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Debtors Apartment {Philadelphia} March 11th 1799
My Dear Friend I rec'd yours of the 28th inst. & was made happy by your obliging attention & have totally dismiss'd from my mind the idea of ever having been forgotten by your & my dear sister Sally - for believe me when I tell you - that at times I had harboured the painful thought - but in future it shall never obtrude itself into my breast - situated as I have been for some time past the slightest neglect is most severely felt - & the least attentions most gratefully acknowledg'd - I am allmost asham'd to repeat that I expect my enlargement soon - but seriously I have well grounded hopes of liberation & upon terms far more honourable than an application to the court for the benefit of the Insolvent Act - which if accomplish'd I shall I think hereafter so prize my liberty that my future caution will bid defiance to goals [gaols] - I have pass'd you may well judge a horrid winter - & yet I believe it will prove a profitable one - I had suppos'd that my early debut into life & the many vicissitudes of fortune had given me a thorough acquaintance with men & the world - but it was reserv'd for this prison to let me know that I was a mere noviciate - since my confinement men & women of all nations & men from every state in our union have been in imprisonment in this goal [gaol] - from generals to chimney sweeps - from the most exalted grade in civil life to the meanest - & from ladies of beauty character delicacy & mind - to the most abandoned of the sex - owing to some exertions of mine contending for the privileges of the unfortunate [?] notic'd by the respectable part of our little Commonwealth & have had for many weeks the honour of sustaining the office of Advocate Gen'l of the Republic & Master of Police - which have occupied much of my time & prevented my hours passing languidly away. I have also been most pointedly attended to by Mr Morris - whose friendship I shall ever be proud of let the world think as they may of him - Of late there has been a little damp upon the spirits of our society - as many of our worthy members have quit us & others are about to leave us by the benefit of the act altho we rejoice at their enlargement yet believe me when I say I have shed tears in parting with the companions of my misery -
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I have liv'd prudently - in fact I had no choice - for my purse could not afford me those luxuries I had been used to but my outdoor friends have been very kind in sending such little affairs as they suppos'd would be acceptable - you by this time perceive that I have nothing new to tell you even of myself - Phil'a {Philadelphia} has been extremely dull I am told the past winter - the Company of Comedians very weak - & the circus thinly attended - Politics have run high [?] party spirit has been very virulent - Fenno like a mad boy has relinquish'd his gazette & so topsy turvy are the times getting that I should not be at all surpriz'd to see Baches Aurora become a ministerial paper - the fever is dreaded the ensuing season as it is suppos'd that the plans for its prevention will not be effected untill the season is far advanc'd - indeed Phil'a {Philadelphia} has a dreadful perspective - now Brother George be as good as your word - & send the lengthy letter you promise me - I had allmost forgot to congratulate you on the prospect you have of being soon a father - accept my felicitations - adieu & believe me ever most truly & sincerely your Friend & affectionate Brother R Isaacs - Junior
{Debtors Apartment Philadelphia} March 11th 1799 Dear Sally Your short letter was most gratefully rec'd & I hope you will have frequent deputations of a similar nature - pray never again be so inattentive - & let me entreat you to continue to write especially during my present unhappy situation - tell me every thing about your assemblies - & the little chit-chat that is passing in {New} Haven - what young ladies are courted - who married - & whether any have broke their necks sleighing this winter - & how many drawers of baby linnen you have filled - & whether any smart beaux has step'd up to sister Sophia yet I am told by sister Grace that she is quite an Amazonian young lady - do Sally persuade her to write me a line - I shall write to her soon - yes very soon for my next shall be to her ladyship - accept Sally my warmest thanks for your attention to my little girls - I love you more than ever for it - adieu I am your bubber R Isaacs
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Dear Sophia, For the first time in my life I address you in writing - I have long intended to write to you & although I now only drop a line yet consider it as the beginning of a correspondence - & tell me at least in answer how you have past the last two years - What schools you have attended & who have been your instructors - I suppose by this time you have forgot your kittens [?] [?] [?] permit me to condole with you on the melancholy subject of the death of your companion of youth - Poor Margarett - adieu Dear sister - I am your affectionate {Brother} Ralph Isaacs My Dear sister Grace - I acknowledge the [?] of your very kind letter - & feel much indebted for your early attention in I find that two letters of mine to you never came [?] [?] it to the inattention of the runner to our hotel [?] broke & dismays. From his office by our [?] I know not why? But my attachment to my relations of en[?] to an astonishing degree - I even dear call to remembrance all the little incidents of oc[?] & dwell with peculiar satisfaction on the [?] of our early friendship - I have never untill my [?] [?] realize the death of [?] dear Brother Will[?] have been bewil[?]ed enchanted & fascinated for [?] of late - but now find myself free - my children I love & will protect - pardon me for saying thus much - When you see my Father & our excellent Mother - [?]pare them of my entire love & dutiful regard - ask your best of men & husbands whether he need a lengthy letter from me in answer to his - I requested M Miles to hand A to W Willhoup to be forwarded - neither W Willhoup or any of our Connecticutt members did me the honour to call on me - I felt no mortification - my best love & respects to W Ingersoll - & ask to write [?] him that among the various letters I receive none are more welcome than those from him I love & esteem him - adieu Dearest sister & be affirmed I am your affectionate friend & brother W Ingersoll