It gave me great Pleasure, my dear Friend, to recieve your kind Letter of Congratulation, as it prov’d that all my old Friends in Boston were not estrang’d from me by the malevolent Misrepresentations of my Conduct that had been circulated there, but that one of the most esteemed still retained a Regard for me: Indeed you are now almost the only one left me by Nature, Death having, since we were last together, depriv’d me of my dear Cooper, Winthrop and Quincy.

I have not receiv’d the Letter you mention to have sent me with some Memoirs, under Cover to Dr. Price. I must have left Europe before they got to his Hands; but he doubtless send them to me by the first convenient Opportunity. It was not necessary to make any Apology for the Liberty you say you have taken in those Memoirs in making Observations on my Querries upon Light, for I am sure they will help me to understand it better, and that must make them agreable to me. I shall be glad to see the whole Volume which you are so kind as to promise me; and I hope in the Course of a few Months to be able to make Returns, in a second Volume of our Memoirs now in the Press.

I sent to you some Weeks since by Mr. Gerry Dr. Jeffries’s Account of his Aerial Voyage from England to France, which I receiv’d from him just before I left that Country. In his Letter that came with it, he requests I would not suffer it to be printed, because a Copy of it had been put into the Hands of Sir Joseph Banks for the Royal Society, and was to be read there in November. If they should not think fit to publish it, as I apprehend may be the Case, they having hitherto avoided meddling with the Subject of Balloons, I shall be glad to have the Manus. return’d to me; in the mean time I thought it might afford some Amusement to you and to your Society. My Acquaintance with Dr. Jeffries began by his bringing me a Letter in France, the first thro’ the Air from England.

With best Wishes of many happy New Years to you and good Madam Bowdoin, I have the honour to be, Dear Sir, Your Excellency’s most obedient and most humble Servant