[13. Nov: 1786 To Gen^l. Washington] Baltimore 13 Nov: 1786 — My dear General, I received your letter by M^r [undecipherable: Trispan?] yesterday noon. The Marquis Jo does no time By Relations has had every expense incurred by his [undecipherable] till its arrival at this place as will as the wages and haulage of their conductor one Jamieson. While here the apes have been care-fully attended by my own servants [undecipherable] not any one table, not caring to trust them to the [undecipherable] or a tavern, or from under my own eye. I [undecipherable] to send the birds by [undecipherable: Bottimer?] indeed, and shall engage a bit [undecipherable] person to take the charge of them to your own door, provided [strikethrough: receiving] [undecipherable] on examining the [undecipherable] and character of the seamen. Jamieson will deliver you a letter from the Marquis. What do you conjecture from his appointment to the [undecipherable: Indies?]? It would give me infinite pleasure to spend a few days at Mount [undecipherable: Vernon?] and [undecipherable] our [undecipherable] to your [undecipherable] in your [undecipherable] and hospitality; [undecipherable] I shall certainly do [undecipherable] the growing demands of a family should lay me a more urgent claim to my time. I want much to talk to you about a memoir of things and transactions in which you have been particularly concerned [undecipherable] I think ought I would have it to be comprehended [strikethrough: undecipherable] [undecipherable] part life. A general [undecipherable] history does not admit of what [undecipherable] mean [undecipherable]. I would [undecipherable] suspend the narration [undecipherable] of invented parties [undecipherable] it would [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] it [undecipherable] woven with the [undecipherable] revolution. Your papers [undecipherable] the materials and it would be wrong [undecipherable] to let them be divided and I would [undecipherable] of their [undecipherable]. It named [undecipherable] [strikethrough: embellish the] still [undecipherable] The history, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to embellish [undecipherable] it [strikethrough: the its] beauty would be diminished. [undecipherable] a diamond may be disposed to [strikethrough: undecipherable] advantage [undecipherable] it is [undecipherable] most valuable [strikethrough: undecipherable] [undecipherable] and it [undecipherable] most penetrating. This diamond [strikethrough: ought not to be [undecipherable]] is [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] it divided [undecipherable] it [strikethrough: undecipherable] to ornament a crown. I am my dear [undecipherable: friend?] Yours most aff^ty James McHenry