Altho’ I have not had a line from you since I wrote you last I can not so easily give up your correspondance & will run the risque of incurring your momentary displeasure by breaking in upon your more agreeable engagements. Having lived in a degree of Intimacy with you since our first acquaintance you must not be surprized if I can not be checked by your not punctually answering my letters & to be candid with you if you mean to drop a troublesome correspondant you must absolutely forbid my writing you. But this I flatter myself that you will not do as you would not willingly deprive me of so capital a pleasure altho it may be attended with some little trouble to yourself. You will, now, give me leave to enquire into the appearance which our affairs make in the American world. In this quarter of the globe their brilliancy seems encreased, and before long we may expect to see our Country freed from a ravaging war. The English papers shew us, that Ministry, upon a late question for continuing an offensive war in America, have only had a majority of one—Our successes seem to have had a very good effect, and adverse fortune upon the side of the British, hath so far opened the eyes of that Nation, that they seem almost convinced of the impossibility of conquering a nation of free men. Could they have been brought to acknowledge this Truth some years a gone, they might have saved many millions, and we should have been at this time reaping the fruits of emancipation. It is reported here that St. Kitts hath surrendered to the Marquis de Bouille—Whether this is true you can best determine I hear also that a large embarkation hath taken place at Brest for America. If this is true British property must tremble & another campaign will be quite as much as she can with prudence risque.

Has the Marquis de la Fayette sailed for America, or has the Alliance not as yet returned from her Cruize. The Marquis’s reputation stands, I suppose, high in the opinion of his Sovereign, and the path of preferment in his own Country must now be open to him. His Countrymen must allow him foresight, for to suppose that he was spurred on by the love of Liberty, to act the part he took in the present Contest, would but ill accord with the principles he must have imbibed in his Childhood. In his return he will be accompanied, no doubt, by a large suite who would wish to gain Laurels by His side, for success is in the opinion of an unthinking world the greatest ornament of a military character. As I imagine that you must have been long since fatigued wt. my letter, I will wish you a good night in begging my most respectful compliments to your grandfather & assuring you of my being Sincerely Yours