Mary Trist Jones Tournillon to Nicholas Philip Trist
| My Dearest Nicholas | April the 22d 1821 |
Your Father intends writing as soon as he knows that mr Nott has received two hundred dollars which he sent him to be remitted to you, but I am so unhappy about Browse whose last letter was dated the 2d of February that I cannot resist expressing my anxiety to you In your last you observed he did not mention the state of his health when he wrote, in Virginia he was so surrounded by friends that I felt almost as if he was under my own eye but since his arrival [. . .] in Philadelphia I have not been at ease, it is a dangerous and disagreable situation at his age to be in a large City among strangers besides I have so had an opinion of the manuals morals of all who come from that Island though I have great confidence in my Browse I would be much happier if he was under the roof with some person who I know would take care of him in sickness and health, this inquietude makes our seperation very painful, I received a letter from Lewis Livingston last month inclosing the letter one you wrote to me immediately after parting with him, I have not a very good opinion of Mrs C—n though I am not personally acquainted with her and I make every allowance for Mr D—e description of her who you know caricatures every person except his own family but her voluntary seperation from her husband for two years proves her at least an heartless woman which I think the moust unfortunate ticket a man can draw in that great lottery, I can easily believe that [she] is attracting as I have no doubt she has learnd in perfection the art of coquetry and the toilette from her friends in Orleans. I will give you an extract from Lewis‘s letter “about every lady in town has been affected with what is called in the influenza1 a complaint which is not the less serious from the mildness of its name it has laid hold of me with great violence and has gradually changed into a regular intermittent fever which I think I shall not be able to throw off without a change [. . .] I shall therefore undertake some time this week a ride into the Country which if I find befneficent I may probably extend as far as your hospitable roof” Last week a gentleman from town told me he heard that he was dying in the last stage of a Consumption—I am surprized you had not received your sword which went in the Phebe Ann in January directed as you instructed—we are as well as the Changes of the atmosphere will admit for we are sitting by fires [. . .] dear Nicholas may heaven preserve and restore my dear Sons healthy and happy to their affectionate family