LETTER CLXXXVIII.
Friday Morning, Feb. 1, 1822.
Dear Doctor,
Our old acquaintance Roanoke made his appearance
yesterday evening—low in flesh, and otherwise much out of
condition. The change in him, since I left Richmond, is
considerably for the worse—so that my charge to the young
man seems to have been (as I surmised it would be) completely
thrown away. He (Roanoke) left Frederickburg on
Monday, being rode by a Mr. L. (a very decent sort of a
man) on that day, as far as Dumfries, where he (L.) had left
his own horse. He led him from thence here, (as he told
me, and from his age and appearance I have no doubt of it;)
but, in consequence of the rain the day before yesterday, he
remained all that day in Alexandria. Gray, at Frederickburg,
was good enough to have him well shod for me.
Tell E. that I was so near losing the mail the last time I
wrote to her, that, among other words, I forgot to note extraordinary,
(which Walker pronounces extròrdinary, and
well bred and well educated old-fashioned gentlemen, extraer'n'ry,
but) which our peöple that want to show their spelling,
call ēxtràyōrdīnăry. We do so emphāsise, and syllābīse,
and vōcìfērāte, that I am persuaded no well-bred man of the
last generation could hardly understand one of our modern
great men. If he did, it would be a punishment to him to
listen. But my eyes ask a holiday. I do not hear from
you.
Bon jour.
JOHN RANDOLPH, of Roanoke?
Southern mail due at 3 o'clock, A. M. Yesterday got in
at 7 o'clock, P. M. Difference 16 hours in 120 miles!
