Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

I intended to have written you a long letter to day my Dear Virginia but I went with the girls to pay Miss Campbell a visit, & I we return’d late, & have dinner early that Mann may go to Tufton this evening, he by him I must send my letter to the post, and so I have a very short time to write it in. [. . .] I went to see Miss Campbell not from any desire to pay her any attention as you may suppose, but merely for my own pleasure. the day was fine, & I heard they had a beautiful prospect from their house, & thought the people might have something in them to amuse, nor did I forget she had not return’d your visit, but was convinc’d she had not done it because you had not invited her so to do, ignorant that in com polite company in such a case an invitation is not deem’d absolutely necessary, but the returning a visit is expected always. while we were there she brought out a little scap of paper and ask’d Elizabeth if she knew it, we look’d & found written in E’s hand “[. . .] thanks to you! I have at last found two girls, who can be happy in their own minds without that usually necessary appendage to female happinessa lo—a lover” this is the sense if not the exact words of the writing; she told us very mysteriously that she had [. . .] got it from a gentleman, but how he had procur’d it she would not tell; after much curiosity had been excited however, & much questioning & cross questioning [. . .] had passed, & as much of entreaty as g could be got out of us, it came out that [. . .] Mr Daniel had lent E. a book which when she return’d she accidentally left that piece of paper in, he gave it to Mr Downing, & Mr Downing to Miss Campbell; if it was of the least importance what those young gentlemen & ladies, the belles & wits of our county thought, I should be [. . .] pleas’d that they knew [. . .] that was our mind, & how little we car’d, for (I had almost said how much we scorn’d) for the aquaintance of the one & the attentions of the other or rather how little we regretted that we had neither—but [. . .] enough of the Daniels, & Downings, & Campbells &c. I wish I had not said so much of them for Mann is ready, & I have not written what I wish’d to write. We have not heard from mama but once, I hope to get a letter from her this evening. Cousin Beverley, Uncle Williams son, has just lost a daughter, little Susan, the finest child he had & a perfectly beautiful one. Adieu my dearest Virginia, I send this to you only to assure you how much, how very much I love you, & that you may not have cause to complain of my neglecting you again