University of Virginia Library

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I should have written to you several weeks ago, but unavoidable
circumstances have kept me from doing a great many things
that I wanted very much to do.

Many of our relations are here, and their being here requires
all of my time in attending to them & their wants.

Father arrived here yesterday, and told me of the very
pleasant day he spent with you all in Charlottesville. My only regret
was that you did not come down with them, altho' I knew I was expecting
an impossibility.

Old Geo or yourself must come down Christmas & spend
"old Xmas" week with me at my Farm. We will have good times and will
not disgrace the weak by refraining from mirth & conviviality, but
will have an anniversary of the week, as it used to be in "Old times",
"Waveless wells of punch", "kind hearts", & "lassies true", as
Wilson says, we'll have. I am not joking, you must come down.

Now one word, as a favor; Jimmy will soon be coming to
yr. place. You do not know how wild he is. Living at a whorehouse is
nothing—getting drunk is a small matter with him—running in debt to
extremes, is a matter of no consequence. And I know exactly what his
course is going to be at the University—& if you do not exercise
all of your self control, he might lead you astray, & at the final
you would feel rather "blankish". Jimmy will spree at the University,
live at the whorehouse—go greatly in debt— be constantly visiting
ladies—& do no studying—for God's sake, & for my own, Ned, do try
and keep him from gambling, drinking etc. The wildest company, Jimmy
will seek, & he will be ruined before he knows it. I do not mind a
young man's being wild in a moderate way, (as we used to be), for
every boy must "sow his wild oats", a person may take a frolic now &
then & may play at cards, without forming any seated bad habits, but
when a person delights in dissapating all of the time, & follows bad
habits constantly, & is unceasingly indulging in pursuits, degrading
in themselves, then I fear for him. Now Jimmy seems to be perfectly
reckless, as to any consequence & does not seem to appreciate advice
from me. But I think that you & Geo c.d keep him straight.

Such a letter as this, concerning my own brother, I w.d
not write to any one but to yourself or Geo, & feeling that, for any
of yr brothers I w.d feel it a pleasure to do the same thing, if
circumstances happened to require it, I know that you will not disregard
what I say, or think it of no importance. Do not let any one
but Geo see this letter, and do not let Jimmy know, that you know
he is such a hell of a care. But keep him straight for my sake. You
will have every opportunity of finding out whether he goes in debt,
gambles or frolics, & if he does correct him & let me know it.

If you were in my situation, with a wild bro away from
you, you w.d feel as I do.

Please send all of my things down immediately by Express.
I shall expect them.

Remember me to every body of my acquaintance up there,
except Bledsoe or his family. I w.d not feed them, if they were
starving, I do not think. Especially give my respects to Mrs. Smith

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I shall never give up my idea of having yr.
Father down here.

Tell him he must come down & look around, when
I get fixed.