1Martha Washington to Elizabeth Willing Powel, 17 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
It is unnecessary, I persuade myself to assure you, that with whatsoever pleasure your letters may be received, the satisfaction to be derived from them, will fall far short of that which your company wd give: but as stern winter (which has commenced with uncommon severity) has closed all expectation of the latter, I can only offer my thanks for your kind remembrance of us in your letter of...