Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

I wou’d not trouble you So soon again but when your letter was handed to me last evening in Company of one from your Dear Mother of the 14th of April and another of the 6th instant from Mary Randolph and with pleasure I inform you that all our friends were well your Mother speaking of you and your Brother she says that she is truly happy at the many happy hours ye [procure?] for her for she always hears of you both in a manner to make her heart throb with satisfaction, your Friend Donalson was then in Orleans and spoke of you with all the enthusiasm of a young and affectionate heart and she gave me an extract from a letter of Mr Notts—she says I am sure it will afford you pleasure to find that he is not negligent in what he owes him self and others “I received a letter from your eldest Son in reply to my making him the last remittance, from the Style of his writing I would pronounce him an accomplish’d youth from whom much is to be expected:[”] I give you this extract not by way of flatterin[g] but to operate on your mind to determine your future conduct never to do any thing that will give pain to the heart of such a Mother by going into foreign service if you shoud be disappointed in your present hopes of establishing your self—do nothing rashly My beloved Nicholas or imbitter your own reflections by giving pain to those that are interested in your Welfare I speak disinterestedly for I dont expect after we seperate ever to see you again for the climate of Louisiana has been fatal to your Grand Father and Father but it may not prove so to you but I grow so infirm that I cant expect to live much longer nor do I wish it if I am to suffer as much pain as I have done the last two or three days with the Rheumatism in my back I am never intirely free from it, but life is not to be desired longer than one can enjoy it I have been accustom to disappointments and have learnd to bear them with some degree of fortitude, but if I am disappointed in the hopes I entertaind of your self and Brother I shou’d not destroy my self, tho life wou’d not be desireable, yours and yours Brothers happiness and welfare is near my heart, and I have friends left that are dear to me but I cant be with them all, nor have I a chance of ever visiting those I leave in this County when I go to Bedford, unless they come to see me your Mother thinks that I shall never consent to a final seperation from you and Browse and thinks I will risk another sea voyage in preference if I was in independent circumstances and cou’d keep a carriage and Horses of my own I shou’d be tempted to go to Pittsburg and go down the river but never undertake another sea voyage if I am not obliged from necessity to do it, I have a desire to see your Mother Mr Tournillon and the children but I dont calculate on having that pleasure I have not heard from Liberty since the 20th March I cant account for so long a silence as Mary promised to inform me the particulars of Mr Burwells will as soon as it came to hand I am uneasy, and shou’d be more so if it was not presumtive that the letters were sent by the Lynchburg mail and that has been robbed by the Boy who carried it once or twise and the letters scatterd after being opend in the woods he was dected¹ in the fact my letters used to come by the Staunton mail The Major has interested him self about your Book he says that it was put into a mail bag but not set down in the weigh bill and Mr Winn has written to the post master to know how he is to act, you are at any rate not obliged to take it, and you had better lose the Book than pay 26 Dollars, Mann Randolph has brought his wife up about a week since the River has been so high that no one attempted it till a few days ago when they sent the carriage for Mrs Jane Randolph and Virginia [. . .] that they are much pleased with the Lady. Frank Dyer denies that he is going to be married to Miss Alexander or even addressd her so that all the reports have vanish’d in air I expected to go next week to Pen Park and spend a few days from there to Mr Minors and from thence to visit Mrs Higginbotham she came to see me as soon as she cou’d travil I expect they have got into their new House I shall call at the Mountain on my route I make it a point to Return the visits as I receive them, none of the Ladies from the Mountain have been here tho Mary informs me that her Mama and some of the Girls intend to visit me very soon and hope to take me home with them but I shall not go till I pay some other visits the Colonel was expected up on the 7th I conclude with the best wishes of the family for your health and happiness and believe me