John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 6 October 1780
Madrid 6 Oct r . 1780
Dear Robert
Your Favor of the 6 July came to Hand Yesterday– This & two others viz of the 6 Oct r . and 22 Dec r 1 are all the Letters I have had from you since I left America. How could you discontinue writing because you rec d . no Letter from me while at Martinico? 2 I am almost tempted to say it was unkind– You have seen my Letters to Congress from that Island, 3 & can easily guess at the Number of those I was obliged to write to others– 4 I was there but a little better than a Week. In Company most part of the Day–judge then whether much more could have been written in the same Time, and under similar Circumstances– I knew you would hear the History of our Disasters, 5 and hoped you w d . consider my not writing to you as being rather a presumption on, than a Neglect of your Friendship.
We had heard that your Family was about to increase, and rejoiced at it– 6 nay a congratulatory Letter from me to your Mother on that and a similar Event in her Family, is now on the Water. 7 I did not write to you at the same Time, because I was a little sorry and a little vexed at your not giving me a Hint of a Circumstance that you know would have given me so much pleasure. Perhaps indeed you might have been too prudent to have –reckoned [–] 8 I did not think of this before, or you would probably have been my Debtor for a Letter extraordinary. But be this as it may, I most cordially congratulate you on this Event, and sincerely join in all the good wishes which you may find applicable to it in the Book of Psalms–not many Weeks ago we had also a fine hearty Girl, but a violent Fever has since carried her to Heaven, where I expect one Day or other to see her much more charming & accomplished than if she had been educated either in Europe or America– 9 You see I have not left my Philosophy or rather my Christianity behind me–
I find my little Boy 10 was well and healthy and thank you for telling me so. If he should turn out good for any thing, the Circumstance you allude to, will probably with many others be among my Objects for his Happiness. Your Idea was in my mind before I rec d . your Letter, for Caty had written us the News, imagine then how pleasing it was to find it had also a Place in yours.
A Year or two ago I heard the House at Eliz. had been burnt, and told M rs Jay I was glad of it– 11 Perhaps before the War ends, still stronger Reasons may arise for wishing the same thing– But perhaps Grandmama is a Predestinarian in the Latitude of Laidly– 12 if so there is no ^ human ^ Reason or Wisdom in or out of the Case.
The Nephew I brought with me turns out a very fine Boy, indeed just such a one as I would wish him, or any other Boy of his age to be– My only Fear is that one of these Days some of his Blood may breake out and spoil all– 13 in that Case all my Hopes, after all my Pains, will be blasted.
Why do you never tell me any thing ^ say a word to me of ^ of Edward? where is he? what are you doing with him? That Boy ought to be to you as a Son, for it must be great good Luck if you or any body else have so clever a one– 14
[ illegible ] M rs . Jay has a tolerable Degree of Health–better than usual– I have much Reason to pray God that it may continue and encrease.
Thus much for Family Matters– As to Politics–you are or ought to be in Congress, and my Letter to the President 15 is long enough and particular enough to gratify your Curiosity– I therefore wont say a Word on that Subject now.
The King wants wisdom attention money. The ministry wants system and decision– The two court[s] not cordial. People averse to war– These are [yet?] 16 Notwithstanding, Congress satisfied with me.
The observation that as our Years encrease, our social Attachments wear away, is untrue– Mine never were warmer than at present The more We know of the World, the more we prize the few good plants we find among the many Weeds in it– Here I never enjoy the Pleasure of thinking loud– Prudence forbids it– My Heart is in America and I am impatient for the Time when the Rest of my Body will be there also. Tell Benson I am not pleased with him–he is a bad correspondent, and you may say the same thing to your Governor. 17 We hear R. Morris is Ch. Justice, 18 I am glad of it– I lament Gouvrs. Misfortune 19 there are many Things good as well as great in him.
The enclosed are Seeds of the best Melon I have eaten in Spain. Give half of them at least, to your Mother, for you have not Care enough to be trusted with them all– Remember me to all my Friends– You know who they are and dont forget that you have an old one in, D r Rob t . Your aff t
John Jay
P.S. When you decypher, do it on a separate paper, & not on the Letter–and as you are sometimes a little careless, destroy the paper immediately –