I have just received a Letter from Mr. Renouard at Paris who I understand has made Application to you. I think it not unlikely that now I am absent some others may do the same, but I am sure in all these Cases you will suspend your Judgment ’till I can answer their Complaints. The Fact relating to Mr. Renouard is this. Mr. Enoch Brown of Boston come from Paris to Nantes; he told me he had laid by a parcel of Gauzes at this Mr. Renouards at Paris, who appeared by the Letters Mr. Brown showed me, to be well acquainted with him, but who was perfectly a Stranger to me. Brown desired me to write for the Gauzes for him and to pay for them when they should arrive. I accordingly wrote, and said I would remit for them. They arrived before Browns Departure and he told me I need not remit, for he had taken or would take care of it. Here ended the Business as I thought, and a long time having elapsed before I heard again from Mr. Renouard I could not have the smallest Doubt of the payment. When he made his Demand I refused it because I thought it certain that Brown had paid it, and now I can only have his assurance to the Contrary, for Brown is since dead. I have never received a farthing for these Gauzes, and as Browns Estate is sufficient to pay, I think he should apply there, for it is there only they can detect the Payment if it has been already made. He did apply there according to my advice some time since, so he is pursuing the same demand in two Ways. He wants me to admit him as my Creditor but it does not depend on me to do this, my other Creditors would not allow it. He says he has a clear legal Right, it may be so, for anything in the Law me will establish legal Right, but I do not think he has an equitable one because it was to Brown whom he knew that he sold the Gauzes, and not to me whom he did not know. I shall make it my Business to obtain for this man all I can from Browns Estate, and failing in that, I will then let others judge of his legal and equitable Rights, and make him the same divisions with my other Creditors if it is right it should be so, but in the mean Time it is wholly out of my Power to pay him anything.

I heard with great Pleasure that you have at last got your Release. Are you yet determined to go home? I am detained here in pursuit of my Debtor Mr. Moore who is expected hourly in Town, but if he does not appear in 8 days I shall go to Ireland and attack him there. I believe it could be managed to take you up at Havre when I go out, if there could be a certainty as to the moment of meeting you there. But I suspect the Government will prevent this by providing you with a Frigate. I have obtained the List of Books from Dr. Price and the order will soon be executed. I have bought the two Prints and will send them by the first Opportunity. Dr. Price has given his own works to Franklin Township gratis. I have seen the good Bishop and the Family who speak of you with the warmest affection. I spend this afternoon (which by the by does not now begin ’till 9 oClock) at his House. I thought it might be at least called spending the Evening and in America it would be the night. The People here are just as full of party and politics as ever they were, they all cry that america is crumbling to Dust by their divisions, yet they do not think that Unanimity or quarelling has anything to do with the solidity of their own Government, which is the best in the World though confessedly in confusion. America they say [remainder missing]