Philadelphia Sep. 11^th 97 My Dear Sir, I received your obliging favour of Aug. 19^th I [undecipherable] you on the first information that a serious state of things existed in the city. It give me pleasure to find that yourself and family have moved. I hope you have found a dry and healthy situation; here I imagine we are exposed to the fever and ague. The yellow fever or the [undecipherable] to both together have [undecipherable] poor [undecipherable] your messages. an I have entreated by a worthy old man Mr. [undecipherable: Burnet?] the messages to the Comptroller's office to recommend a relation of his, William [undecipherable: Chartwork?] who lives nine or ten miles from the city. [undecipherable: Burnet?] is one of the most [undecipherable] new of my acquaintance and [the undecipherable] of [undecipherable] in divided terms as an honest, sober, and diligent man. I could not and ought to express conveying his wishes to you, tho' I have been careful not to raise his expectations. By friend I have not been here a week, and you will see from out that living alone in a small room in a tavern, with a prospect of a crooked river running through to myself, and occupied alternately with [undecipherable] full of business or conversation, not along the [undecipherable] a [undecipherable] city [undecipherable] from being in a state of perfect happiness. The contrast between our present situation and that which I have lately left is most impressive. I have been lately too happy to expect that I should experience some reverse. Please to present my respects to M^rs. McHenry and believe me your devoted friend. Oliver Wolcott James McHenry, Esq.