Your letter of the 21st has just reached me. I am astonished at the failure of my letter in answer to that which contained the proposition of Mr Sparks. I answered the day of its reception and expressed unequivocally my opinion that his offer should be accepted. In addition to the obvious reasons for accepting it stated by yourself I suggested others of a nature somewhat delicate which I would not willingly submit to any eye but yours.

I had the pleasure of receiving your letter written immediately after your return from Philadelphia and am much obliged by your kind enquiries for “The Calm Observer.” I now believe that those papers were never in the pamp[h]let form, or if ever so published, are no longer to be found. I will thank you, if General Washington ever took & preserved that precious deposit of democratic patriotism.

     Your letter of the 26th Jany was delivered to me by Mr Just. Story & I owe you an apology for the delay which has taken place in answering it. The truth is that at the living under the same roof the important cases which the Judges have had to examine & discuss in conference diverted the attention of the C. Justice & myself from the subject insomuch that it is but lately that we had an opportunity of conversing upon it.

Your letter of the 26th January was handed me by Mr Justice Story, and I owe you an apology for the delay which has taken place in answering it. The truth is that, although living under the same roof, the important cases which the Judges have had to examine and discuss in conference, diverted the attention of the C. Justice & myself from the subject, insomuch, that it is but lately that we had an opportunity of conversing upon it. 

I have received your letter and am very happy to be informed that you will devote a part of this summer to a perusal of the letters. I believe it will be proper to make some deductions for the purpose of avoiding repetition but several letters may be withdrawn or abridged without affecting the number of volumes.

I am closely engaged in preparing my corrections of the life, and have no doubt they will be in perfect readiness by the winter, should any printer be disposed to engage in the publication. This however is a business which we can not press. My present employment has brought to my recollection a letter which I think ought to be suppressed but which I forgot to mention to you in Washington.

     I recd some time since from the Chief Justice the Copies of the letters of Genl Washington, but too late in the Season to forward them to Phila. by water on account of the danger to be apprehended from the freezing of the rivers— I purpose taking them on with me in March, and it will be proper that we should, in the mean time, agree upon the terms of their publication.

In conformity with your wish expressed in your last letter I have deposited the boxes in the steam boat addressed to you to the care of Mr Herbert. The captain received them from me & assured me that he would put them in his room & deliver them safely at Alexandria.

I have found the missing book. It had been brought out of my office into the house & placed on a settee where it was covered with a pile of newspapers. I had put some other book into one of the trunks & supposed it must be this.

     I recd a letter from chief Justice Marshall a a few days ago, in which he requests me to present to you in his name, a copy of his “history of the Colonies,” a compliment which he thinks due to you “on account of your great attention to the publication of the life of Washington.["] He desires me to state to you, that he has taken the precaution to take out a copy right for the book now sent you, to prevent the interference of others—not to affect you.

I have expected to hear from you since you have had an opportunity to look into the trunks and chests last sent up for the volume of letters containing those which have not been copied, and am uneasy at not receiving a letter from you. I have been apprehensive that you have been prevented by indisposition. Still, as I have not heard of your being sick I will flatter my self that some accident has prevented your looking into the trunks, or has prevented your writing.

I have not heard from you since your letter informing me that you had discharged your juries in Philadelphia, & cannot help being a little apprehensive that your health is not so firm as I could wish it to be. I hope my fears will soon be removed.

I presume you are now at Mount Vernon & I hope in better health than when I heard from you in Philadelphia.

     I have never, that I can recollect, refused to comply with a request similar to that contained in your letter of the 8th inst. in behalf of the Countess charlotte, and if I had been heretofore in the habit of doing so, I should most certainly make an exception in your favor, and upon such an occasion.

I was extremely sorry to learn from your last that you were again indisposed. This has been generally the most sickly season I have ever known, but I will hope that the frosts have had a favourable influence on your health as they have had on that of most others. You were certainly right to return, and I hope your endeavours to meet your brethren in February will succeed.

I returned from the upper country too late to answer your letter of the 29th of August previous to your providing on your circuit.

The copies which I mentioned to you may be carried to Washington in Feb. when they may be placed with the others which I shall endeavour to carry with me. Meanwhile I shall try to arrange them as we both think most advisable. It cannot be made complete but I shall endeavour so far to complete it as to free it from any striking impropriety.

Soon after receiving the box containing the correspondence copied at this place I commenced a careful reperusal of it & have just finished that part which concerns the old war of 1754. I find that the last letter is dated the 25th of July 1758 & consequently breaks off in the midst of the interesting transactions which preceded the capture of fort Du Quêsne. Before I made this discovery I had packed up all the books & sent them to you so that it is not in my power to supply this chasm. The last letter is to Colo.

I have received the box of letters by the steam boat.

    I recd a letter from chief Justice Marshall dated the 12th Ulto which I have been prevented by sickness from sooner attending to— The following extract was intended for your inspection. "I have reflected a good deal on the subject of the Life, and have come to the Conclusion to seperate the introduction from the other volumes & to publish a small edition of it at my own risk, if I may be permitted to do so by Mr Wayne & yourself without being charged with the copy right.

I received your letter expressing your wish to know the principle decided in the case of the Bank of the U.S. v Dandridge’s securities. The case will be carried before the Supreme court & I am very glad of it, as the law on the subject ought to be settled.

The court which has just terminated has furnished some business for your Honors at Washington. I have had some new & intricate questions on one of which, that goes up to the Supreme court, I decided on reflection differently from my first impression.¹ That judgement will probably be reversed.

I did not receive your letter of the 22d. till yesterday.

I recollect but very indistinctly to have seen among the papers of Genl. Washington a letter from some foreigner respecting lands or to have seen Genl. Washingtons answer to the letter I forget which. I am now much occupied in court, &, when the term is over, will examine for the letter.

Yesterday on my return from the upper country I found your letter of the 8th. of April & immediately deposited with the clerk of the district court the copy of the title of your reports.

I have received your letter respecting the wine & beg you to take no farther trouble about it than to request Mr Cazenove, if the wine comes by Alexandria, to send both pipes to me, & to direct the bills to be both presented to me.

I had the pleasure this morning of recieving your favour of the 20th. I am heartily rejoiced at hearing of any proposition to print a 2d. Edition of the Life of Washington as it is one of the most desirable objects I have in this life to publish a corrected edition of that work.