Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

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 4½ 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.