LETTER XLV.
House of Representatives, June 24, 1809.
My dear Theodore,
The Orleans mail has just brought me your letter of
the 22d. I thank you very sincerely for it, and, particularly,
for your meteorological observations; by which, I perceive,
that the weather has been with you such as we have
experienced here—very wet; and, with the exception of a
few days, very hot. My health, nevertheless, has been as
good as I have enjoyed for many years. I believe that I
have been too busy to find time to be sick.
Your cousin Judy did very well in recommending Aiken's
Letters to you. It is an excellent book. I was in hopes
you would have given me some account of the impression
made upon you by Homer. It is more than twenty years
since I read it, and yet the impression is vivid on my mind.
Are you a Greek, or a Trojan?
This is the last letter which you will receive from me,
dated at this place. On Wednesday next, Congress adjourns.
I shall direct to you at Roanoke—not because I deem the
receipt of my few hasty lines of very material consequence,
but, because I feel a desire that you should have some memento
of me, if it were only the declaration of my sincere
love and friendship for you. I am undecided whether I
shall go to Winchester, or not. You shall hear, however, by
the next mail.—Farewell, my dear son!
Your fond uncle,
JOHN RANDOLPH.
T. B. Dudley.
From Babel: Saturday, May 24, 1809:. half past three
o'clock, P. M.
You are, probably, now on the road.—I pity you—for it
is oppressively hot.