Your are very welcome to a part of the Guinea—or Chinese Hogs which you saw at my Mill— But it is necessary to inform you, that except the Sow which you might have seen in a pen & her Pigs wch were running about it, I have none others, unmixed at that place. This happens from their running at large.

     Your letter of the 22d instt came to my hands yesterday afternoon. I thank you for the information contained in it, and for your kindness in offering to draw my answer to Henshaws Bill, now in the high Court of Chancery; before whom it seems, I am to appear.

     It is really hard that I am so often called before Courts in matters in which I have no interest; but am continually saddled with the expence of defence.

     Your letter of the 13th instt with the enclosures, came duly to hand. I thank you for draughting the answer which I have put my signature to; and with the Bill, now return.

     If I mistake not, my renunciation of the Executorship of Colo. Fairfax's Will already stands on record in the Genl Court, on some former occasion; be this however as it may, I have always refused, & never intended—directly nor indirectly, to have any agency in the Administration of the affairs of that Estate.

     I am sorry to think I have cause to accuse you of inattention to my requests. When you were at Mount Vernon last, I told you I had been informed that, the Assignees of Semple, against whom I, as the Surviving Exr of Colo. Thos Colvill had obtained judgment on a Bond, either had thrown, or was about to throw the matter into Chancery; and I desired if this was, or should be the case that you would unite with Mr Chs Lee to bring the matter to issue as soon as possible: and at any rate, that you wd let me know the true state of the case.

Owing to some new arrangement of the Post Office, your letter of the first instant did not reach my hands until yesterday afternoon.

I leave it to yourself to prosecute the trespassers upon my four mile run tract in my name (if it is necessary to make use of it) & in Whatsoever manner you shall think most effectual.

     I have long suspected—but, such has been my situation for some years back, that I have not been able to ascertain the fact—that a tract of about 1200 acres wch I hold on four mile-run near Alexandria has had the wood thereon dealt pretty freely with by unauthorised persons in its vicinity.

The enclosed is in answer to a letter I have just received from your Brother. It goes unsealed that you may aid it with your own opinion and advice or by searching among my Papers as directed for any thing that may be serviceable. Mrs Washington joins me in love to yourself & Nancy—and I am Your Affecte friend & Uncle

Among the first acts of my recommencing business (after lying six weeks on my right side) is that of writing you this letter in acknowledgement of yours of the [<2m#>] ultimo— Not being fairly on my seat yet, or in other words not being able to sit up without feeling some uneasiness, it must be short.

     I was not at home when your Letter arrived yesterday, or Should then have thanked you, as I now sincerely do, for your kind offer— previous to the rect of it, I had rented an office of Mr Watson, at the exorbitant price of £15. Your Stable I will put into repair & make use of until you may want it. I very readily accept your offer of Hay, as it is both difficult to procur[e] it, Here, and when got comes very dear. Wishing you health & happiness— I am with Love to my Aunt Dr Uncle Your very affect. Nephew

     The Man who lives in my House in Town is there, I am told, on curtesy; and was only to have a reasonable previous notice to remove— Under these circumstances, if you can make the House and Stable (for of the latter there was once a very good one) convenient for your purposes, you shall be welcome to the use of them. This lott was once, well inclosed, but has no fence I believe at present; otherwise, as you talked of a Garden, it would make a very good one, as the ground has a good exposure.

     Mr Packet handed me your lettr of the 20th— In one thing my sentiments perfectly coincide with your own— and that is, to manage our Virginia Estates well there cannot be a divided attention— for with all the attention that can be bestowed, they are seldom productive.

     Your letter of the 9th came to my hand last night. What the abilities of my deceased brother Samls Estate towards paying his debts, may be, I am unable to say; but I much fear that the management of it is in very bad hands; as the hours of your Uncle Charles are—I have reason to believe—spent in intoxication. This circumstance, added to a natural indolence, leaves too much to the Steward to expect industry and fair dealing; unless he differs widely from the generallity of his class.

     Altho' I have little expectation that this letter will find you in Richmond I still send it thither. Under this persuation, I shall add no more than to acct for the enclosure being so long in my possession.

     A Mr H. Banks, of your Assembly is disposed to be kind to me or has some view of being so to himself. Charity leads to the first suspicion to the latter opinion. He has informed me that the Sherif of Greenbrier has a considerable demand upon me for the taxes of my land on the Great Kankawa, in that Country—but has forborne (through his means) from proceeding to extremities till he could advice me thereof. This is the first intimation directly or indirectly I have had of these taxes.

     In due course of Post, I received your letters of the 19th & 26th Ult.; and since, the one which you committed to the care of Mr Powell. I thank you for the communications therein, & for a continuation, in matters of importance, I shall be obliged to you.

     I condole most sincerely with you, my Sister & family, on the death of my Brother. I feel most sensibly for this event; but resignation being our duty, to attempt an expression of my sorrow on this occasion would be as feebly described, as it would be unavailing when related,

Your letter of the 31st of Octr in reply to mine of the 30th of Septr came safe to hand.

     It was not the intention of my former letter either to condemn, or give my voice in favor of the Patriotic Society of which you are a member. I offered observations, under the information you gave of it, the weight of which were to be considered. As first thoughts they were undigested, and might be very erroneous.

     I was from home when your Servant arrived, found him in a hurry to begone when I returned, have company in the house, and am on the eve of a journey up the river, to meet the Directors of the Potomack Company. These things combining, will not allow me time to give any explicit answer to the question you have propounded.

     If royal gift will administer, he shall be at the Service of your Mares, but at present he seems too full of royalty, to have any thing to do with a plebean race. perhaps his stomach may come to him— if not, I shall wish he had never come from his most Catholic Majesty's Stables.

     Your Papa has not been here, yet. I am just come in from a ride— the Dinner bell rings— and your Man says he must go off after it— so offer me affectionately to all— and believe me to be sincerly Yrs

     Your letter of the 20th Ulto did not come to my hands until the 31st— Whenever you have occasion to write to me from the line of the Post, always put your letter into the Mail. all other conveyances are uncertain; at best, irregular.

     The enclosed letter was brought here some days ago. I desire you will present Mr Ryan's note to him for payment; which, if not immediately made, or such assurances as you can rely on, that he will make in a very short time, return it to me or to Mr Rumsey, if he is in Richmond, as I do not incline to transfer the debt from him to Ryan. It was not my intention to receive an order upon any one, for the Sum contained in the note.

     I have received your letter of the 22d Ulto— the former one, accompanying my Trunks, also came safe.

With this you will receive the letter of your Aunt Lewis, to me. Altho' I believe the ground she is proceeding upon, has more of the ideal than real advantages which she expects from it, yet I have no objection to the experiment being made, & pray you to pursue the dictates of her letter, & communicate to me the result as soon as the necessary enquiries are made.

You will be surprized perhaps at receiving a letter from me—but if the end is answered for which it is written, I shall not think my time miss-spent. Your Father, who seems to entertain a very favourable opinion of your prudence, & I hope, you merit it: in one or two of his letters to me, speaks of the difficulty he is under to make you remittances.

Necessity obliges me to give you my promissary Note instead of the deposit of a hundred Guineas— I will take it up as soon as I can.

Permit me to recommend my Nephew to you—not only as a student requiring your instruction—but to your attentions as a friend. His youth and inexperience may require it, and I perswade myself his sensibility & gratitude will make you every return which may be in his power.