Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

I sent you some Sturgion (I believe three peices) by a Waterman of Coln Randolph’s, which I hope you have received safe, I expect some of the Vinagar will be lost, if so, you must fill it up again, it is a convenient dish, and I expect will keep very will in your cool cellar. As Cary Anne has decided not to come this way, I expect to have some tongues to spare, which I will send to you, by the Colns boat, the next time it comes down. I have this day received a letter from Cary Anne. she say’s that Robert did not leave Italy before the first of March, and there is no probability¹ that we shall see him before July, or August, this is a great reliefs to me as I began to be quite uneasy about him. CaryAnne expects to sett off the first of next Month direct for Warren, she will take your house in her way, where she will remain a week; this has obliged me to change my plan, which was to be at your house the Middle of next Month, I have now determined to go direct to Warren, And I think if you would make the effort, you, and your Aunt Carr, might contrive to meet us there, I shall leave this the fifteenth of next month, and carry Nelly, Ceilla, and Sidney, with me. the Carriage will return immediately for your Pappa, and the girls. This is a disappointment to me, as indeed my dear Jane, I was anxious to see you, and your dear little girls first but my family with Cary Ann’s would be too much for your house. But with the Beds that I shall send up, we can all be very well accomodated at Warren. and I must see all my little grandaughters together, once in my life. altho I believe it will be runing some risk of offending one, or perhaps both of you, as I find you are equally jealous pated, about the affections of your friends, for these dear little brats of yours. CaryAnne scarcely writes a letter that she does not murmur at the very great partiality shown to Sidney’s daughter; by your Uncle, and Aunt Smith. now I am very much inclin’d to believe that this is one half at least imaginary. And I understand that you, believed that your Pappa, even loved Ross, better than he did your Mag. Could not you recollect that he never play’d with his own Children the first year, and that he was always devoted to them the Second, and indeed ever afterwards. I think when he was with you last, he must have made his peace with you. As he came down, pronouncing Margaret, not only one of the prettiest, but the very best, and the smartest child he ever saw.

When I read your last letter, I could not imagine what “piece of delicious scandal” Sarah could have been fabricating for your amusement, for a fabrication I was sure it must be, as I had never heard any scandalous allusion, of any body. And when I came to question her upon it. O, she said you took it in a more serious way, than she intended. that she merely gave you that for want of something to say. you may be assured that Sarah has not heard the most dstant hint from any one, that Mr G is in the least particular in his attentions to your fair Cousin. for My own part I think her conduct this the last Winter is has been extremely exemplary. she has retired from all company, lived with the greatest economy, and devoted herself to her Baby. Mr G is very intimate with Peyton. and he carry’s him home with him sometimes, this your fair Cousin, brags of when she sees the girls, and in this way I presume Sall’s envy has been excited, but she say’s she only meant it for your own eye, and your own amusement, she did not intend that Mr Patterson, above all persons should have seen it. Polly has written her a lecture from him, I believe this has given her such an alarm, that she will not again venture to jest on so serious a subject. I am sorry that Elisabeth Randolph came down at the time she did. being on the other hill at Mrs Hackleys, she has had a very dull time very few ladies have visited her, My girls have been confined most of the time with very sick colds. they are both quite well now, and went over yesterday to bring with Julia Wickham to make the girls a visit, and intended bringing them over here to make some visits on this hill, and then to have brought them here to have spent the day. But unfortunately they found Elisabeth with a fever, which they believed was the foreruner of the Measles. I have not heard from her today but expect the girls will go tomorrow to see her. I have been extremely anxious to hear from CaryAnn that I might know certainly whether she would come this way or not, as I wanted extremely to invite him, and Elisabeth to st[ay?] with us until their Aunt Randolph return’d. an[d have?] only this day got her letter saying certainly that [she?] will not be in Richmond. and now poor Elizab[eth] [. . .] in the Measles. I have not time tell you h[ow greatly?] I admire her I can only say that I think he[r the most?] loveable object I have seen a long time [. . .]