Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

I was not a little delighted by th receiving a second letter from my dear brother, for I was really beginning to be seriously apprehensive least I should never again have that honour, that you might have no excuse for [. . .] dropping the correspondence, I had determined to answer yours the day after receiving it, but I went to church in the morning, intending to devote the evening to you, but aunt Smith insisted on my going home with her to dinner, and after dinner Dabney would’nt let me rest till I agree’d to go to Montibello with him, Sidney being out there, we found quite a party assembled there, aunt & uncle general; Sidney & Edward, miss Spear & Jerome Bonaparte, who has just arrived in this country, or at least in this place, he has been at Philadelphia three or four weeks, the reason for his coming over is kept a proper secret, the conjectures on the subject are innuerable, the general impression is that he is to marry Joseph s Bonapar[te’s] daughter who is with her father he went to his house immediately on landing & staid there three weeks, I like the boy very much he has rather too much of the Patterson conceit about him to be sure but that is the fault of his education, but he is so amiable in his temper so affectionate in his disposition, & withal so much like John when he smiles that a body ca’n’t help liking him, I do not think that he is remarkably clever & he does not look as if he would ever be a great man I fear that his mother will be disappointed in her ambitious views for him, he was in Bonn this winter and they were anxious there that he should take the title of prince, but he insisted on continuing [. . .] Mr; the most astonishing thing is that his mother has not come over with him—

I spent last week at Attamasco with mamma & sister Polly, cousin Sam came up for me on Saturday and to my great regret I was forced to leave them I did not regret it long though for I had a most delightful ride down, and any quantity of fun since I got here, we went to the theater on monday night and you can form no idea of any thing so delightful I was almost frantick, ’twas with the greatest difficulty that I could keep my seat, and only think I will not be able to go again this [. . .] season, Oh I could cry my eyes out about it, if I were only rich how much more fun I should have! besides the play there were millions of beaux to talk to us—[. . .] We were invited to a party last night and all had our hearts set on going & every thing prepared, when aunt Carr took a freak into her head, and advised her daughters not to go, they immediately gave up all thought of the party, & [soon?] against our will we had to stay at home, you may thank your stars that you were not [. . .] near us for you never saw such a set of vixen as we were. I could have given aunt C— a good beating, she had no earthly reason for not wishing us to go, but that she heard Alicia would be there & she is so jealous of her beauty that I do not think she will ever be willing for her girls to go wher[e] A— does, I foresee a great deal of trouble for them next winter; I think that she treats the girls shamefully about Alicia they are both very much attached to her & she to them, & aunt C— never sees them together that she does’nt take to her bed or have the dismals for a week, I am sure that she will effectually break up all sort of intimacy between them, indeed she has almost done it already

Mamma & sister P— will be down on friday and we do not expect to stay here more than a week after; Oh how delighted I shall be to see you all! I beleive that she has written to give directions three weeks ago, at what time & how you shall send for us, she bid me tell you that you must follow those directions to the letter & not to forget to send back Sam Hs saddle—

Goodbye I have innumerable morning visits to pay & the girls say its time to dress