Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

You will hardly be more surprised at the date of this letter than I am my self, so firmly resolved was I not to come, under existing circumstances. but Mr R—. thought there were reasons for it even stronger than mine [. . .]. like another Themistocles he over powerd them and brought me down sorely against my own judgement and here I am likely to be till christmas. he begged me to tell you that nothing but the pressure of public business prevented his answering your letters, and that he will sign the bond as soon as it is sent—tell Gouverneur “the dear old patriarch” never used his bow. it was made at Monticello by an indian one,¹ of monstrous size that may have belonged to some chief or hero of the nation. the arrows were indian [. . .], except the points which being were triangular stones clumsily tied on, to one of them I substituted an african point, and to the other a silver one, made at Monticello after the same model (african)

I am very much obliged to you for the wire though it was unfortunately² too coarse, from the circumstance of the spools being numbered 9 9, 10, 11, 12, at one end, and 1, 2, 3, 4, at the other which was the real size. but dont let that disturb you My Dear Sister as I had an opportunity to Philadelphia immediately after, and being in Richmond my self I can search the shops here also. it is almost impossible to get it as fine as the harpsichord requires from the circumstance of it’s going many numbers higher than the piano—V. Cary is here she begs to be affectionately remembered to you. she would have written to you her self, but her health has been so bad of late that she has not had spirits or strength to do any thing. her indisposition is no more however than is incident to an advanced state of pregnancy, which is her unfortunate case at present. there will not be more than 12 or 13 months between her two last children she is much benefitted by the journey as she always is by exercise and change of air. my two little ones that I have with me are now in the height of the whooping cough with which they were taken just before I left home. adieu My Dear Sister I have so many other letters to write that I am obliged to quit you