1812 February, Philada, to William, New Garden

              We are all well but Francis, who has been confined near nine Weeks with his lame knee . He is otherwise well. What would he do if he did not love reading? Ah! how tedious his lonely hours would drag along! But as it is, he may perhaps gather a rich harvest of knowledge - He reads with great perseverance - and having his Mind furnished with such a variety of stores, can at times, as occasions offer, bring them forth for the entertainment of his Friends - Francis is good company for the most accomplished persons that visit us. 
Thou must be convinced, dear William, of my confidence in the generosity of thy Heart by my writing to thee of thy Brothers as I do. If I did not believe thee incapable of so ignoble - so base a feeling as that of envy - if I did not believe thy heart was fraught with all the true brotherly and affectionate feelings which belong to a good and amicable nature - I should be affraid to speak of those things in which they excel. But as such is my opinion I venture boldy to commend them to thee according to their merits - with the hope that it may encourage thy application to the same methods which they have pursued, and which have made them what they are - as I cannot persuade myself, but that God and Nature have been equally beneficent in their Gifts to all my Sons, & that blessing drawn down from heaven, with which the universal other of all good is ever ready to crown our virtuous endeavour
I have been very poorly fitted out for writing as thou may'st see. A bad pen, thick ink, and ordinary, scrawled scraps of paper - If it had not been first day I would have sent out to buy paper, since there was none to be found in the house - but as it was, I tool such materials as I could find, for sometimes, when every other requisite is at hand, a suitable time is wanting - I therefore embraced the favourable moment.
The chocolate colored Cloth is intended for pantaloons - the dark for Coat - and the Coating for Surtout -Seeing thee with such a rag round thy neck, I have sent thee a new black silk HandkerchiefAnd now with love to Enoch & Alice Lewis I conclude with a large share to thyself from thy affectionate mother
Mary Cope
Thy Father, Grandmother, Brothers, Sisters, Cousin Lydia [---] all send their love to [thee] Write soon, my Son; and write often. I think it [will] with a judicious choice of subjects, be very improving. Chuse one thou will write upon before thou beginnest. Anything relative to thy Studies - putting Questions to thy Brothers - stating the difficulties thou findest how understand things &c will exercise thy mind with the habit of thinking closely and be very useful. Write thy Sentiments on the various duties of Life - what conduct they require - and what conduct is consistant with the demands of Duty. Tell me for instance, in thy next, what qualities are necessary to compose the character of an unexceptionably good & dutiful Son - what his principal Object should be and how he should govern himself in order to accomplish it.