John Jay Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-01-02-0028

From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 31 October 1765

To Robert R. Livingston

[New York, Thursday night, 31 October 1765]

Never my Dear Friend have I been more at a Loss in answering a Letter than I now am, and never have I undertaken a Task more agreable or that has given me [illegible] ^greater^ Satisfaction.1 Be not surprised that on such an Occasion, I should be at a Loss; for nothing that I can say, will be adequate to your Candour, and Generosity; nor can any Terms be fully expressive of my Sentiments on a Subject so singular and interesting; neither think it a Contradiction, that I should notwithstanding, call it the most agreable Task I have undertaken; for if a bare assurance of Friendship from a Person whom we highly esteem—gives us Pleasure, how happy must we be in an Opportunity of gratefully acknowledging our Obligations to him, for a Conduct, that must forever banish every Doubt of Sincerity; and fix our Friendship upon a Foundation able to resist the Waves of Envy, as well as protect it from the Arrows of Detraction.

Suspect me not of Flattery, if I say your Ingenuousness has stood a Trial, that few in our degenerate Days, are capable of undergoing; and that the Remonstrances of pride, to others the most insurmountable Obstacles; only afforded a happy Opportunity of evincing your Greatness of Mind. Such Principles, so directing your Actions, must render your private Caracter as much the Subject of Love as Admiration; and by diffusing their Influence thro’ the more general Concerns of Life, make Your Reflections as pleasing to yourself as the Causes of them beneficial to Society.

I forbear taking particular Notice of the several Reasons you mention for dropping the Correspondence; but this permit me to remark that in general they reflect more Honour on your Modesty, than Judgment, with respect to your Abilities. I think myself extremely happy in an Assurance from you (whom I cant suspect of Dissimulation) that no other material Deficiency marks my Caracter than the one you mention; and I thankfully acknowledge your Endeavours to remove that. Agreable to your advice I shall keep a watchful Eye over my Conduct; and hope with your Assistance to preserve it fair and unspotted. The Method you take to prevent my suspecting You of Flattery, contains the most refined and delicate piece of Flattery I have hitherto met with, vizt.: That I should impute your Inability to point out any other Faults, rather to Incapacity in the Critick than Perfection in the Subject, however I am not displeased with it, ^as it^ tends to confirm me in the opinion I before entertained of your Genius & Invention. I shall make one Observation more upon your Letter and then conclude. You say you was deterred from mentioning a Correspondence upon any other head, by a fear of not being able to support it properly—Don’t decieve yourself; nor think that I am speaking other than my real Sentiments, when I tell ^you^, that in my Opinion you are as capable of maintaining a Correspondence upon other Subjects, as the Person whom You honour with the name of friend. Application is the only Requisite, for Nature has done her Part.—But even admitting (since you will have it so) that you are not capable of supporting it properly, Yet let me ask, if that be the case, whether you dont wish and desire to become able? The Wish certainly is reasonable, and sure you wont refuse to gratify it: Begin then and try to make yourself capable; the Object undoubtedly is worth possessing especially as the attainment will cost you so little pains. Besides, between Persons who consider each other in the Light we do, no bad Consequences can attend a Discovery of our Defects; our Business being not to expose but to remove them.

As it grows late, and the office will prevent my adding any thing in the Morning, I shall defer saying any thing more till I see you, except that I am Your Friend—

P.S. Pray think of our New England Frolick, and let no Objection prevent your adding to the Pleasure we expect to enjoy in that Excursion.

ALS, PHi: Gratz Collection (EJ: 1108). Dft, NNC (EJ: 7971).

1The letter JJ refers to has not been located.

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