208 Life of Count Rum ford. 



annually, through some mercantile acquaintance in Bos- 

 ton, before Baldwin himself became the medium for their 

 transmission, as I find by an entry in his diary, dated 

 October 7, 1793, that he then was. The letter from 

 Baldwin which called forth the ensuing reply was dated 

 November 10, 1792, and, as I have said, would indi- 

 cate that it was the reopening, on his own part, of the 

 suspended correspondence. "As to the main business 

 of Mr. Stacey's journey," to which the Count refers, he 

 having been the bearer of both the letters, the natural 

 inference which we should draw would be, that that 

 gentleman was a suitor for the hand of the daughter. 

 She had many such, but I can learn nothing further of 

 the matter, if Mr. Stacey were one of them. The reader 

 will be struck alike by the earnestness with which the 

 Count, longing to revisit his native country, asks if he 

 may safely do so, knowing, as he well did, how bitter 

 had been the feeling against many returning refugees, 

 and by the strong terms of endearment and veneration 

 with which he speaks of his mother. 



"MUNICH, 1 8th January, 1793. 



DEAR SIR, I received by the hands of Mr. Stacey your 

 letter of the loth November, for which I beg you would accept 

 my best thanks. It gave me very sincere pleasure to hear from 

 you, and to learn from Mr. Stacey that you were in good health 

 when he left America, and surrounded by all the enjoyments of 

 domestic happiness, and distinguished by the Esteem and Re- 

 spect of your fellow-citizens. Neither time nor distance, nor 

 change of habits and circumstances, have in the least abated 

 that affectionate regard which I conceived for you at a very 

 early period of my life, and I shall ever feel myself peculiarly 

 interested in everything which relates to your prosperity, and 

 shall be much gratified by every proof of your friendly recollec- 

 tion. I am very much obliged to you for your kind attentions to 



