Chapter LXV: Letter LXIV: To Miss C

May 14, 1778.

WHAT terms shall I find to express my gratitude to the obliging, the friendly Miss C----, for the pleasure we enjoyed from the contents of the best letter that has been wrote this good year?--You, who delight to please, will also feel high satisfaction in knowing you have succeeded.--We hope the change of weather has had no ill effect upon our friend--and that she will adhere to her promise in remembering how ill she has been--and that it is too probable any cold got by over-exertion or fatigue may occasion a relapse. We have had much thunder and rain this morning--and, if old saws say true, we are to expect a continuance of about thirty-seven days good ducking weather;--we will leave it to the all-wise Disposer of events, with this comfortable reflection--that whatever he wills--is best.--We are happy to hear such an account of the ----; she especially, as very likely a good course of fatigue, sweetened with gain, may contribute as much to her health as her pleasure, and re-establish her perfectly.--We have nothing stirring in the news way, or any other way:--the town is literally empty, saving a few sharks of both sexes, who are too poor to emigrate to the camps or watering-places, and so are forced to prey upon one another in town.--I protest, it is to me the most difficult of things to write to one of your female geniuses;--there is a certain degree of cleverality (if I may so call it), an easy kind of derangement of periods, a gentleman-like--fashionable--careless--seesaw of dialogue--which I know no more of than you do of cruelty.--I write as I think--foolishly--and you write well--why?--because you think well.--So much for praise--compliment--flattery, &c.--My respects attend Mr. B---- and Mrs. S---- and Mrs. ----. Tell Miss A----s, one of us will come to see her--perhaps.--I have received a kind letter from my good friend the doctor--and one also for the surgeon to the guards, dated New York, June 12:--he thinks the commissioners might have saved themselves the trouble, as they are like to come back just as wise as they went.--The Panton-Street good folks are well, for what I know--not having seen them since I last had the honor of addressing Mrs. C----. Adieu.--Our best respects--with Kitty’s and Billy’s in particular--attend Monsieur Nuts[6];--pray tell him so--with all civility;--he deserves it on the score of his own merits--were it not even so--yet surely, I think, we should regard him for the sake of our friend.

Mrs. Sancho joins me, in every thing to Self and Co.

Yours, dear Miss C----,
with zeal and esteem,

IGN. SANCHO.

[6] A favourite Spaniel.