I am much gratified by the visit which my nephew has made me, as well as with his improvement in every respect. I doubt not that his future progress in life will Justify the expectations which, from present Appearances, his friends may fairly entertain of him.

     Your letter of the 21: I recd yesterday. I have written to Mr Robinson agreable to your request, and I hope he will accede to your proposal. I enclose you a certificate respecting the time <when> you sent me your account agt Mr Robinson.

     Your letter of the 29th Octr came to the hands of Mr Lewis during my absence from home & could not be answered effectually till my return which was only three days ago. I have lost no time in complying with your request, & now enclose a Copy of the Survey of the Ashbeys bent tract taken by myself this day with all the accuracy in my power. The map, if not perfectly correct is nearly so & will give a tolerably Just idea of the form of the tract; the boundaries are truly copied. I would have sent the original survey if Colo.

     I read your letter of the 15th. Please inform Mr Caldwell that we have no bond or other instrument from Mr Parks on which a suit can be found against him in Maryland. I think his best way would be to bring a suit in the Chancery court of Virginia against the land or in Maryland agt Mr Parks personally & only resort to the Chancery suit in case it Should become necessary which I presume certanly would not be the case as Mr P. must be suffisient for a much larger sum than what he ows the estate what I mean to express is that Mr P.

     I have been for some time dreading Jerry's arrival and yet anxious to hear the reason of his Stay; I began to be really apprehensive that you or my sister were ill, not suspecting that a letter could be so long on its Journey from this to Westmoreland. Nancy & myself are very low spirited at the approaching seperation from our dear mother whose company has really made months but weeks in appearance. I have made every calculation most favourable to my own wishes on the Subject to authorise us in accompanying her.

     I have look'd over & corrected the form of the agreement between you & Genl Lee & now enclose it to you. Under the corrections which I have made & which I think essentiel, it is as effectual as any which I could with more form have drawn. You will have to copy it with the corrections, which Mr Nevison can easily do.

     Mr Stith delivered me your letter of the 28th Novr on the race field at Washington, after which I did not see him, but have been expecting him here for two days. At the time I recd the letter, Mr George Washington, who had gone to Baltimore to dispose of the Stock had not returned. He came the next day having effected a Sale upon as good terms as could be expected, and I expect him here today or tomorrow with the mony— If he does not disappoint me & Mr Stith should also come, I will pay him your proportion.

     Your proportion of the United States Stock which has been sold, is $163.5 which is lodged in the bank and will be paid at any time to your order. You had better also draw for the Share of my Sisters children forwarding however with your draft an order from Mr Robinson for his part.

     In haste I am My dear Sir Yrs affectionately

     I should have answered your letter of the 15th of feby much sooner if I had not expected that a meeting of the legatees would take place in the course of the summer, when I should have an opportunity of taking¹ their opinion as to the further delay you had requested.² Altho I strongly wished to afford you every indulgence in my power, yet as many of the legatees have never recd any part of the estate, I thought it but right that they at least shd be consulted.

     I yesterday recd your favor of the 8th. I have no objection to the alterations in the petition which you suggest, altho' I apprehend no inconvenience which the devisees of the General ought to apprehend from disclosing the defects in their title to the Northwestern lands. This Subject had not escaped my attenti<on,> and so long as there was a prospect of securing the title under <mutilated> warrants I concealed this weakness from all but those with whom I was compelled to consult for the purpose of protecting the title.