Captn. Barney’s arrival here has made me much happier than before I recd. your last letters1 as I began to be discouraged by the silence of those I lov’d & flatter’d myself were my friends; the only diminution to my pleasure proceeded from an appearance of dejection of spirits in your otherwise charming letter—shd. that dejection proceed from a relapse into your former indisposition, & that be occasion’d by our absence I shd. indeed be unhappy, but I hope that my dr. sister is too sensible of the intimate connection between her health & my happiness to neglect any means for the preservation of it.—will you permit me to recommend to you, what I have found ^vastly^ beneficial to me, I mean frequent anticipation of our mutual happiness at meeting: since Mr. Jay has declar’d his wish & intention to return to America next spring to America I seem animated by another spirit, & my health has certainly been much improved by it.—how much our view of things depend upon circumstances! A year’s absence from my friends would once have appear’d insupportable to me, & now, even the prolongation of absence for another year appears but like to-morrow, so much has the certainty of returning seem’d to shorten the distance between us—in like manner, I remember that while incapable of steering we were toss’d for 3 weeks on the banks of Newfoundland, it was impossible to feel interested about the winds whether they came from the North or from the south; but no sooner was a port determined upon, & means invented to guide the Ship, but every breeze that fill’d our sails gave me new pleasure & I continually counted the time past as so much deducted from what we were destin’d at first to pass at sea.—2

On the 4th. of July we celebrated the Anniversary of our Independance here at Passey, but the next I hope to celebrate in yr. company, & I’m sure that our pleasure will not be less animated even tho’ we shou’d substitute buttermilk in lieu of champagne to commemorate the illustrious event. I’ll inclose you a copy of the toasts Mr. Jay prepar’d for the occasion & of a song composed and sung by a french gentleman3 who was of our Party—how nearly my dear Kitty! does extreme felicity approach a painful sensation— I’ve more than once experienc’d it; nor were my feelings divested of that kind of sensibility on the 4th. of July, for I found it difficult to suppress the tears that where ready to flow to the memory of those who in struggling to procure that happiness for their Country wh. we were then celebrating had fallen in the glorious attempt.

Before you’ll receive this I hope Mrs. Izard & her family will have arriv’d at Philadelphia & I sincerely comgratulate them on their present felicity; in participating Mrs. Izard’s happiness I anticipate my own on a similiar occasion which I hope ’ere long will take place.—

I did not know until inform’d by the Captn. that he had recd. the box I had sent for Mrs. Morris in time to take it—my doubts on that head arose from the silence of our amiable friend on that subject, & makes me apprehend they were not agreeable to her taste, wh. I shd. extremely regret— Mr. Ridley informs me that at the Customhouse all the things were unpack’d, so that I shall send a duplicate of the letter that accompany’d them lest that shd. have miscarryed & Mrs. Morris remain uncertain whether all the things arriv’d or not.—

I am sorry you was afflicted by what that gentleman told ^you,^ I should have thought that his know^n^ insensibility & insincerity had by this time blunted the edge of his ill nature—the idea of a return to Spain was as disagreeable to me as it could have been to you, but heaven be prais’d! my apprehensions on that score are at present dispel’d—indeed I think Mr. Carmichael who is already there the only American who is capable of enjoying himself there—for of all my countrymen I know not his equal for duplicity of soul, or one who can so readily smile upon & court the man he hates or despises, or fawn upon the man who treats him with contempt—the pleasure he rec. from making himself the subject of conversation has sometimes led him to relations of actions & sentiments below the dignity of a man, & much more so below the more elevated sentiments of an American—however I’m rejoiced at the prospect of his continuance in Europe as Ive not the least desire of ever meeting him again in America—4 I think it fortunate for the tranquility of America that the artful & interested will now aim at appointments in Europe as they can here indulge any of their propensities unobserv’d by yr their more virtuous Countrymen; for shd. they remain at home their restless ambition would only lead them to excite factions & defame true patriots—but I’ve transgress’d the line that I propos’d to observe in my Correspondence by dipping into politicks, but my country & my friends possess so entirely my thoughts that you must not wonder if my pen runs beyond the dictates of prudence when engaged by those subjects—

You should not my dr. sister have heard of the prospect of my increasing family 1st. from a stranger, had not my fears of alarming yr. fears apprehensions induc’d me to be silent about it—however as Captn. Barney does not sail ’till the 25th. perhaps the little stranger may arrive before his departure, tho’ I’m more inclin’d to think it’s appearance will not be till Augst.— Apropos of Barney, he tells me that he has a ship very convenient for passengers; I wish most heartily that he might come to Havre next Spring that our family might sail with him; can’t you propose it to Mr. Morris? perhaps public business might be advanced by it at the same time that our convenience was promoted.—

I shall be very happy to see Mr. and Mrs. Bingham at Paris; shd. the business of the American Commissioners be compleated in the course of the summer, probably Mr. Jay will have the pleasure of seeing them in England as he has some family business to transact there relative to the Legacies of Mrs. Peloquin—5 I wish much that he may have leisure as I think the journey wou’d be useful to him, but I’ve no thoughts of accompanying him, as my love of ease begins to be more predominant than my curiosity & ones ease cannot be much indulg’d when travelling with infants, nor ones mind very tranquil in leaving them wh. strangers, & you know my dr. I’ve no tender mother here or indulgent sisters to protect them.— Maria begins to run about cleverly & grows every day more amusing, tho’ she can’t speak, she understands every^thing^ we say to her either in french or english— I’ve scarce wrote half a dozen lines without interruption either from her caresses or importunities she has been very liberal in the kisses she has given me for her Grand-Papa, Grand-mamma, Aunts, brother, &c. at my request—but her Papa is the greatest favorite she has.—

Has Mr. Penn arriv’d at Philadelphia? from the modesty & decency of his deportment I conceiv’d a favorable opinion of him & from several circumstances that have since come to my knowledge I’ve been confirm’d in my sentiments, indeed I’m more than ever satisfyed with the justice of the observation that modesty is a mark of merit, at least I’ve never known it to fail, nor have I ever known a person of real worth that was deficient in that quality, altho’ I’ve seen a vain & artful man that has affected it; which is an additional proof to me of the connection there is between real merit & true modesty— Lady Juliana ^Penn^ (the mother of young gentleman above mentioned) & Miss Penn are vastly amiable, & as they pass the summer at Serenne,6 which is but a few miles from Passy, we have often the pleasure of seeing each other; except my charming friend Mrs. Lawrance, this Lady is the only one that I feel dispos’d to call Mamma—she did intend to leave France the 1st. of Augst. but has promis’d to postpone her departure if my family is not increases’d before that time— Her ladyship had the goodness to send to England for a few books for Maria, & among them I think there is one that may be useful to my dr. little boy, the rest are only proper for younger children.— I am sorry as far as concerns me that you’ve left Philadelphia, but still I’m not so selfish as not to enjoy the satisfaction wh. your return diffuses thro’ the little circle at Liberty-Hall—with what pleasure do I contemplate the present tranquility & security which the family enjoy— May the happiness of the family & America in general be as permanent as their endeavors to obtain it has been glorious— I must my dr. sister for the present bid you adieu, but if nothing happens to prevent me from writing when I’ve written to Papa, Mrs. Morris & Miss Lawrance I shall certainly resume my pen— Tell my dr. Mamma & my dear Susan that now the family are again united I consider myself as writing to all three whichever the letter is directed to; & tell Susan that the 1st. Tuesday in Septr. the packet from France will begin to sail, & the latter end of the month the packet from England both for N. York, to be continued every month, so that we shall neither of us deserve grace if we do not mutually rec. frequent accounts of each other— Mr. Jay desires to be remembered to all the family— Heaven be prais’d! health begins again to smile upon him— May it long very long continue to smile upon those friends for whom this letter is intended! I am my dr. sister yours affectly.

[Enclosure]

1. The United States of America, may they be perpetual

2. The Congress

3. The King & Nation of France

4. General Washington & the American Army

5. The United Netherlands & all other free States in the world

6. His Catholic Majesty & all other Princes & Powers who have manifested Friendship to America—

7. The Memory of the Patriots who have fallen for their Country— May kindness be shown to their Widows & Child^ren^

8— The French Officers & Army who served in America

9— Gratitude to our Friends & Moderation to our Enemies

10— May all our Citizens be Soldiers, & all our Solders Citizens

11— Concord, Wisdom, & Firmness to all American Councils

12— May our Country be always prepared for War, but disposed to Peace

13— Liberty & Happiness to all Mankind.—