1805 March 4, Birmingham, to Mary Cope, Philadelphia

              Birmingham 2nd Mo. 4th 1805 
My much beloved Friend, 
Thy very affectionate and very affecting letter came in a few days to hand I had heard a short account Verbally of thy illness and had informed dear William he heard it with attention but like other things in Childrens minds it soon passed away but affter I received thy letter I told him there was a letter from his Mother and she had been very sick but was better he said is she got well (with a look of anxiety which bespoke great sensibility) I answered she is much better,: is she quite well? she is nearly; can she stand or does she lay in bed all along? she is mostly up: can she walk? she can walk and I believe is mostly down stairs: thus he interrogated on the subject according to his capacity, but when I read the letter and before I came to the part relative to himself I found him standing very close to my side, perfectly silent but with tears in swift succession rolling down his little cheeks without a word being said; by this circumstance and some others that increases my partiality toward him I feel myself with a promising hope he will make not only a wise but a good man, wise from the uncommon penetration of his understanding and good from the great tenderness of his heart, his integrity and prompt perseverense intimate he will be useful in whatever occupation he may be introduced in life, if happily all those amiable quali