Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

It is some relief to an ax anxious mind to disclose its purterbations, at least I find it so, not having Received a line from you for two months and your health not being establish’d, creates uneasiness I look for a letter from your self and Brother every month Browse has been unusually attentive for I have recd three from him in the course of a month, tho one was to inform me of his Receiving Remittances for him self and me and to know how he shou’d forwarded it, an Opportunity luckily offerd Mr Heiskill from Staunton always lays in his goods in Philad tho not an expeditious conveyence for it generally takes him about six weeks to perform the business, he has been gone three weeks and in three more I shall expect to Receive it, but I have not been distress’d for want of it as I have no mode of conveyence to get to Charlottesville Mr Diverses carriage is not yet repaired the coach maker in Charlottesville died a short time since and all my friends except Mr Jefferson and Mr Higginbotham are with out carriages the weather has been unfavorable for visiting High Winds or rain yesterday morning it was so warm that I laid aside my flannel and it clouded over and raind in the after noon at night it became cold and to day we have Winter weather with snow on the Mountains I have not seen any of the Monticello family tho I occasionally hear from them My last letter was from Ellen dated 6th instant she mentiond that Mr Sully had been there to take her Grand Papas likness and the upper part of the face was the best likeness that had ever been taken of him Sully perceived that defect in the lower part of the face and said he wou’d rectify it, when he got to Philad the Portrait is intended for W Point and you do doubt will have the Pleasure to see it they have had a good deel of Company at the Mountain a meeting of the Trustees of the University the election &cc and to close the climax an English Gentleman who has walkd 2000 miles the last two years to take a view of our Country being arrived at Washington he cou’d not of approaching so near the residence of Mr Jefferson without calling upon him and therefore step’d a 120 miles out of his road for the pleasure of paying his respects he came trotting up the Mountain with a change of clothes hanging on his arm he was prevaild on to stay all night, Ellen says that there is nothing she envys more than this power of Pedestrian exercise and she thinks it a most fatal error in the Education of either sex to deprive them by want of Practice of the natural means of Locomotion with which nature has gifted them a Virgini Lady is atmost in the situation of a Chinese Woman as far as regards walking tho not exactly from the same cause as our feet are large enough to support us, but the sedentary lives we lead have rendered this most useful and necessary exercise irksome and almost impraticable from want of habit on Friday Evening there was a Grand Tea Party at Davenports Tavern 55 Gentlemen and 60 odd Ladies the Miss Randolphs seven in number and the next morning they rode out to the University I thought they might have extended their ride and have said how D ye I have little expectation of seeing [. . .] them if Mr Jefferson goes to Poplar Forest this month which he talk’d of when I saw him last for they will have no way of coming and I shall have no way of going, I do long to go to Bedford but not hearing from there since the 20th a letter from Emma her Mother wrote me on the 14th and promised as soon as Peachey returnd from the courts which he did on the 19th that she wou’d inform me how Mr Burwell had disposed of his Slaves she heard he had made a will similar to Genl Washingtons which were to be emancipated of his Wifes death but the old Lady thought it most Prudent emancipate them immediately. Mary had been troubled with a bad head ache for several days when she wrote and my not hearing from her induces me to think that she is sick on the [. . .] I belive I mentiond in my last that John Burwell and [. . .] [Js Cooke?] were left joint Executors with Peachey [. . .] which I was glad to hear and the Guardian ship of Willi[. . .] devolves solely on Peachey, I have not had the pleasure of a line from your Dear Mother since I wrote you her last was dated 24th Feby but I am not with out hope of soon hearing from her I believe I mention’d in my last that Browse had got acquainted with several of my relations and seem’d much pleased with Sally Van wyke his fair Cousin he calls them his 99th Cousins but they are all his 3d Cousins but my being intimate with them all from infancy they appear near to me but his not visiting the Bache family is what I cant be reconciled to, it betrays such a want feeling and in consiquence of his neglect I cant offer my condolence the family here Unite in wishing you health and happiness. I do not feel very well hope when the weather is settled and I can take more exercise to feel better pray write me once a month if only to inform me of the State of your health for I wou’d not wish to obtrude on your time for taking exercise as that is essential your Self and Brother, are all my posterity [. . .] to be neglected by them is wounding me in a tender part—tho I have reason to be thankful for many blessings I am not without many painful reflections as also mortifying sensations from having experienced a reverse of fortune which denies me the pleasure of doing good to my fellow beings in these times of distress—that God may bless and preserve you is my constant prayer and believe me your ever affectionate Grand Mother