Your favor of 16 ult. covering Mr Madison’s letter to you of the 20th was handed to me by Capt Peyton in Richmond in the latter part of the month. I have heretofore declined writing in reply, because I have entertained the hope of visiting you as desired, in which event a written answer would be unnecessary. Nothing, I assure you, could have been more agreeable to Mrs Cabell & myself than to visit Monticello & Montpellier. But the unfortunate situation of Mrs Tucker has deprived us of that pleasure. It demands all our attention, and I fear will eventuate in the loss of her: an affliction which can only be appreciated by those who know her as I do, to be one of the most perfect of the human race. May heaven, in its mercy, avert this blow from my family! she has been in bad health & rather declining for upwards of a twelvemonth. But when we set out from Williamsburg her attending physician expressed no serious apprehensions about her case: and the family certainly felt none. But on her arrival in Richmond she was much injured by the journey, & her physician expressed an opinion very unfavorable to her ultimate recovery. It was agreed in the family that Mrs Cabell & myself should hurry on, & prepare our domestic affairs for setting out with Mr & Mrs Tucker to the White Sulphur Springs in a few days after their arrival at this place. Mrs Tucker stood the fatigues of the Journey from Richmond better than I had expected, and at first we indulged the hope that the air of this upper country would prove very serviceable. But she begins to look again very badly & all our fears are again revived. We are now hurrying our preparations for departure; and hope to set out in three days from this time. I go in the morning to Buckingham Ct House, to make enquiries as to the best stages along the route to New London & Johnson’s springs in Botetourt. If I find it admissible I shall return home & attend to my Harvest. In this situation, I must for the present decline the kind invitation of yourself & Mr Madison, to whom I beg you will be good enough to make my apology. I am very thankful to you both for your prompt attention to my letter from Wmsburg. I have shewn your letters confidentially to a few friends. When I see you I will restate more at large my reasons for thinking that the funds of Wm & Mary should, if the College falls, receive a different direction from the one you seem disposed to give them. Such of my Assembly-friends as I have met with concur warmly in favor of the Academical appropriation. I entirely concur in your views as to the impropriety of the Richmond scheme. It will be warmly supported, & will give us a good deal of trouble: but it can & ought to, be defeated. Already I was drawn into some discussions about it. But from the receipt of your letter, I have pursued your advice, and shall inculcate it on my friends. Our course is simple & easy, till the meeting of the next Legislature. In the mean time I will have the pleasure, (& as soon as possible) to see you & Mr Madison. I write in great haste, & must conclude with the most heartfelt