You will proceed to Madrid with convenient Expedition, and and if Mr. Gerard with whom you set out should travel too very deliberately I advise you to go on before him. The Propriety of this however will depend much on Circumstances, & must be determined by your own Discretion. And I [illegible]

On delivering my Letter to Mr. Galvaise, it would be proper to intimate to him that I presumed it would be more agreable to him to him ^to recieve^ my Dispatch from you ^whom ^^would^^ give him Information on many Matters abt wh he might make ^^choose to^^ Inquire^ than in the ordinary Modes of Conveyance, and it may not be amiss to let him know that his not recieving Notice from me of my ^our^ Arrival ^from me^ by the courier which Mr. Gerards dispatched ^Courier^ was owing to a Mistake between that Gentleman & me—1

Treat the French Embassador2 with ^great^ Attention, Candor, & that Degree of Confidence ^only^ which Prudence and the Alliance between us may prescribe, & tho ^in your Conversation with People abt. the Court impress them^ it may be proper to impress the Ministry with an Idea of our strong Attachment to France, yet it may be well to [impune?] ^cautiously^ ^so cautiously as to avoid permitting them to imbibe^ an Opinion of our being under the Direction of no ^any^ Counsels but our own, The former with ^will^ induce them to think well of our Constancy & good Faith The latter of our Independence & self Respect—

Discover if possible whether the Courts of Madrid & Versailles partake of entertain in any Degree the same mutual Disgusts, which we are told here prevail at present between the too Nations, and be cautious how ^when^ you tread on that delicate Ground. It would also be useful to know who were are the Kings principal Confidents & the Trains leading to each.

The State of the public Revenues is of great Importance to be known,

To treat prudently with any Nation it is essential to know the State of its Revenues—turn your Attention therefore to this Object and endeavour to learn whether the public Expenditures consume their Annual Income or whether there be any & what Overplus or Deficiency, & the Manner in which the former is disposed of or the latter supplied—3

If an opportunity should offer inform yourself as to the Regulations of the Press at Madrid & indeed throughout the Kingdom, and the particular Character of the man ^Person^ at the Head of that Departmt. ^Endeavour to find some Person of adequate abilities and Knowledge in the two Languages ^[in margin] & to translate English into Spanish with Propriety and if possible Elegance^ I wish also to know which of the Religious Orders and the Individuals of that order who have most Influence ^it most esteemed & favored^ at Court.—

Mention as Matter of Intelligence rather than in the Way of argument the Cruelties of the Enemy, & the Influence of that Conduct on the Passions of the Americans. This will be the more necessary as it seems we are suspected of retaining our former Attachments to Britain.—

In speaking of Am.^erican^ Affairs remember to do full Justice to Virginia & the ^western^ Country near the Mississippi—recount their hardy Atchievemt. agt. the Savages, their growing Numbers, extensive Settlements and aversion to Britain for attempting to involve them in the Horrors of an Indian War— Let it appear also from Your Representations that Ages will be necessary to settle those extensive Regions—

Let it be inferred from your Conversation that the Expectations of America as to the my Reception & the Success of are sanguine and that they have been rendered the more so by the Suggestions of Persons generally supposed to speake from Authority, and that a Disappointment would be no less unwelcome than unexpected

I am persuaded that Pains will be taken to delay my recieving a decided answer as to my Reception until the Sentiments of France shall be known, and that ^Attempts will also be made to suspend^ the Acknowledgmt of our Independence be made only on the Condition of our acceding to ^certain>^ Terms of Treaty—do nothing to cherish ^either of^ these Ideas, but without being explicit treat the ^latter^ in a Manner expressive of Regret & Apprehension, & intimate the Propriety of immediate ^[propriety our representing our?]^ ^seem to consider our^ Reception as a Measure wh. may ^we hoped wd^ be immediately taken Altho the Business of the Negotiation ^might^ be postponed till France can ^could^ have an Opportunity of taking the Steps she may ^might^ think proper on the Occasion.4

You will offer to transmit to me any Dispatches which Mr. Galvaise may think proper to confide to you, or that you will ^to^ return with them yourself if more agreable to him.

You will be so obliging as to transmit to me regular and minute accounts of your Proceedings in Cypher as well as all other You will be attentive to all other objects of useful Information such as ^the Characters & Views ^^& Connections^^ of important Individuals—^ the Plan of Operations for the next Campaign, Whether any to and what secret Overtures have been made by Britain to France or Spain or by either of them to her ^or each other^— Whether ^any of^ the other Powers have manifested a Disposition to take a Part in the War, and whether ^it is probable that^ any & which of them will become Mediators for a general Peace & on what Plan— If the War shd. continue it would be advantageous to know whether Spain means to carry on any serious Operations for possessing herself of the Floridas & Banks of the Mississippi, &c., &c.

Throughout the whole of you Altho I have full Confidence in your Prudence yet permit me to recommend to you the greatest Circumspection,—command yourself under every Circumstance. & let on the one Hand avoid being Suspected of Servility, & on the other let your Temper be always even & your Attention unremitted.

You will oblige me by being very regular & circumstantial in your Correspondence, and commit Nothing of a private Nature to Paper unless in Cypher.—5