Matthew Franklin letter to Charity Rotch, New York, 6 mo 26 1804

              B-255-6
  Dear Friend            New York 6 mo 26 1804
                       James J Bull of this City, being about to 
  set out for Hartford, I embrace a moment, to say I have rec'd thy 
  esteemed favour of 17th Instant ~ it affords me much pleasure to 
  find I still have a place in thy recollection and best wishes for 
  I have ruminated a good deal on the Circumstance, of thy being here
  and not even paying me a complementary Visit; and should have
  been almost ready to resent it, but recollecting that Batchelors are not
  entitled to much attention, have endeavoured to "packet the affront" and 
  think if I ever go to Hartford shall call at Thomas Rotch's notwith-
  standing.  i have been wading under peculiar depression wince the Yearly
  Meeting, from a combination of causes, not the least of which has been
  passing thro' the dispensation of evil report; I wish I could come to the
  experience Dr. Young speaks of when he says
           "His Hand the good Man fastens on the Sky,
            and bids Earth roll, nor feels her idle whirl." 
  this is indeed a most precious and desirable attainment; for how-
  ever our steppings along may be marked with intentional rectitude;
  we shall find some who will Question the propriety of our Movements
  All the wise man says " In every thing there is Profit," and I humbly
  hope that my Maker may cause my late plungings, to be a means
  of drawing me closer to himself; leading me to "[illegible] all Joys, but
  "Joys that never can expire" ~ I wish not to make a prey of thy sympa-
  thetic Mind; but there is something relieving in imparting a [illegible]
  conflicts to a feeling fellow traveller, and methinks thou wilt be dis-
  posed to excuse the freedom, when thou recollects that the complainant
  has not a Heart to beat responsive with his, and thereby alleviate the
  measure of conscience that fall to his Lot- I am sometimes ready