To John Jay from Peter Jay Munro, 4 January 1784
From Peter Jay Munro
Chaillot the 4th Janry 1784
Dr. uncle,
a few minutes ago we had satisfaction of receiving your letter of the 22 ult.1 we are mortified that your business detains you so long from us, but rejoice to find your health ^has^ mended since your arrival at Bath. my aunt is very well and is at present writing to you; both of the Children are very sound ^enjoy exceeding^ good health. Nancy is remarkably quiet—by this time
you must have recd. our letters mentioning Abbigail’s Death— She never kept the Servants in such good awe as since her Death her Friend Ben2 dares not stir without a Candle—C’est elle! follows the least noise that is heard. one was terribly frightened at seeing herself in the Glass (I think with great reason) the Snow falling off the house sent ^set^ another aroaring, and it shook his bed exceedingly and I am not sure but what it caused it geting a wetting also— What is worse we can not persuade ^them^ it was not a Spirit—daily, or rather nightly some thing happens which acts on frightens them, and sets us a laughing. I am Dr Uncle Your afft nephew
Peter Jay Munro
Hi Excy John Jay Esqr.
DftS, NNMus: Jay (EJ: 397). Although some rephrasings are noted, Munro’s numerous minor corrections, excisions of spelling errors, and repetitions of words have not been noted.
1. Letter not located.
2. For JJ’s conditional manumission of Benoît, the young slave JJ acquired in Martinique, see, below, 21 Mar. 1784. In his letter of 6 Jan., Munro further commented regarding the death of Abigail, that SLJ bore it “with her accustomed fortitude, and tho’ it Chagrin’d her it did not distress her as much as the like accidents do the greater part of mankind.” Dft, NNMus: Jay (EJ: 398).