John Jay to Robert Morris, 16 September 1780

S t . Ildefonso 16 Sept r 1780

D r Sir

Had I been ever so much disposed to be out of Humour with the Silence of my Friends I assure you it would all have given Way to the Pleasure with which I rec d . your Letter of the 6th July–€” 1

Perhaps an opportunity may yet offer for settling a Cypher–€” I shall attempt it within this Month in a Way I think will succeed.

M rs . Jay has more Health than she has enjoyed this long time–€”she is now at Madrid, from whence ^ I am sure ^ M rs . Morris may may expect a Letter from her. 2 Kitty tells us she spent a very agreeable and ^ winter ^ but as I intend this for a short ly Letter, I wont I must omit repeating the many civil things she says of her Friends–€” I don–€™t like Johns Situation; it can produce Nothing worth having, unless the Honor of broken Bones ^ is one ^ may be reckoned so–€”

I am glad you told me what had become of Duer. He is an honest Man and I esteem him God knows I [ illegible ]–€” ^ the more is perhaps, as the older I grow the more scarce I find them Reason I have to think them scarce ^ . I have never known him do a mean thing or say a false one. If he is wise he will stick to ^ wont readily quit ^ his Farm–€”

Gouv nrs . Leg has been a Tax on my Heart. I could find it in my H ^ am almost tempted ^ to wish he had lost something else. I am without [ illegible ] any thing ^ have been able to hear very little ^ of impor him. Many Letters for and from me Miscarry–€” I recieve very few.

I congratulate you on being so near the Hills –€”theres is not one [ illegible ] ^ nothing like them here in any ^ Sense in this Kingdom I shall have much to tell you when we ^ I ^ return ^ but ^ Paper must not be trusted–€”

Your Bank work &c. has a fine Effect here–€” 3 I think I can see ^ there are ^ some Clever things in ^ & ab t ^ that Business. America will be respectable & safe [ illegible ] Respectability [ illegible ] to your begging 4 ^ Indeed that is pretty much the Case lord knows ^ with such things ^ whatever ^ you have a Hand in, provided always you follow your own ^ unless when you Level are too civil to the ^ Judgm t of others.

By some less precarious Conveyance I shall have the pleasure of saying many things to you and M rs . Morris–€” Adieu my dear Sir nothing is more True than that I am Your aff te Friend

remember me to my old Friends–€”

you know who they are–€”