Catharine Macaulay to John Adams, July 19, 1771

London July 19. 1771

Sr

A very laborious attention to the finishing the fifth vol of my history of England with a severe fever of five months duration the consequence of that attention has hitherto deprived me of the opportunity of answering your very polite letter of August 9. 1770. 1

Your observations of the history of England are highly favorable and flattering to the Author but you must give me leave to say that on the principle of having a right to treat your own performances with freedom you have not done common justice to the work entitled a Dissertation on the Common and the feudal laws. 2

I am really very much concerned to hear that you labor under the heavy misfortune of a weak and infirm state of health. I simpathise with you in body and mind having rarely any alternative from either labor or pain.

A correspondence with so worthy and ingenious a person as your self Sr will ever be prised by me as part of the happiness of my life.

I wish to your numerous family continued health and prosperity and to you every other blessing which can ballance the unavoidable evils attending our human existence.

I am Sr with esteem regard and gratitude Your most Obed And most obliged humble Servt

Catharine Macaulay