Many thanks for your very kind affectionate letter . It is not, I assure from want of regard that you do not hear from me oftener, but from causes not under my controul . You know perhaps that I have been confined to my room, with one fever succeeding another for more than a year and half, and these few last Months, in which I have been so much better, have yet been so unlike Summer weather that I have not yet been allowed by my Doctor to take an airing in the carriage . I have however I am thankful to say been able to receive a great many kind friends in succession in my room, and indeed I have had almost too many affectionate guests, as much exertion is bad for my chest . The great loss to me with respect to my particular friends is that I have such an overwhelming correspondence, applications &c from strangers or slight acquaintance that those I best love are most neglected by me. You among many others have come in for a share of this neglect, which however by no means includes forgetfulness.

I rejoyce with you on the comfort you must derive from seeing your dear Children so happily settled, and about to be settled. I pray God to grant them his blessing, without which nothing is strong, nothing is holy; and that blessing is abundantly granted to all who live in his faith and fear, and who seek to promote his glory . My love to your amiable daughter and to your dear excellent Mother, who I hope has not forgotten me. As to M^rs. Kennicott All the accounts I receive of that old and excellent friend are discouraging, as to any hope of improvement. I am willing to hope however that she suffers little pain, so her neighbour M^r. Hallam lately assured me. ^[1]

How many delightful days and Months have we spent together during a friendship of 46 years!^[2] May we spend a blessed eternity together; and then we shall think our earthly sufferings were less than nothing!

For my own part I am enabled this morning to prepare near seven hundred rewards for my d[tear]est Schools. They are flourishing and tho I am not able to attend them myself, yet I have an amiable and pious Young friend who spends her Summers with me, and in many respects supplies my lack of service. She is a Niece of Lord Exmouth, very pleasant, and strongly attached to me.