1834 January 6, Philadelphia, to Susan

              (by mail)

Philada. 1 mo. 6. 1833

Dear Susan:



As I had hoped and expected I received the thrice welcome communication of which we had been speaking, the evening of the same day I left thee. it was handed to me by my Father, who said that he had taken charge of it in the morning, upon finding it at the Counting House. so thou had'st been thinking of me during the three weeks' interval of non-intercourse. thee is a a dear creature,  (pardon the familiarity of the expression) and I thank thee much, for it. how delightful to be though of and remembered, by those that we love! "Tho' my pen has been idle this long, my thoughts have not". I recalled these expressions of thy "talking letter", again and again, and tho' the construction admits of doubt with regard to its correctness, yet the influence that thee was thinking of me was so agreeable that I concluded to assume it as the right and proper interpretation. at all events thy thoughts must have been indirectly, if not directly turned towards me. I am unable to answer satisfactorily thy quiery with regard to the authorship of the poetical effusion that I sent thee from Woodbourne. I have frequently recurred to it during moments of calm and quiet meditation, and have derived soathing satisfaction from the consoling and pious spirit that it breathes. I suppose that I shall in due time be informed by thee who the "intruder" is, who has had the presumption to invade thy tranquil haunts, whilst occupied with thoughts of me. If he shall molest or disturb any more, he will incur my high displeasure. resting