We arrived here on Sunday after a weeks journey from Falmouth, tho’ the Newspapers had brought us to town several days before, they had likewise had the goodness to shorten our passage to 19 days, the ignorance of the London editors of Papers is really extraordinary; The Times of the other morning informed the public that Papa had already had a conference with Mr. Dundas,1 The Chronicle of the next day very wisely declares that this paragraph was premature, but that it was supposed Mr. Jay would soon return, as the Ohio (which at the same time was advertised as taking in her cargo at the iron Gate) was waiting for him at Falmouth—2

The country and the Towns thro’ which we passed on our journey are really delightful & exhibit no symptoms of that poverty misery and decline of which we hear so much— The country is cultivated in the highest degree & the people are generally well clothed— The small villages however are not to be compared with our own— The walls of the houses are for the most part built of clay mixed with straw & gravel, & which after sometime become exceeding hard and the roofs are universally of thatch— in the towns & cities they are of Slate and flat tile— Untill we approached London we saw no large or even thrifty trees, the soil or the climate seems unfriendly to them—3

Ever since we have been in the country there has been a succession of great events which awaken the attention while they pain the feelings on account of the quantities ^of blood^ with which they have been accompanied— It is computed that not less than eighty thousand men have perished since the opening of the campaign, ^&^ yet it is but opened— The Battle between the french & english fleets must have been one of the ^most^ desperate that has been fought in modern times— Tho’ the English have taken six ships of the line yet not one of them struck their colors, the “Le Vengeur” which was sunk fired the upper tier of guns while the water was rushing in the lower ports, & “Le Jacobin” went down the men shouting Vive la Republic, tis said that not a man of either was saved— However glorious this Victory may be to the British, its consequences have not been so important as might have been supposed, their own ^fleet^ was so shattered in the action as to be under the necessity of returning to port, & affording a safe passage into L’Orient to near 300 vessels from America loaded with provisions—4 The Rejoicings in London were not over when the news arrived of a compleat defeat suffered by Genl. Clarifayt,5 & the consequent retreat of the allies the taking a town in Spain with 7000 men,6 & the imminent danger of Ypres which was beseiged by the french. Again on Friday a Gazette extraordinary announced announced a victory gained by the Prince of Orange over the French with the loss of 7,000 men & 20 peices of cannon— & there is a rumor this morning that in consequence of another battle, Ypres has been relieved—7

It is surprising what great sans culottes the young Americans have become, most of them have been at Paris and de[scribe] the horrid scenes of which they were Spectators with a coo[lness and] want of emotion which astonishes & disgusts— one of them who you are acquainted with told us the other day that Hebert8 had been very polite to him, & that after he had been condemned he went to see him & the other deputies executed, & praised the adroitness with which they were beheaded, he said he held his watch in his hand during the whole time & that the sixteen heads were in the basket in eighteen minutes. For my own part I think that the man who can view such scenes as these & yet endeavour not only to excuse but to justify them must want either common humanity or common sense—

As I grow more acquainted with this town I shall soon set about about executing my commissions, some small impositions I have met with have shewn me that I ought not to be in too great a hurry— With my best respects to Mrs. Munro, I am Your affectionate Cousin,