Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

If this letter comes to your hands I must be oblig'd to Fortune
for y^e Conveyance thereof, for I doubt y^e Superscription is im-
perfect, which is occasion'd by y^e Wax of your letter having obscur'd
part of y^e Direction you sent me, so y^t I fear half y^e Gentleman's
name w^th some material word else is omitted: This has been y^e
cause of your not hearing from me in so long time; for I expected
y^t my Silence might have created in you a suspicion of y^e miscar-
riage of yours; but now I've delay'd so long, I'me resolv'd to hazard
this, wherein I shall not say much, seeing y^e Carriage is doubtfull:
thoô I'me as desirous as you can be y^t we shou'd discover to one
another our circumstances to y^e end Personal conversation (as you say)
may be supply'd by Letters.

For y^e Encomiums you were pleas'd to complement me withall
I return you many thanks; thoô not y^t I've y^e vanity to think y^t
my Actions are in y^e least answerable to 'em, but because I receive
'em as so many instructions, which set out to my view what is com-
mendable in a man, & whereby I learn to what I ought to tend y^e
drift of my endeavours to attain, if I wou'd strive to shew my self
no unworthy Member of our Family, or to merit your esteeming
me, what I realy study to be

24 Aug 1696

To
M^r John Spotswood
To be left att M^r Valen's house on the
North side of y^e Cross in Edin^r.
Scotland

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