1833 October 28, Woodbourne, to S.

              (1)

Woodbourne 10mo. 28. 1833.



I was much gratified, Dear Susan, by the rece't of thine of 17th inst tho' it did not reach me as soon at it ought to have, if it traveled hitherward by the usual course. perhaps owing to the circumstance of this state not having been mentioned upon the endorsement it may have strayed for a time into another. we usually receive letters in two days after date from New York and three from Philada.  it met with a welcome reception however at its journey's end and I was pleased to receive through it, a confirmation of my misgivings with regard to the authorship of the "witty letter". I am more than ever bewildered and puzzled. circumstance are alluded to in it, which I had supposed were known to mortal being besides ourselves. I therefore concluded before the rece't of thy letter, that it must have been written in some measure with thy privity, thro' an amanuensis, or else that it presented an instance & example of some very singular coincidences in answer to they queries, I may say, that th' document was dated Philada, Sep. 1., post marked at the same place on the 3d. of the same month, and was subscribed with the attractive name & surname of Dorothy Dolittle. yet notwithstanding the feminine & harmonious form and fashion and sound of said name, I think, judging from the stiff & set stile of the hand-writing to which it is signed, that the writer and signer one and the same person, is of the masculine gender. "An enemy hath done this." I said to myself as I perused thy remarks in relation to it. But we have the power and I trust the disposition to defeat his insidious attack. Let us be on our guard, & not be taken by surprise lest he succeed in his assault. In coming over the various errors and blunders