Nothing I assure you, but Want of Leisure has prevented my acknowledging the Receipt of your very obliging Letter of the 12th of July.  You cannot imagine with how much Pleasure I receivd it.  I have no Reason to doubt your Sincerity when you express the warmest Affection for your Mother and me, because I have had the most convincing Proof of it in the whole Course of your Life.  Be equally attentive to every Relation into which all-wise Providence may lead you, and I will venture to predict for my dear Daughter, an unfailing Source of Happiness in the Reflections of her own Mind.  If you carefully fulfill the various Duties of Life, from a Principle of Obedience to your heavenly Father, you shall enjoy that Peace which the World cannot give nor take away.  In steadily pursuing the Path of Wisdom & Virtue I am sometimes inclind to think you have been influenced with a View of pleasing me.  This is indeed endearing, and I owe you the Debt of Gratitude.  But the pleasing an Earthly Parent, I am perswaded, has not been your principal Motive to be religious.  If this has any Influence on your Mind, you know you cannot gratify me so much, as by seeking most earnestly, the Favor of Him who made & supports you—­who will supply you with whatever his infinite Wisdom sees best for you in this World, and above all, who has given us his Son to purchase for us the Reward of Eternal Life—­Adieu, and believe that I have...

TO JAMES BOWDOIN.

[Proceedings of Massachusetts Historical Society, 1st ser., vol. xii., pp. 229, 230.]

Phil.  Aug. 22, 1780.

My dear sir,—­I have received your favor of the 31st of July & forwarded the letter inclosed to Mrs. Reed who resides in the country.

The Count de Rochambeau, in a letter to Congress, speaks very highly of the attention of the Government of Massachusetts, & of the appearance of the numerous Militia so seasonably forwarded when an attack was expected in Rhode Island.  And the Minister of France, who on every occasion expresses his great regards for that state, mentioned the same thing to its Delegates in the most flattering terms.  It is a pity that a Militia, always ready to turn out with a view of doing essential service, should be disappointed.  They were so full of ardor that the Count was under a necessity of urging their return to their necessary affairs at home, with the promise of their being again called for, when Gen!  Washington should judge that the circumstances of affairs should require it.  We are impatient for the arrival of the 2d division of the French Squadron, which we are informed by letters from Boston was spoke with near a month ago by a vessel bound to Salem.  The season is advancing fast, & our troops must daily consume provision the bare transportation of which is an immense cost.  I perceive that the General Assembly stands further prorogued to the 31st of this month.  I