ALDEN.
FROM WILLIAM PATERSON.
Rariton, April 14th, 1780.
MY DEAR BURR,
I take the earliest opportunity of acknowledging the receipt of your
_dateless_ letter, and returning you my best thanks for it. Mr. and
Mrs. Reeve [4] have been so kind as to tarry a night with me. We
endeavoured to prevail upon them to pass a few days with us, and
should have been happy if we could have succeeded. This letter goes
with them. That circumstance cannot fail, of making it still more
welcome to your honest and. benevolent heart.
I wrote you the latter end of January from the Hermitage, and
intrusted the letter to Mrs. Prevost. It was a mere scrawl. This is of
the same cast. However, I promise, the very first leisure hour, to
devote it entirely to you in the letter way. Although I do not write
frequently to you, yet, believe me, I think frequently of you. Oh,
Burr! may you enjoy health, and be completely happy; as much so as I
am--more I cannot wish you. Nor will you be able to attain high
felicity until you experience such a union as I do. Mrs. Paterson is
in tolerable health, and gives you her best respects. I wish her
safely through the month of May, and then I shall be still more happy.
When you come to Jersey I shall certainly see you. If I do not, it
will be treason against our friendship.
Peace is distant. There is no prospect of it in the present year. Nor
do I think that Britain will come to terms while she fancies herself
superior on the ocean.
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