I am honor’d with your Letter of the 23d Inst. It gives me Pleasure to learn that you think your Health so much improved, as to be no longer an Obstacle to your entering engaging in Rural Pursuits.—I regret I did not stay a few Days longer at Princeton, that we might have enter’d into the Details you now wish—and which could have been better discussed in Conversation than by Letter—To tell you the Truth, Sir, I had no fixed Plan to propose to you—but having heard so advantageous an Acct of your Knowledge & Skill in farming—I was desirous of putting my Place in the Jersies under your immediate Direction—& thereby acquiring myself some Knowledge of Farming:—But as to an Agreement between us—being unacquainted with your Views; I rather wishd you to have informed me what would be agreable to you: the only Idea I had myself was this.—That as your Health was rather in a precarious State—if you would not wish to enter into any Engagement that might be obligation on yr part either as to Duty or Residence. But, that as you were strongly attracted to a Country Life, it might probably be agreable to you, ’till your health was re-establish’d, to find a healthy and pleasant situation, where you & Mrs. Pyne might live free from any Expence, and where you might amuse yourself with the Management of a Farm. This Sir was the Idea I had when I waited on you at Princeton—And the favorable Sentiments I conceived in that short Interview, of yourself & amiable Consort, make me still more desirous that some Arrangement may take place between us. promising myself as much Pleasure from your Society as advantage from your Skill in Husbandry. but as it is possible the above Plan may not suit you—& not being willing to trust the agreable Prospect I have formed to but one chance—I shall take the Liberty of making you another Proposal which as your Health is so much improved, may perhaps suit you better, as it will certainly be more advantageous.—But that you may the better form an opinion first it may not be amiss to give you some Acct of the Estate—it cannot however be very particular as it is but lately I am in Possession of it—and I am very ignorant of such Matters. it was divided originally into three Farms amounting in all to near 600 Acres: It is view’d the most pleasant & healthy Situation near Burlington, whence it is distant only 4 miles & ½. On the Place formerly Strawberry hill there is a Farm house with every Conviency for a Farmers Family besides a Parlour and one or two Chambers built adjoining It There is also a large Barn, Stables Shead &ca for Cattle & a neat brick dairy with a Pump of fine Water and every other necessary. Near the house is a large orchard of the best Apples—and a tolerable good Garden, The soil of this Portion of the Estate is various for the most Part a mixture of Clay & Loam, some parts black Mould) others particularly near the River sandy.—The first kind I am told produces fine Crops of Wheat, Rye and Barley, & the latter good Oats Rye and Indian Corn. The Greatest Part of the Front on the River is a high sandy Bank and a sandy Bottom parts to low Tide Here Fishermen draw their Nets in the Shad Season, and catch great Quantities of that and other Fishs There is likewise a Wharf, but now much out of Repair; on which there was formerly built one of the largest Ships that saild from Philadelphia. It now is used as a Landing Place for the Neighbourhood, and has a small Frame House near it. The other Farm Bordens, has on it a good Orchard, Barns & a large Frame House three Story high with three Rooms on a Floor, The Land in general is better both for Grass & Wheat than the other Farm, and has a Run of Water capable of Being made to water a great Part of it in dry Weather. The Bank Meadow of the two Farms is about 25 or 30 Acres in one Body: and the Banks are in good Repair & cannot easily be injured by the Musk Rats, as my Father at a great Expence had the whole of it Trench’d or open’d in the middle below low Water Mark and filled with Sand; so that when freshes have made Breaches in the Neighbours Banks, by the Water working through the Musk Rat Holes, his stood uninjur’d. By means of Flood gates in the Bank the whole Meadow can be laid under Water, at any Time. This Meadow will supply great Quantities of Hay for feeding Cattle or Sheep, or for Sale at Philadelphia to which there is a Water Carriage of [?] The 2 Farms there is I believe better than 200 Acres of Wood-Land, most Part of which was of formerly [?] fine [?] & contain’d 40 head of Deer whence the Place derived its present name of Franklin Park. Eleven Acres on the Banks of the be small farm called Swaines, is for the most Part poor & sandy but produces Rye & Indian Corn. & might be easily improved, by covering with the Mud of the Creek that borders it on one side or with the Mud of the River near the Bank Meadow. The House on this Farm is small—but lets easily as do the others near the Warf to labouring Men, who generally pay their Rent by working on the Farm.

This is all I can recollect worth mentioning relative to the Estate—I now come to my second Proposition which as briefly told That you take the whole of the Estate—or Part,—for one, or more Years—entirely to yourself, be at all the Expence of it, & pay me the Amount of half the whole Produce & moreover allowing me & my sert. the Liberty to board and lodge in your Family—and keep three horses free of Expence. As to the Banks of the Meadow which perhaps might intimidate you, I consent that The keeping them in Repair shall be entirely at my Expence as also the Repairs necessary to the several Houses & Barns—I need not enter into greater detail at present, should the Proposition suit you generally we can fix it more precisely hereafter. Agreements of this nature are I understand common in this Country, and are found equally advantageous to both Parties—: I should imagine it would be peculiarly so to you—since you do not for the present chuse to purchase Lands.—However, Sir, if we cannot agree on either of these Propositions perhaps we might on some other you may project.—I hope I shall be early honor’d with a Letter from you on the Subject—& that it may coincide with my Wishes—But whatever may be the Result I beg you will consider me as being, with great Truth & Regard Dear Sir, your most