Your letter of the 12th was not answerd whilst I was in Phila. in consequence of my not receiving until a day or two before I left it, a conclusive reply from Mr Waln to my application respecting your sons.

Messrs Willing & Francis consent to receive the oldest of the boys into their counting house, & Mr Willing, to whom I spoke upon the Subject, expressed the pleasure it would afford him to oblige you. He thinks that the age of 16 is full early for a young man to enter upon this branch of education, considering that his preceding years ought to be employed acquiring a thorough knowledge of arithmetic, Geography, mathimatics, &c, and particularly he advises that his writing Should be attended to. It is probable therefore that in about 4 years John will be ready to commence his professional Studies with these gentlemen.

Mr Waln will with pleasure receive your other son, if when he arrives at the age of 16, his (Mr Waln's) mercantile pursuits should be sufficiently extensive to make his counting house an eligible situation. He says that the precarious state of the commerce of this Country has for several years past induced him to contract his mercantile concerns & to confine them principally to the india & China trades, which do not require that constant attention so indispensable in a counting house where young men are to be educated. One or both of his eldest sons are intended for merchants; the oldest is about 15 & will probably commence his study of this profession next year. He intends if circumstances will permit, to extend his business when he arrives at the age of 21.

The half pipe of wine is secured for you. Be so good as to direct me how to contrive it to you. Should there be no vessel going from Alexa. direct to Richmond, Shall I send it to Norfolk, whence you can get without difficulty, & if so, to whose care shall I consign it? I would advise you to incur the trifling expense of having it cased, to protect it from plunder on its passage. you have a right to pay in a bill if you chuse; but Mr Cazenove, the agent of Murdock &. being directed to lay over the mony arising from the few pipes of wine sent in flour, requests as a favour that we will pay in mony at the rate of exchange, which <I> beleive is below par. I will apprise you in time wh<en> your bill will become due. I am my dear Sir very sincerely & affectly yrs