On the Eve of my Departure from Paris I had the pleasure to receive your Letter, with the Medal &c for which I thank you—I reachd Chantilly on Sunday Evening, & arrived here on the Thursday following. My first care was to deliver the Letters & Packets, especially those from your honourd Grandsire; all which I have done, excepting that for Mr. Williams, who has quitted his Lodgings at this end of the Town, & has gone into the City, but without leaving his Direction. However I am to get it from your Father who calld on me yesterday in perfect Health, & was happy to hear of your Wellfare. He regretted the long interruption of Correspondence & hoped the Time was near at hand when it might be renewd without Impropriety &c.
You will not be suprised to hear that I quitted Paris with Regret for many reasons. I was sorry to leave the Business unfinish’d, for which Mr. O & I came over, & sorry to quit a most respectable Society, whose kindness to me I shall ever remember with Gratitude. On my arrival here I found reason to lament, that I had not staid at Paris, at least some days longer: You may recollect that I had the honour, (last Autumn at Passy) of introducing to your Grandfather, my friend & neighbour Mr. George Hesse of the Pay Office, who is a very liberal minded, polite, hospitable man, & a great Protecteur des Etrangers:—Mr. Hesses house in the Adelphi is now repairing and enlarging: whilst this work is going forward, his Wife Mrs. Hesse, a most amiable & accomplish’d woman, takes the Oppertunity of passing a few months at Paris among French Society, in order to learn the Language, which she reads & understands; but does not speak it fluently. She has often heard several Persons of Fashion at her House (who came from Nice or Paris) talk very highly of Madame De Brillon, & therefore ardently wishes to be known to her. I sincerely lament that I was not at Paris at the time of Mrs. Hesse’s arrival, in order to have introduced her at Passy, at one of your charming Sunday Breakfasts: In the meantime as the next best mode, I have sent you inclosed, a Letter of Introduction to her from Mr. Hesse, which I hope you will take an early Opportunity of delivering, and of assisting her with your advice, in the prosecution of her Plan. I understand that Apartments have been taken for her at the Hotel de Suede, Rue de l’université; so you will either hear of her there, or at the House of Monsr. Mary, Banquier, Rue St. Sauveur.—
In Matters of Business, I shoud make an appology for giving you Trouble, but in the present case my dear Friend, I am sure of receiving your Thanks; as Mrs. Hesses merit & accomplishments must render her an Acquistion to any Society.
I beg you’ll present my best Respects to Dr. Franklin, and believe me ever Your’s most heartily