Having just heard of a Small Brig bound directly from Nantes to Boston, I write you, one Line. The day before Yesterday, I had a letter from your Uncle Smith by Way of Amsterdam, 26 February. I should advise you to embrace these Opportunities by Way of Spain and Holland, otherwise I shall very seldom hear from you. There are a full Bushell of Letters from me, and your share is among them, on their Way, but when they will arrive I know not.

The English Stocks are fallen two Per Cent and they are expected to fall much more on Account of the Confederation of the maritime Powers in support of Reason, Justice and Common Sense against the Extravagancies of Great Britain. Convulsed at home, Ireland falling off, after America, and all the Nations of Europe agreed in one Plan, against her: Yet the Government of England diminish none of their Pride, Obstinacy, or other, unsocial Passions.

I have not a Line from Congress, and but one from you, since my departure now almost 6 months. I wrote you by Trash, Babson, and the Marquis de la Fayette—these are all arrived I hope. The Alliance has many Letters from me to Congress and to you and others on board—so has the Fleet of de Rochambeau.

We are all well. So Nabby goes to Boston on the Ice. Tell Tommy he is his Papas favourite, because he left him to enjoy the Company of his Mama, and his sister. His Brothers are well and learn cleverly, but not so fast as he, I believe.

By your Uncles Letter of 26 feb., he could not hear of any Letters from me by Trash. I certainly wrote by him from Corunna, so did the Children. I wrote to Congress, as well as to you. I wrote also by Babson, who carried some Things for you, from Bilbao. I hope the letters are not lost.

I went a few days ago to Biçetre, to see the Curiosities of that Place.1 It is a Bedlam for the Mad, a Prison for Felons, an hospital for the Poor, and particularly for the most abandoned and decayed Women of the Town.—What a Collection of Insanity, Criminality, and Misery!—It is impossible for me to find time to describe in detail the Things that I saw there. The Objects of Horrour, which are there in such Numbers and such Variety of sorts, would be too painfull to describe.

There are 4600 Persons, in this Castle and its Appendages, including the distracted, the Culprits, the Poor, and the Tradesmen who reside there, and whose labours are necessary, for the subsistance and Accommodations of the Inhabitants of the Place. It is about 3 miles out of the City. In a beautifull and airy situation—it has a large fine Garden—a spacious Court Yard: but the most remarkable thing is a Well, 45 feet in Circumference and of a vast depth out of which they 338draw all the Water for the Place. It is poured into a vast Reservoir, Square, and 9 feet deep, from whence it is taken for the supply of the People.

I went next Day to see the Guarde Meubles of the King, which is at the Place of Louis 14. Here were riches and Magnificence without End—Gold, silver and prescious stones. But I cannot enter into Descriptions of particulars.2 After which We all went to see the Hospital of Invalids.