Why my dear Brother will you not write to me?1 Why thus deprive me of the Consolation of hearing of those for whom I have the most ^so much of my^ Regard and Affection? It is hard, & it is unaccountable— Not a single Line from you this whole Winter—my Friends at Philadelphia do not mention their having recd. one Letter from you to be forwarded to me. I am sure you have no Reason to think I have forgotten, or that I neglect you—

I congratulate you on the Peace—in my opinion Peter with your ^& Mr. Benson’s^ assistance should take early Measures for having the Farm at Rye valued, and I advise him to take it at the Valuation—2 that being done he should prepare to remove to and repair it, and tell him that during my absence he may depend on recieving from me at least one hundred and fifty pounds per Year and more if necessary—^I will from Time to Time supply him with what he may want^— I advise him on removing there to hire a good overseer and to pay him liberal wages—the only way to get a good Man will be to pay him well— If the House stands let him patch it up [till I come?] ^for the present^— Nancy I take it for granted will be with him and if Polly [Marsten?] or some such ^and I advise them to hire^ a clever ^middle aged^ Woman can be had and should be hired to live with them ^to live with them^—

I doubt whether it wd. be convenient for him to ^remove^ in to Rye before next Spring—he will then have the Summer before him to raise the Farm a little out of its Ruins before before w ^a^ Winter ^at any Rate^ I think it wd. not be best ^prudent^ to remove before New York is evacuated.

If the House will admit of it, I think John Strang3 might find it convenient to take a Room in it—that situation wd. do for his Business, and the Convenience of having so good a Man in the Family wd. compensate for the additional Trouble it mi would occasion— I recommend it only for Consideration, for with the little Information I have I cannot decide on the Propriety ^Expediency^ of it—

It appears to me that Peter shd. for the first Year or two content himself with as little Stock ^& tilling^ as possible, and encrease it as he gets up his Fences— The Wood being destroyed Stones will be his only fencing Stuff & they make but slow & expensive work—but he must not be discouraged by either Circumstance—for the first Patience & perseverance ^will^ afford a Remedy, and I will try to make the latter ^as^ easy to him as possible—by abstaining from all expensive ple amusements & ^avoidable^ Superfluities I shall be able to help ^give^ him on ^some^ Help—

You I suppose will return to New York— Pray let me know your Views & Intentions— I will zealously second them and do my best to serve you all—let me know what Money you have recd. ^on my account^ from me thro’ Mr Livingston’s Hands—4 Your Silence afflicts me exceedingly— James is here but has not visited us— Remember me affectionately to Peter & Nancy & Mrs. Jay— I am your afft. Brother.