66 



have sent him out some immediate supplies of ne- 

 cessaries. Pray write to me, and believe me ever 



Yours, 



J. E. Smith. 



Mr. D avail to J. E. Smith. 



Orbe, April 13, 1795. 



The sight of your hand-writing yesterday evening 

 gave me such pleasure as I could never express, and 

 at the same moment the black seal occasioned great 

 anxiety. 



Believe me, my dearest and most excellent friend, 

 I grieve with you sincerely on the cruel separation 

 you have experienced, and the more so by reason of 

 the interesting qualities of the good father you have 

 lost. From the course of nature we cannot avoid 

 these trials, and in my opinion one of our best com- 

 forts is the happy reflection he was a good and up- 

 right man. I love you more than ever, as you have 

 done justice to my cordial affection to you by the 

 detail of your sad communication. 



Mrs. Davall and I hardly pass a day without talk- 

 ing of you. She was scarcely less affected than my- 

 self at your account of the loss of poor Francois. 



It had been a favourite hope of mine to know 

 him at last decidedly attached to and fixed with you, 

 well conceiving how important his aid would be. I 

 should not thus renew your regret, but Francois, 

 — his gentleness, his intelligent eye, his pleasing 

 air, — you — all that is yours — every moment I have 

 spent with you, — is as present to me, and will be 



