University of Virginia Library

1796-09-24

At length, Dear Angelica our apprehensions are
realized and your coming is deferred. But though
life is too short to render it agreeable to lose even a
winter in the passage from hope to enjoyment in any
thing which materially interests us — yet if you
do really come in the spring and bring with you
Mr. Church it will afford us consolation, because
it will leave life ultimately at hazard and may
give us earlier the pleasure of seeing him — But
prithee do not let the Winter freeze the inclination
and produce more procrastination — For one cannot
always live on hope — Tis thin diet at best.

Your friend, Mrs Grattan, is strongly
tempted to remain in Philadelphia. But we are
trying to form a counterplot. She will be an acquisition
to us, if what we hear is true.

Adieu Give our love to
Caty the younger part of your family, to Caty in
particular mine — I am told she justifies all my
my anticipation of her. I take credit to myself
for having defined her worth in embryo when no
one else had yet found it out.