
          Paris Jan'y [January] 7th 1822


 My Dear fellow,


 I can't help thinking what an ingenious contriv'ce [contrivance]
 you and I have taken upon to make our letters to each other seem
 long.; though with me it was owing to accident & you, it would appear
 have retorted out of spite. I allude to you [receiving?] mine of May & June
 at the same time, and my getting on the same day yours of Aug't & Nov.; 
 they both bear the same postmark showing the day on which they were
 mailed at Liverpool. I have mentioned in a late letter to my mother
 the accident that prevented my getting them until nearly a month
 after they were received in Paris. You do [added with caret: not] say whether you [can?] rec'd [received]
 mine dated London July counting the particulars of my interview with Sir J.E.S. [James Edward Smith]
 We must in future go on a little more like men of business. After I had
 written 15 or so more pages with't [without?] having my answer I thought it was time
 to stand upon [crossed out-- unreadable] ceremony. There is one ha'page [half-page?] howev'r [however] in your
 letter of Aug. which sufficiently explains everything. You have been in
 love, have you! Let me give you a little advice by way of a New Yr's gift
 it costs nothing, as the great [Phlogos? saith?], Get a wife as soon as you can.
 I would like to stipulate on my own account that she should be lively
 & good tempered for I don't like to visit where the mistress of the house
 is stupid or sullen.


 Your letter is just such as I want & shall expect in future to receive
 once a month from you-- expect you should again get [----ing?] about 
 some clear bewitching celestial angelic irresistable sweet creation, such as are
 to be found only in Old New York.  I wish however you would give
 rather more of the details. Nothing American can be uninteresting as we
 seldom see [ever?] a newspaper from America.


 Mr. [Irving's?] death I had long expected to hear of. This is a public loss. I hope [Mle?]
 will not study himself into a [?]. It seems to be a family disorder.

        