1Thomas Jefferson to James Lyle, 12 February 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved your letter of Jan. 24. and recieved it with sincere affliction, and with the more on account of the utter incapacity in which it finds me to yield any prompt compliance, with your call, a call to which former indulgencies render it very painful to me not to give effect. I will explain to you my situation. when the end of my service in the government was approaching, I resolved...