Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

After being denied the pleasure of hearing from you for two months I need not assure you that yr favor of the 25th was very acceptable for I began to be very uneasey, for I cou’d not suffer my self to believe that your long silence was altogether caused by indolence or indifference towards my feelings, for your heart is too benevolent to cause unnecessary pain, I dont expect one oftner than every month, but if it exceeds double that time you may easeily conceive what my feelings must be—I wrote you three letters since the 9th of Nov; your Brother left me on the 5th of Dec and accept a few lines he wrote me, date 13th at Washington in which he inform’d me that he had been detain’d five days ten miles from washington Fredrixburg with a violent cholic which the Docter pronounced a bilious cholic, he left here with a bad cold and in consiquence of the river being too high to cross till 2 oclock and two of the Horses getting loose and I suppose walking in the wet snow being out the greatest part of the night occasion’d his Illness Mr Burwell wrote me on the 15th and mention’d that Browse had recoverd from his indisposition¹ and was to set out the next day for Philad the next day but the roads must have been bad and my not hearing from him since, makes me apprehensive that he had another attack, if somthing has not been the matter with him you must certainly have heard from him, I console my self with the hope that if he deliver’d my letter to Mrs Bache that she wou’d have inform’d me if any thing had happend more than common. altho I have reason to be thankful for the many proofs of friendship I receive yet my dependence for happiness is on your Self and Brother. The Young ladies at Monticello are so kind as to give me frequent proof of their Remembrance but my last letters were dated 24th Virginia gave me a dismal account of their journey from Poplar Forest they were overtaken the day they set out with bad weather and the roads were bad and they had bad accomodations for two nights and Mr Jefferson complaind of the Rheumatism but I heard no complaints after they reach’d home. They expected Mrs Randolph home at xmass but I cant hear whether she got home the weather has been either raining or snowing and the roads so bad that I dont immagin she set out and I think she wou’d be wrong if she did Francis Gilmer writes me that she is very popular² in Richmond much admired as she can but be every where, The Governor has had a triumph as glorious he says as cou’d be over such an opposition those that were indifferent to him before became enthusiastic when they heard read the very papers which were brought up to accuse him. I was rather mortified when I heard there was a great many opposed to his [. . .] Reelection, but when I saw how large a majority he had I was satisfied Blackburn made a long speech in his favor I which I presume you saw in the Enquierer poor man he pass’d thro this neighbourhood in dismal weather he had addopted a Nephew of his Wifes whoes Mother died soon after he was born having no children they adopted him and their love for him increased with his years, he lived to manhood and after a short illness expired, Blackburn used to be an Enemy of Mr Jefferson also Brakenridge and both ever since the meeting they had on the Blue Ridge respecting the site for the University they both have become his warm friends—Virginia in her last letter beg’d when I next wrote to you to present her Remembrances and thanks for the music, she is afraid that she shall never have brass enough to accompany the Harpsicord with her voice, but the Guitar which she can practice in her room she has attempted to sing with, and on that she will learn the song you Sent her I can not but feel, regret that you shou’d ever ha[ve] made your declaration to that young ladys Mother untill you were in a situation that wou’d enable you to support a family for you can have nothing to expect with her her Grand Father will have little left after paying the twenty thousand Dollars with accumulating interest for W.N his income seldom supplied him with a sufficiency to support his establishment and every kind of produce is not worth carrying to market flour is selling in Richmond at 3½ Dollars a barrel theres no danger of any ones suffering for want bread but the times are very bad I dare say your Father finds it difficult to raise Money for your self and Brother for it appears that cotton is worth but little, I feel a repugnance receiving any thing from your Mother but I cant do with less unless I had a permanant home which makes me anxious to get to Bedford William Gilmer escorted the Negroes from Henry to Bedford Fluvanna and slept out every night on the snow with a blanket or two he walk’d the whole way and they all arrived in good health they had a waggon and five Horses but the baggage and children was sufficient load William is with his Uncle George who has an excellent Tutor a Scotch Gentleman Walker is to go to Bedford to read law under his Uncle, we expect to see Peachey in the course of this month, the earth has been coverd with snow for three days to day it begins to thaw I have no News to tell you but that on Thursday next Thos Walker Maury is to be married to Miss Clarkson Grand daughte[r] of Jessy Lewis she is 15 and he 40. I must now bid you Adieu God bless you