It must seem strange to you, that you should not have had an answer from me to a Letter that you favourd me with so long agoe as the 27th of Jany last. But it is owing to a strange Concurrence of unlucky Indidents. In the first place, the Post master of 7 Oaks, the most negligent in his Line of Christendom, it coming in my Absence, let it lay in his office, and did not convey it to me in Town till near a Month after, from that Time to This, We have been daily thinking of you, and talking of you, and I proposing to reply, if I had not heard from an intimate Friend of Dr. Price’s, for Two Months, that you were expected here weekly, in a private, if not a Publick Character. The same thing was for a long Time confirmed to me by that worthy Man Mr. West, The King’s Printer, but at last, I hear I have been misled, and for a fortnight past, I have been looking out for a safe private hand to convey these trifling Lines, which are no longer Penal here, and it would not matter if were published upon the Pont Neuf, and yet I do not know how, a certain delicacy, not knowing what     of Heart might take place in Them, restrained me from addressing you, unless I could secure Them from the Curiosity, and Enquiry, that I thought Your Name on the Superscription of a Letter would for some Time naturally exicte. If You have any Channel of Confidence, do me the Favour, in answer to This, to let me know how I shall use it, and how direct to You. Our Post Master is removed by Death, and a better succeeds. A Letter to me may come hither, or be addressed to Great Ormond Street Queens Square, where having given my House in Downing Street to my Younger Son on Marriage, We have lived for these Three Years in a House built on the Site of Powis House, a very airey Situation looking out to Hampsted, and agreeing with my Wife better than the lower Situation of Westminster, altho’ We had the opening to the Park.

It gives us the greatest Pleasure that you are so well at your age, and We most ardently hope that the same Providence and all ruling Power, which has made You the Instrument of effecting such great Things, will continue your Life, Health and Vigour of Mind for some years, to perfect Them, and crown them with Order, Counsel, and Stability.

My Wife and Mother are full of Esteem and affection for you, much concerned to be disappointed of the proposed pleasure of seeing you, and so is all my Family. My Sons desire me to convey every Mark of Respect from Them.

Poor Mrs. Deane dyed at this place Three Years agoe. Her Grief for the Loss of Her Husband The General soon caused Her to follow Him.

Mr. Chambers and The Younger Ladies His Sisters are all well and happy, and often joyn Us in affectionate, and honourable Mention of You.

Your Reflections on Matrimony are true and just. Youll be pleased to find We think as you do on the Subject, and that my Eldest Son has, with in this Fortnight, enterd into the State in a manner quite to my Min, with a young Lady whom He had known, and thought favorably of for some years, a Match of Reason neither produced by Interest and the Love of Money nor by sudden Youthful Passion, so that nothing can bid fairer for a reasonable Share of the Comforts that Union affords.

I have the Comfort, in having finished this Business, to have wound up all the Great Concerns of my Family.

If America pays me any part of my Debt, as I think from the many good Characters I know among Them, She will, I will celebrate Their Justice and Fidelity. If not, I am too old, and far advanced on my Journey to let those Concerns make me uneasy, I will forgive Them with all my Heart and content myself with what is left, which I hope is quite enough for the rest of my Road. I shall never think of new Enterprizes, and conpensating myself for the past, but by endeavouring to gain, in Aquanimity, what I have lost in Money, and calmly wynding up my Bottoms. Tho my Relations and Partners Mr. Chambers and Mr. Rolleston, from their difference of age and Situation my take a different Course and act another part. If you should see the Comte De la Touche please to make my Complements to Him, and let Him know I remember Him with great Respect. I am as all my circle is Dear Sir Your most affectionate and devoted