I have been here precisely a week, on account of the friendship I met with from Welpielmann, the famous Professor here, & other persons of merit & Learning with whom I have become acquainted: however, I should have this day proceeded to Deux ponts, had not a difficulty occurred, which must defer my fulfilling my intentions, till I am favored with an answer to this letter.

To avoid carrying much money, I had depended on my recommendations procuring the acceptance of my Bills on London; however, on an application to Mr. Frank, the Banker, the Gentn: to whom Mr. Grand was so obliging as to give me a line of recommendation, I find it will be impossible to proceed, unless I have Bills with me. This being the case, I take the liberty to request you will be so obliging as to offer the under Bill, of 1000 Livres Tournois to Mr. Grand, & request a Bill for that Amount on Mr. Frank of this Place, in my favor, who will give me Bills on different Places in Germany. I shall this day inform my friends of the Step I have taken; & request them to forward to me at Cassel where I expect to be in about six weeks, In John Herries’s Travelling Bills, to prevent any future dilemma.

This city being Mr. Hoffmann’s native Place, You may suppose I have made every enquiry in my power respecting his character & situation. His Character is very respectible, altho’ he has met with a misfortune, which in general greatly hurts [?] Man in the general estimation.—He is a Bankrupt, but as it seems to be owing to accidental misfortunes, he preserves the esteem of his fellow Citizens. Mr. Hoffmann had formerly the Bailliage, or was Judge over 13 Villages; which charge he sold, to establish himself as a Merchant in this City; The great object of his Commerce was the Red from the Plant called the Madder, with which he had large tracts of Lands planted. The Red he exported to England, & was in a fair way of acquiring an immense fortune, when the War broke out between France & England. The Capture or detention of his Cargoes; the daily expense he was obliged to be at, in the culture of his Lands, at the same time that all income & export was stopt; & perhaps other circumstances, obliged him a little more than a Year since, to give up his Effects to his Creditors. His Counting House is still open, & his Creditors settling his affairs, but am uncertain whether The Peace will wind them up. His discovery is known here, but not encouraged.

I beg my most affectionate & respectful Comps. to Dr. Franklin & Mr. & Mrs. Jay, who I hope are in a better state of health than when I left Paris; & remain with great esteem, Your sincere friend & obliged Sert.