I returned last night from Suffolk where I had gone, to attempt a sale of the land. Uender the limitation of price, ($8 per accre) which you had prescribed its was put up, at that sum; but not a single bid was made. Several persons, who wanted it, attended the Sale, but the highest price any of them spoke of, was $2 per acre. I understand, that about 100 acres of the land is well timbered with oak; & worth perhaps $8 or $10 or more, per acre; but, that the residue is of little value.

     The sudden & unexpected termination of the Circuit Court in April prevented my acknowledging your favor of the 9th of that month, whilst I was in Phila., and many circumstances, unnecessary to detail, have united to postpone the performance of this duty since my return home. I beg leave now to offer you my apology, and to request you to accept my thanks for the pamphlet which accompanied your letter.

So idle were the gentlemen I had employed in my copying business during my absence, that with my utmost exertions I coud not get the books in readiness in time to send them to you before your departure from Alexandria. Every thing is now prepared, & I watch the stage continually for some person who will take them to Philadelphia. I am extremely anxious that you shoud give the volume an attentive reading & make all those corrections which I am sure will suggest themselves to you.

The day after I wrote to you I was informed that a Mr Davidson of this place was setting out for Philadelphia & woud take charge of a box to you.¹ I thought it most advisable to send it tho I had not had it in my power to examine the second copy, or to correct the first. There is a part about which I wish you to be particularly attentive, as, on reading it over I had designed to change it, but the opportunity of sending it was so sudden that I have omitted to make the corrections I intended.

I have just received your letter inclosing your notes on the parts of the life which you have read. I am sorry they are not more ample—but I hasten to advert to the circumstance mentioned by Mr Wayne which is of real importance. I had designed barely to hint at Braddocks defeat in the first volume & to detail the circumstances minutely in the second & thought I had done so, but on looking into what I believe is the 12th chapter I find I have been much more particular than I thought myself or woud wish to be.

In the letters lately addressed to you I have forgotten to mention a circumstance which deserves some attention. In the old books from which I extracted the facts composing the first volume I found our bay spilt thus—Chessapeake. Without any examination of the orthography I believe I have gone on to spell it in the same manner.

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

     Since my last to you, relative to my Executorship of Colo. Colvills Estate, I sent, as therein mentioned, to the person from whom I had purchased the Guinea, or Chinese Hogs which you saw at my Mill, and obtained two; a boar & a sow; the latter with Pig. He informed me, however, that they were not of the whole blood; but, in his opinion, improved from their mixture with another breed of Hogs which he has.

     I am prevented returning you the Bond sent me, to day, not having any one here to witness it so soon as this can be done it will be forwarded to you— Our man Dennis has taken shelter in Alexandria & it appears from the Constables account he cannot be brought out by a Warrant from this State, altho it appears his mistress i[s] l[i]ving in Faerfax County, the Constable say he could not get a Magistrate in Town to grant him a Warrant, that the Governor of this S[t]ate could only take him out— What think you of this, When you have leisure

The day before I left Philadelphia, Mr Tilghman & Mr Rawle called at my room with the papers in the Suit of Tatham agt you that I might have an opportunity to consider the case & make a decree during the vacation.