In its due time, I received your Letter from Philadelphia of the 27. of July.

Although, in the Opinion of The Secretary of State, the Mission to Holland may be “almost exclusively reduced to a pecuniary Negotiation,” yet, in the Opinion of others among whom your father is one, the Post at the Hague is an important Diplomatick Station, which may afford many opportunities of acquiring political Information and of penetrating the Designs of many Cabinets in Europe.

The Observations and Reflections contained in your Letter are all very Sensible, and I wish you to remember and preserve them: but, in Case you should return to your Country whether in three Years or Seven or more or less, I wish you to preserve your Resolution inflexible to return to the Bar. Be patient. Submit to the Mortifications you justly foresee Open your Office and be always found in it, except when you are attending the Courts of Justice. from none of these Should you be absent, a moment.

In three or four years you will probably be promoted to the Rank of a Min. Plenipotentiary: possibly in less time, if you discover to The President Talents and Principles Suitable for So high a Trust.

As every Thing is uncertain and Scænes are constantly changing I would not advise you to fix any unalterable Resolutions except in favour of Virtue and integrity and an unchangeable Love to your Country. Your own good Sense will be Sufficient to guide you from time to time.

Endeavour to obtain Correspondences with able Men in the southern & middle States as well as in the northern ones, and these will inform you & advise you.

If my Life should be Spared I hope to be one of them and will give you my best Opinions and Advice as Circumstances occur. I wish you a pleasant Voyage and much honour Satisfaction and Success in your Mission—

I am with constant Affection / your Friend and Father

My Cousins most agreeably supprized me by a Visit— I had been informed that your Sons were to sail the week before— I thought they were upon the wide Ocean, & many a fervent wish for their saefty T had breathed forth— I am sorry I could not have the pleasure of seeing my other Nephews, especially your eldest Son, as perhaps, it will be many a year before I see him, if ever— It is an unstable world we live in— And we Sisters seem to be called, to be separated from some of our dearest Connections all at once— For I must think, I shall feel the Separation from Mr Cranch, even more than his own Father, & Mother— For I had considered him as fixed among us—as a dear Relative, & worthy Friend, as a Protector to me, & my Children, one whom I hoped to have lived, & died with—but Providence seems to be pointing out to him another Place—a Sphere of more extensive usefulness, I trust, & ought I to murmur, or to repine.—1 He that cuts of one branch, can cause another to shoot forth—& if it is best, it will be done— Reliance upon the wisdom, & goodness of the divine Being, has the most salutary effect— We derive from it, our sweetest Comforts, & it gives peace, & serenity to the mind when nothing else can—

Cousin Betsy is much better, riding she finds of service, I hope 229 she will be able to make you a visit at Quincy when my Cousin Lucy returns—

The bag the oatmeal was in, I should be obliged to you, if you would send it— It is a nice one for my William to pack his Cloaths in— I mean to do his washing— more cloaths is necessary, but I can do it, better than hire—2 what you was so kind as to give me I found of great service, they were much better than we could afford to buy— turning the hind part before, & making them over again, made quite useful small cloaths—

Adieu my dear Sister—may you, & Yours be protected from every kind of danger, & evil—