep my self as well as I can from ennui by running about to see the lions as they call the wonderfull thinn things of each place. You must not be affronted when I tell you I have been very often taken for a young gentlemen, unmarried. altho as yet I have been true & faithfull. at Boston I recieved every kindness & attention from my brother Joe: indeed he devoted himself exclusively to me riding all the morning over the most beautifull country I ever saw and dining out every day at from half past four to six dressed off in pumps, silks, &c. I have been so much among entire strangers that my embarrassed feeling & manner has entirely disappeared. and I feel as easy as an old shoe to my mind at present the most apt comparison that can occur being cramped for a month in new boots and tight pumps. the thoughts of an old shoe is to my bruised and injured toes the most gratefull of all reminiscences1 Concieve Mr Randolph of Virginia dining at the great houses all drawing back for him to hand the lady of the house to dinner & being in the seat of honor on her right & cccc. such splendor I never [. . .] saw. houses whose furniture alone cost $40.000. a man who is worth $50.000 has $10.000 of it in furniture. My brother Joe, as arrant aristocrat as ever lived and a devoted & reverential admirer of wealth & splendor was surprised & somewhat mortified at the little notice I appeared to take at of cut glass2 & silver &c with which their tables groaned. I ate the dinner drank, the wine made myself perfectly easy & comfortable and could not recount any of the pretty costly things when I got home. I can say with truth that I coveted nothing; [. . .] & wished not once crossed my mind to exchange my situation with any that I saw, if I succeed I concieve my situation far better for me than their. altho perhaps the situation of many gentlemen I saw is as desirable as wealth, education (here I do envy them) the elegancies of life can make them. The greatest of all their advantages consists in their education which their wealthy mercantile men have beyond any I have ever seen. I shall be in Baltimore by the 5 or 6th of may. where god grant I may meet you or as soon there after as possible. I must try to get home by the 20 or 25.

your devoted husband
Th J Randolph
RC (ViU: ER); addressed: “Mrs Thomas J. Randolph near Charlottesville Albemarle county Virginia”; stamped; postmarked New York, 25 Apr.”
1Manuscript: “remnisciences.”
2Manuscript: “class.”
Date Range
Date
April 25, 1826
Collection
Repository