your Letter of the 28th Ulto I have now before me & but for Mr Swans absence from the City would have been answered in due time.

A few days after the receipt of a Letter from you on the same subject Mr Lewis came to my house & when he paid Mrs Custis, he told me there would be a Balance coming to Mrs Peter— when I received your Letter I was not a little surprised to find I was a debtor.

I have long thought that a work upon the plan you suggest, was much wanted by those who form the great bulk of readers on chemical subjects.

     I cant find Mr Marshall rect but have written to him to send you another immediately. I am pretty sure I took one & could find it if I was less hurried. I have found Shephards letter of the 30th June to me with the rect to you, which I enclose you together with his last letter to me, that you may know how to pay the taxes. Please preserve these letters, as they will be very useful in future.

It may be proper to send the enclosed letter to the gentleman who may be applied to to bring the suit agt Saml Washington. I am very uneasy about the taxes due on our Kenhawa & ohio lands lest they may be forfeited & wish you could come up at once that we may consult on the proper steps to be taken. We have only till the first of March to save them. In haste yrs sincerely

I got to this place last thirsday & found your dear sister with a fever cover'd up, her fevers are pretty constant & cough bad— Mr Fithugh who is now here, tells us that he saw you in Fredericksburg a few days ago— I hope you left my dear Nancy well— As I understand that she is not with you, nex saturday¹ we shall leave Parkgate & get to Dumfries, where we intend to stay till monday morning— intirely on the account of seeing you— we all are most anxious for that happiness— your dear sick sister very particularly so, before she sets off on her long trip‑ it

I am favored with your letters dated the 11th inst. in regard to the business with McClean, and the Round Bottom tract of Land. I have no hesitation in saying we had better take back the Land, and make the best terms we can with McClain— As far as I am interested, I am willing to submit to your discretion, whatever may seem most beneficial for the whole, and beg you will consider yourselves as entirely unshackled by me in this arrangement. I am very respectfully Dr Sir's Yr Mo. Obt Sevt

     On the receipt of your letter I did immediately inform you, that I had no knowledge of, or interest in the land you mention. As my Brother Francis is the residuary Legatee, & only acting Executor of our Father, Mr. Thomas Walker, I have procured, & now inclose you his letter on the subject, to which I beg leave to refer you. I am very respectfully Sir Your obedt Huml.

     On the other side is a refunding bond for you to execute together with at least one sufficient Surety.  Upon your forwarded the bond so executed (if by mail, the postage to be paid) to Mr William Brown, Cashier of the branch Valley bank of Virga. at Charlestown, Jefferson County, he will pay your draft for the sum stated in the Condition on the bond, viz $389.57.

Mr Gardner, who has been owing me money for some time has offered me an order upon you for the amount which I accept without difficulty, & non mention it, not with a view of asking payment, but for the purpose of notice to you. You will consult your own convenience as to time. Will you have the goodness to send me your account for bricks & glass furnished, charging the former at $6 the price at which I purchased a large quantity in Alexa—Gardner's order is for $130.55.

You favour of the 25th Ultimo was duly received and I am sorry to inform that the notices which had been issued by the commissioner and enclosed in a Letter to the sheriff of Loudon County to be served on Mr Lee again has not been returned and I have reason to beleive that the sheriff to whom the Letter was directed was not then in office to which circumstance perhaps it is attributable tho there is a shamful negligence in the public officers & it is extremely difficult to get either notices or process served and returned where the officer lives out of the District: on