31 
On May 2oth, 1755, he writes: 
letter I find I have very innocently offended Both you and Miss Col- 
den by some of the expressions that insensibly dropt from my pen 
as archetypes of what my heart dictated in warm sincerety. This 
our as faras in my power to amend anything in my conduct or man- 
ner of writing that you are kind enough to point out as wrong. I 
“5 much to Town.— Please offer my compliments to Miss Colden & 
ay.” 
Another letter and one of the last containing references to 
Miss Colden is the following : 
Offer of a kindest compliment to Miss Colden,’’ etc 
Miss Colden’s accomplishments were not all, however, of a 
botanical nature. Her mother, Mrs. Colden, the daughter of a 
Scotch Minister, is said to have been a distinguished woman and 
fully able to fill the social position and to discharge the many 
duties that fell to her lot. In addition to the numerous cares 
that were imposed on the housewife of the period, Mrs. Colden 
assisted her husband in the administration of his estate and in 
the copying of his correspondence, and owing to his political 
duties and consequent lengthy and frequent absence from home, 
much of the education of their children must have devolved on 
her. She is said to have taught them habits of “ virtue and 
* The “affair of love” is doubtless an allusion to his approaching marriage, which 
occurred in Charleston on Christmas Eve, 1755- ie 
