I Rec'd your Letter Hond & D Madam by Mr Buckner yesterday, I am happy to hear by him that you are now in a good state of health— I discover from your sentiments that you are contented, & your Son most ardently hopes Happy. as happy as human nature is susceptible of amidst the innumerable ills & misfortunes to which we are liable— If it were not impious, I would say, that your portion has been large; but complaints against Providence are the result of weak minds— I verily believe that Religion founded on the purest principles has supported you in trials which would have shaken the most resolute minds & I trust that the same divine cause will never cease to inspire you with contentment & resignation in any future Event which it may please Heaven to bring about. Dont believe that I could suspect a change in your Sentiments on the all important subject of Religion— I have always revered the purity of your principles on this subject & well knowing the strength of your mind & the correctness of your Judgment, can never fear that enthusiasm or rather fanatism will appear to you necessary for the great purpose of future happiness— I well know the unwearied zeal of many of that character to make proselites, & like harpies they pray on those who weakened by affliction are least capable of avoiding their snares The regularity¹ in your family I admire, & am pleased with, because order is the Effect of a tranquil & resigned mind & contributes I am sure more than any thing else to that enviable State of contentment which is seldomer experienced than talked of. permit me to add one species of employment to those which now engross your time. Rise as early as will consist with your Ease,² & ride on Horseback before Breakfast During the summer over some of your fields, reserving time sufficient to return before the Cool of the morning has passed away. It will not only contribute to your Health, but will give a wonderful encouragement to your Labourers, who tho conscious perhaps of your inability to direct, will yet know that you can Judge of the quantity of Work which they have done. I think I see you smile at this scheme, but I am really serious for the above reasons.

     Sorrel is certainly the greatest Scoundrel that lives, & I am really glad that you have got rid of him. His Lease I brought up with me & will send you by the first safe conveyance, the present I am afraid to trust— I have Just looked over it & find that he is to pay all the Taxes on the Land— If after applying the Balance of the Tobo³ paid you for the rent of 1786 to the discharge of his Taxes any thing should still be due him, I must inform you that you are only obliged to return it to him in Tobo or the present price, because he agreed to recieve some light Tobo for it which I then had, & I can prove that he was sent for a dozen times to come for it & he always promised to do so, until having supplied himself elsewhere he refused to take mine & in consequence of keeping it for him,⁴ I lost about one half so that in Justice he is entitled to nothing.

     The Molasses sugar you are exceedingly welcome to, If you can make any use of it. I desired my Brother to do so when I left Bushfd supposing that it might do to make him Beer, & did not suppose that he had been so scrupulous as to have neglected the offer.

     this being Sunday I cannot send the articles for pickling, but as there are frequent opportunities, I will by the next forward them & also a Pott. Dont believe my dear Mother that your Son will be diffident in asking of you those favours which he thinks You can bestow without too great an inconvenience to yourself. From his earliest infancy he has been accustomed to ask & recieve favours more than Nature required you to grant or Parents commonly bestow. Habit therefore independent of other motives induces him to derive⁵ a pleasure from feeling himself under obligations to you & of acknowledging them.

     You have indeed given me great happiness in assuring me of my mistake on a certain subject. the Interest which I took in the welfare of that family rendered me more Jealous of their honour and encreased perhaps "suspicious light as air into belief as strong as holy writ." I am also glad that you have visited & been visited by them— may all family uneasiness be done away & cordiality restored. The little things of this life when viewed on the great scale of future existence seem to me so trivial, that a momentary attention to them is more than they merit.

     your Goods by Weaver I hope you have by this time recieved[.] I then informed you that every exertion should be made to raise some mony for the purpose of purchasing your chariot.

     I am very glad to hear that your wheat Barley & Clover is so fine— I think that this years crop will convince you how much more profitable it will be to sprinkle your manure on your wheat Land & give over making Tobo from which nothing will ever be made on the East Side of the Blue ridge, or at least in the lower Country. Bushfd is the finest farming tract of Land that I know & if well ditched, plowed & a little manured will be immensely profitable— Do not let me entreat you suffer your clover fields to go down—however you will be able to Estimate their value after this year— With respect to the pine Book Case, it was of no use to me where it stood & I removed it into the Study, which was sold to Mr Buckner not through mistake; the price of it he has settled with me & therefore he must have it. At the time I removed it, I had it not in contemplation to leave Bushfd & therefore considered the want of it as a Buffer was a loss, if any only to myself & indeed I had also imagined that the Walnut plank was equivalent to it— It sold I believe for 5/ or 6/. However if you will have another made & put into its place I will very willingly pay for it.

     I suppose the Glebe fills you all with melancholy— I never think of that family but my heart bleeds for them. I wish they would permit me to be serviceable to them— most willingly would I undertake the Education of their youngest Son, if such a proposition could be made with propriety— Wishing you Happiness & a long continuance of Health I am Dr & Hond Madam your very dutyful & affect. Son