Martha Jefferson Randolph to Jane H. Nicholas Randolph
| [31 July 1818] |
Your letter My Dear Jane has relieved My mind from a weight of anxiety that would most effectually have bannished sleep I had figured to my self Jefferson seriously ill too much so to leave home & alone. and had torment[ed] my self in to hysterics when your welcome note arrive[d] Ellen has a great deal of fever to night but not half as much as the last, her head is less painful and her other complaint is also a little better than it was. my sovereign remedy rice gruel which Dear little Peg quarreled with so much has evidently relieved her from much pain and kept up her strength without encreasing her fever as food of [. . .] kind does during a fever and I believe it was the only thing she could have kept on her stomach adieu the girls & my self join in tender love to you & the children and [. . .] shall exercise our wit, so try to get to see you all. Ellen & Cornelia send their love to Sarah the other girls and my self unite in the very sincere wish of becoming better acquainted God bless you My Dear Daughter your most affectionate
tell Jeff his Grand Father’s alcove is most temptingly cool and an elegant campeachy chair at the foot arranged expressly for his accommodation the girls have had a celebrated writing master, Benjamin Owen Tyler who sent Papa the declaration of independance and having nothing else to do the day he spent with us he insisted upon teaching them to write secundem Artem and to make pens scientifically since which I have never been able to write a word in my poor way. Papa arrived safe and without much fatigue but the commissioners do not meet till to morrow and begin business on monday. adieu I am afraid you will think Mr Ts lessons have introduced as much confusion in my head as among the finger of the family