Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Having an opport^ty. by a Man of War, that sails in
a Day or two, I w^d. not on any acc^t. neglect to write you the agrea
able news of all Your Friends Welfare; Mamma indeed has been
very ill, but I'm assur'd is perfectly recover'd: you will likewise
be pleas'd to Hear that Mr. B. Fairfax has given a son to the
Family, a most lovely Boy I'm told, of whom we must expect
something very extraordinary as He was born during a Total
Eclipse of the Moon. I dare say you pass y^r. time in a most
agreeable manner & that, I imagine, is the reason I have but
once, had the pleasure of a line from You; this in you I allow
for an excuse, because you were never fond of writing, tho'
I must say, it wou'd have made me write the oftner, if
I had ^had the ^same subject to entertain my Friends with that you
must have had. I won't insist upon ^it if disagreeable to you
but other^wise you w^d. oblige me much with a description of
such things as have most excited y^r. attention & admiration
with an acct. of the acquaintances you have made & in short
with your sentiments concerning England in ev'ry respect.
We have lately lost sev'ral gentlemen of Figure,
Colo. W. Randolph, Colo. G. Braxton & a about a Fortnight
ago Colo. Grymers receives General: Mr. Fauquier is
appointed Here to succeed ^{him, but} it's a query, whether some
other person may not have a better interest in England
suppose a ^friend of y^rs. shd. try, as He'll have the advantage of
being on the spot, but taken for that. My Col Braxton is
a young Widow & has three children, that as well as Him self are Victims to His Folly & extravagance, for it appears
to His Executors, that His Estate will be hardly sufficient to
pay His Debts, 18000 pds having already appear'd against
it. As I have hitherto avoided giving you the trouble of
transacting any Business for me, you will the more rea
-dily excuse ^it that I must now request the favour of you to
do a little; you must remember that I had a very indiferent
cook & you well know what necessity there is for a good
one, living where I do, now unless you will be so kind as
to assist in procuring me one I know of ^no chance I stand to get
a good one, & this I intreat you to do, by advertisements
in the papers, or whatever way, you may think best: you will
I'm sure, as you well know the necessity for it, strictly enquire
into her character as a Cook, as well as Her private one,
& considering the genteel company you keep, I dare say
you will have an opportu^ty. of informing yourself of
some such person of undoubted skill & Honesty: If
you can meet with a Person well recommended by any
Lady of y^r. acquaintance for skill, Honesty & sobriety,
that will engage to serve me for any sum not exceed'^g.
£15 Ster^g. pr. annam you will by engaging such a one do
me the greatest service imaginable. I hope that sum
will ^be enough (& indeed Mrs. Fauquier told me it wou'd,)
for you know it is as much as we can afford to give.
However any thing relating to Her Passage that Mr. Fair
-fax & you think reasonable & costomary shall be agreed to I hope Mr. Fairfax & you both enjoy better Health than when you
^wrote an acct of it, if you shou'd not, returning to Virginia w^d probably
be of service to both. Mr. Athans tells me you were confin'd to [tear]
in London for fear of the Pox as I imagin'd w^d be the case;
Mr. Nicholas gives His best respects & wishes to you &
Mr. Fairfax in wch He is most sincerely seconded by D^r. Mad^ison

P.S.
My Comp^ts. To Miss Fairfax