Permitt me, as I very sincerely do to Join the General voice of Congratulation on your revisiting your Native Country and Favorite City.

After a Life spent so much to the Benefitt of mankind in General, and your country in Particular, I did Expect you would have been permitted to enjoy that Repose which a Gentleman of your advanced age doth require.

It might indeed have lessend your usefullness, but I do not like any Idea which may endanger your Tranquility.

I thank you Sir for so kindly enquiring after our happiness; We should Indeed be very ungreatfull to Providence to Complain. We have much more reason to be thankfull.

In complyance with my Familys inclynation, more than my own, we have removed from our retreat in the country, and since the peace, settled again in this City, where we have enjoyd good health, and are happy in the society of my Family, my son, and our Friends.

But while we feel these Benevolent smiles of Providence, we have had to bear a heavy affliction in the death of my second son, who was very Agreably settled in Georgia, and who Possessd and very Justly merited, our warmest and Tenderest Affection. My second Daughter whome you saw when last at my house is lately married to Major Penderton a Young Gentleman bred to the Law, of an amiable character, and Flattering Prospects, in the state of Georgia. Thus my Friend is Human Life checguard.

I have a pleasure in acquainting Doctor Franklin with these Circumstances of my Family as I know he takes a Friendly share in its happy or unfortunate events.

We have not had so much of Mr. Franklins company as we wished owing to his numerous Ingagements, but I observe with Pleasure the traces of my Friends Countenance, his Speech, his manner, and Scientific Mind transmitted down when even his hand writing is so much like yours and his Fathers that it is difficult to distinguish them. I know, by Experience I thank God, what pleasing sensations a Parent feels, when he finds his precepts and Instructions to his children, are, in the language of Scripture sown in that good ground which brings some thirty, some sixty and some an hundred fold.

It was with great pleasure I heard from Mr. Franklin that you had lately been more at ease from your painfull Complaint, God grant a continuance of your relief.

Mrs. Bard on reading my letter begs she may be a subscriber to every affectionate wish for your ease and Happiness