I have the satisfaction to acknowledge the Rect. of your esteemed favour of the 24th. I regret to learn I sincerely & learn with regret the loss you & Mrs. Washington have Sustained by the demise of the worthy Col. Blackburn. – The moment I recd. your letter I addressed a letter to the Editor of the Lancasr. Journal. – I assure you that all the Seaport towns from Norfolk in Va to Portland in Maine have been visited by active agents beside most of the large inland towns; Mr. [Amrod?] is now returning from his eastern tour having visited most of the places of any note to the Eastward & northward of the City & altho Charleston & Savannah have had no active agent in them yet something has been done. I can bear witness to the very great difficulty of obtaining Subscribers & of selling books. The great mass of people will neither Subscribe nor purchase they get supplies from the innummerable libraries. I think would be willing to engage to pay 20,000 Twenty thousand dollars when the whole work is in my hands, [illegible] calculating on 4 vols. – The consequence of my purchasing for a gross sum would be that I should lessen the price to Subscribers a cheaper edition & a probable reduction in the price of this to Subs – 

Is the Copy to be sent to me? by what way conveyance will it be sent? – & if not sent must I go for it, – when must I go, & where to? I shall be able to finish the first vol in 2 months from the day of beginning; provided nothing occurs to delay it. – please to write to me as soon as convenient. I have just recd. a letter of complaint from N. Carolina, but it is nothing new.