The Suspension of the Pacquet Boats has derang’d our Correspondence. It is long, very long since I have been favour’d with a Line from Auteuil; and Mr. de Chaumont inform’d me lately that a Number of Letters which I had sent to New York to go by the Pacquet to France, had been seen laying there many Months after, no Pacquet arriving by which they might be sent. Pray let me know whether you ever receiv’d my Remarks on the English Reasons for refusing to deliver up the Ports on our Frontiers, sent now near a Year since, in return for your excellent Guichets and Noûvelle Cométologie, with which I have most agreably entertain’d many of my Friends. I am however not without Resources in this Dearth of News from that Academy; for I often read over and over again, and always with fresh Pleasure, your and Abbé de la Roche’s pleasing and instructive Letter of July 1787. and the friendly affectionate Grifonage, as she is pleas’d to call it, of that good Dame whom we all love, and whose Memory I shall love and honour as long as I have any Existence. And I sometimes dream of being in France, and visiting my Friends there, when those of Auteuil are never forgotten.

I send you herewith a small Curiosity, some Songs and Musick of American Composition, the first Production of the kind that has appear’d here. I fancy some of the Music may suit your Taste, as it is simple and pathetic. The Poetry of one of the Songs pleases me particularly. It is the V.th. I wish you or Mr. Cabbanis would translate it so as that it may be sung to the same Notes.

The Gentleman who will have the honour of delivering you this Line, is Mr. Gouverneur Morris, formerly a Member of Congress, and one of the Convention that compos’d the Federal Constitution. He is much esteem’d here by those that know him, and being a Friend of mine, I beg leave to recommend him to your Civilities and to M. Marmontel, to whom please to present my Respects.

I hope the late Troubles in France are nearly over. Tis a Country that I dearly love, and in whose Prosperity I feel myself deeply interested.

Having now finish’d my three Years Service as President, and not likely to engage in any future publick Business, I begin to feel myself a Freeman, and to enjoy the little Leisure that the Remnant of Life may afford me. Some of this Leisure I am however employing in writing my own History, which calling past Transactions to Remembrance makes it seem a little like living ones Life over again.

I am ever, my dear Friend, with great and sincere Esteem, Yours most affectionately