I have received the Letter you did me the Honour to write me, on the 23 of May, relative to the seizure of the Brigantine Nancy, Capt. John Limeburner, by the Pilot Cutter Commanded by Leiut. Seymor Lynn.

You desire me, Sir, to demand from the Court of Great Britain, that the Ship and Cargo be given up, with Damages for the detention, but this is not in my power. The Laws of every Country must decide such Cases in the first Instance, and the Sovereign of a complaining subject or even of an injured Citizen, rarely if ever interposes, untill Justice is refused by the Laws. I cannot therefore, ministerially interfere in this affair, unless Congress should send me their express Instructions so to do. This however will not prevent me from doing you any Service in my Power in my private Capacity, and whenever Messrs: Oackley and Hancock or any Person in your Behalf shall call upon me, they shall have all the attention and assistance I can give them as an Individual. It is indispensable that you and the French Merchants interested, apply to Council and Defend your property in a Course of Law. I suppose the Vessel being at Anchor, excited the Suspicion, but if you can prove, as I suppose you can that she was not within the Limit, forbidden by act of Parliment, I should think you would find no Difficulty in gaining your Cause

I have the honour to be very respectfully / Sir. Your most Obedient / Humble serv.

I have recd yours of 25. May. and thank you for the News of my son, and for the News of Paris. I wished to have Seen the Queens Entrance into Paris. but I Saw the Queen of England on Saturday, the Kings Birth day, in all her Glory. it is paying very dear to be a King or Queen to pass One Such a day in a Year. To be obliged to 161enter into Conversation with four or five hundred, or four or five Thousand People of both sexes, in one day and to find Small Talk, enough for the Purpose adapted to the Taste and Character of every one, is a Task which would be out of all Proportion to my Forces of Mind or Body.— The K and Q. Speak to every Body. I stood next to the Spanish Minister, with whom his Majesty conversed, in good French, for half a Quarter of an Hour, and I did not loose any Part of the discourse. and he Said Several, clever Things enough. one was Je suis convaincu que le plus grand Ennemy du Bien, est le mieux.1 You would have applied it as I did, to the Croud of Gentn present who had advised his Majesty, to renounce the Bien for the Mieux in America. and I believe he too had that Instance in his mind. Thursday I must be presented to the Queen, who I hope will say as many pretty Things to me, as the K. did.—

You would die of Ennui here, for these Ceremonies are more numerous and continue much longer here than at Versailles.

I find I shall be accablé2 with Business and Ceremony together, and I miss my fine Walks and pure Air at Auteuil The Smoke and Damp of this City is ominous to me. London boasts of its Trottois.3 but there is a Space between it and the Houses through which all the Air from Kitchens, Cellars stables and servants Appartements ascends into the Street and pours directly on the Passenger on Foot.— such Whifs and puffs assault you every few Steps as are enough to breed the Plague if they do not Suffocate you on the spot.

for Mercy Sake stop, all my Wine but the Bourdeaux and Madeira, and Frontenac. and stop my order to Rouen for 500 Additional Bottles. I shall be ruined, for each Minister is not permitted to import more than 5 or 600 Bottles which will not more than cover what I have at the Hague. which is very rich Wine & my Madeira Frontenac & Bourdeaux at Autueil. Petit will do the Business.

Regards to Coll Humphreys & Mr Williamos. / Adieu