July 1, 1780.
DEAR BROTHER,
SHALL I rejoice or condole with you upon this new acquaintance you have made? How the devil it found you out, I cannot imagine—I suppose the father of mischief sent it to some richer neighbour at a greater house; but as Johnny O—— was a character better known, and much more esteemed, the gout thought he might as well just take a peep at F——m, liked the place, and the man of the place—and so, nestling into your shoe, quite forgot his real errand:—thy guardian angel watched the whole procedure—quoth he, “I cannot wholly avert evils—but I can turn them into blessings.—This transitory pain shall not only refine his blood, and cleanse him from other disorders—it shall also lengthen his life, and purify his heart:—the hour of affliction is the seed-time of reflection—the good shall greatly over-balance the evil.”——As I am unfortunately an adept in the gout, I ought to send you a cart-load of cautions and advice—talk nonsense about tight shoes, &c. with a farrago of stuff more teazing than the pain;—but I hear the ladies visit you—and, what’s better, friendship in the shape of Messieurs S——k and B——n were seen to enter the palace of F——. I supped last night with Dr. R——, where your health was drunk, and your gout pretty freely canvassed.
God orders all for the best.
Yours, &c.
I. SANCHO.
LETTER CXLIII.
TO J—— S——, ESQ.
July 5, 1780.
DEAR SIR,
I RECEIVED yours this morning from the hands of a gentleman, who would not stay to be thanked for the invaluable letter he brought me.—You truly say, that cold lowness of spirits engenders melancholy thoughts; for my part, I should be a most ungrateful being to repine—for I have known good health—and even now, though not well, far from being ill, and have the friendship of Mr. S——, and one or two more who do honour to human nature.—But the purpose of this scrawl is to confirm to you a piece of good news this day arrived—which is, that both the Carolinas, and best part of Virginia, are all come in to their allegiance.—The back settlers have rose, and mustered the reluctant:—thus the three richest and strongest provinces are now in the King’s peace—for which, God make us thankful.