My dear Miss Maury,

Your charming letter of the 5th. was duly received, and your delinquent friend is at length seated to assure you that the kind opinion you have formed of Mr Madison and the good wishes you indulge for us both, are very precious to her. I have always believed that the better acquainted you became with my dear Husband, the more you would regard him, as I feel, that such would be the result, with all frank and unbiassed minds like your own.

You are correct in your calculations on birth days and I fervently hope that both my Husband and your Father may yet see many, and happy anniversaries of them. At present Mr M is very feeble and indisposed, but I have great faith in our Mountain weather during the months of Spring and Summer, which he has promised to pass in riding abroad with me.
 
The clearing away of clouds in the direction of France, may be of advantage to your brothers, and we trust Mr. Butsons visit to New Orleans may be as successful as he could wish.

Our Spring is very backward and our country less beautiful than usual, at this season, owing to the destruction of early Fruits and vegetables.

We have lately had the pleasure of a visit, of two or three days from Miss Martineau whose character and writings you are familiar with no doubt. She was so interesting that we hastened to procure her books, and are now reading her Political Economy so handsomely Illustrated. She was accompanied by her friend Miss Jeffery's, on their route to N. Orleans by the way of Charleston, Columbia &c.

I am very much ashamed to send you this sadly written letter, but as my prospect of doing better is distant, I will lay the blame to the point of my pen, and beg you to accept for your Father and yourself the cordial and affectionate salutations of us all at Montpellier.