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My dear friend,

I was sitting in the humble apartment appropriated to domestic
purposes. The clock had given notice of the finished hour, and his finger
had begun to point to the decennery X, and give the signal that “demurely
waked the Sleepers” and reminded the watchful of retirement: My eyes
were fixed upon the glowing embers. The neck-encircling Muslin was remov^‸ed
My knees, unbuttoned and ungartered, my feet half-unslippered was
basking at the fire their Cotton-covered so^‸ales. Expectation which had
long been casting an impatient eye towards Wilmington, being now o'er wea
=ried and over whatched; Fancy weary of contemplating forms of sable
hue and weeping aspect: turning with knitted brows from the dreary
survey of a flat stale unprofitable day, endeavoured to rescue a few
moments from the power of unquiet melancholy, by straying far be=
=yond the confines of the visible world, and gazing on the brighter models
of moral and intellectual, of social and political perfection, which a
lunar region or planetary hemisphere may exhibit, when the welcome
voice and well known footstep of our friend recalled me from my
reverie, and converted my visionary raptures into real satisfaction

Your philosophy is able to perform wonders. Malignant Chance
or unpropitious destiny can hardly muster ^{‸ a troop} of disasters sufficient
to vanquish it. I am therefore not very anxious on your account, and
doubt ^{‸ not} but you will find resources in your own company, that will
preserve you from melancholy till our Samuel returns to you.

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It is inconcievable to me how you preserved yourself from freezing
the day on which you left us. The cold was excessively severe with us. The
wind which was keen beyond the power of a Razor Maker to equal it
reminded me of the description in the Revelations of a Gigantic figure
from whose Mouth there issued a sharp two-edged sword. I could not
but admire the consternation and hubbub which a sudden and powerful
blast produced in a croud of sapless leaves (the spoils of Autumn), which
the vagrant winds had driven for protection into a corner of the State house
Mall, “He blew with his wind and they were scattered.”

Samuel gives a strange account of the effect of the cold upon
you, and of your first appearance on your arrival at Wilmington. The very
juices of your hair was ‸^ere frozen. Each one was coated with frost, and standing
bolt upright and separate from his nearest neighbor, made it a task
infinitely below omnipotence “to number the very hairs of your head.”
You indeed endeavoured to speak, but as to your words it was impossible
to hear them untill he had thoroughly warmed them by the fire, and
that he actually saw them dangling from your lips in the form of
Icicles. The very sight of you, bound, as you were, in icy fetters, and absolut
=ely pertrified with cold, would have converted the beams of Sirius into
drops of snow~

A long interval my friend. E.H. Smith I have heard from
since. His friend Dunlap has been here these ten days. I am very sorry you
were not here, to treat him with Civilities due to his character.

Wilkins I believe is well. I have not seen him but once or twice for
a few minutes since your departure. His engagements ingross the whole of his
time. I must however I suppose congratulate him. If in grasping at gain


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he does not lose his health or his friends, he may be esteemed happy. Without compe=
=tence there is no enjoyment, when that is obtained, we may sit down and reap the
fruits of our industry in repose and leisure. Alas! Such is the philosophy of the
moment, which experience has so often confuted that the contrary is in my opinion
an infallible and unexceptionable maxim. He that Sets out with this view will
never live to execute it. Yet perhaps I falsely estimate happiness or dignity.
The Amassing of Wealth is at least as meritorious as quiet Inactivity. He that is
done working for himself will find a plea fo perseverance in the duty which
he owes his family. While he should be enjoying the present he is catering for
posterity. Nay is not such catering at length become the sole enjoyment of which
he is capable.

Ça ira, ça ira, &c ~

Adieu,