ame,
but it was "so comical," he could not recollect it. This was Giles's
story; and the General adds that as he knew what little dependence was
to be placed on the punctual conveyance of letters by a private hand, he
writes this duplicate by post to repeat his request that Mr. Lear will
inform him, by return of post, what he has to expect with _certainty_ as
to the coach hired for taking on a part of his family to Philadelphia.
His house is full of company, he adds, and concludes as usual.

Mount Vernon, November 14, 1790. This letter manifests his concern about
the house in Philadelphia; for, besides that it is still unfinished, the
rent, he says, has not yet been fixed, though he has long since wished
it; he is at a loss to understand it all. He hopes that the additions
and alterations made on his account whilst neat, have not been in an
extravagant style. The latter would not only be contrary to his wishes
but repugnant to his interest and convenience, as it would be the means
of keeping him from the use and comforts of the house until a later day;
and because the furniture and everything else must then be in accordance
with its expensive finish, which would not agree with his present
furniture, and he had no wish to be taxed to suit the taste of others.
The letter is of more length than usual and marked "private;" being,
with one other, the only ones in the collection so marked. I will,
therefore, notice its contents no further than barely to add, that in a
part where he alludes to the still possible intention of making the
public in Philadelphia pay his rent, his terms of dissent become very
emphatic. In reference to his coach, he would rather have heard that, as
repaired, it was "_plain_ and elegant" than "_rich_ and elegant."
Conclusion as usual.

Mount Vernon, Nov. 17, 1790. This, he says, is a very bad day. He is
just setting off for Alexandria to a dinner given to him by the citizens
of that place. The caps (jockey caps) of Giles and Paris (two of his
postilions) being so much worn that they will be unfit for use by the
time he has completed his journey to Philadelphia, he requests that new
ones may be made, the tassels to be of better quality than the old ones;
and that a new set of harness may be made for the leaders, with a
postilion saddle; the saddle-cloth of which to be like the hammer-cloth,
that all may be of a piece when necessary to use six horses. [This he
sometimes did in travelling.] The letter