Immediately upon the rect. of your letter of the 18th.,1 I sent to request the favor of Mr. Whitford’s company a few minutes & communicated to him yr. sentiments of the horse. he promised to mount him & give me his opinion after the tryal, but as the signing the preliminary articles yesterday was an interesting event, he seem’d himself too much agitated to execute his intention— This instant Mr. Whitford has left me, he call’d upon me booted & spurr’d for the experiment, but as it is already past twelve I fear I shall not have an answer for you before the post leaves Paris.— My spirits are quite exhausted, for tho’ I have in some measure been prepared to expect the welcome tidings, I never was so overcome with joy. at first my spirits were only elevated as upon ordinary pleasing occasions but that was succeeded by such lively emotions of Gratitude & wonder that my sensations would have been to painful to support had I not been reliev’d by a very plentiful effusion of tears.— I long my dear to embrace you as well as a deliverer of our Country as an affectionate & tender husband.

Mrs. Ridley has been so good as to send me word that she will spend the day with me, & as I expect her every minute I hope you will excuse this scrawl. my Compts. to Mr. Ridley & congratulations to you both. I am my dr. yours affectly.