As its the greatest mark of friendship and esteem you can shew to
an absent Friend In often Writing to him so hope you'l not deny
me that Favour as its so ardently wish'd and desired by me its the
greatest pleasure I can yet forsee of having in fairfax to hear
from my friends Particularly yourself was my affections disengaged
I might perhaps form some pleasures in the conversasion of an
agreeable Young Lady as theres one now Lives in the same house
with me but as that is only nourishment to my former affec^n for
by often seeing her brings the other into my remembrance whereas
perhaps was she not often & (unavoidably) presenting herself to my
view I might in some measure eliviate my sorrows by burying the
other in the grave of Oblivion I am well convinced my heart stands
in defiance of all others but only she thats given it cause enough
to dread a second assault and from a different Quarter tho I well
know let it have as many attacks as it will from others they cant
be more fierce than it has been I could wish to know whether you
have taken your intended trip downwards or not if you with what
Success as also to know how my friend Lawrence drives on in his
art of courtship as I fancy you may both nearlly guess how it will
respectively go with each of you
[Footnote 50: Dear Sir, Dear Friend John, and Dear Friend
Robin.--These all seem to be studies or drafts of letters, which
may have been impersonal or possibly to his youthful school-fellows
and companions in Westmoreland and Stafford counties. It would be
idle to speculate as to whom they were intended, in the absence of
more definite information. They are in no wise remarkable, except
as evidences of Washington's life-long habit of making memoranda,
drafts and studies of his letters.]