My dear Sir,

I have not answered your kind Letter
as I intended, through mingled stress of business and
sickness. My state of health has of late forbid
all unnecessary labor on my part, and I now only
write to bid you good bye. I sail for the West
Indies from New York on Friday next—to be gone,
God only knows how long—perhaps it is well I do not
surely know myself. My health at last seems to be
rapidly declining. So bid good bye to all my friends
for me; I do not name them, lest in my haste I should
omit any. Sorry indeed I am I should have
lived to know of a point of difference between us;

My dear Sir,

I have not answered your kind Letter as I intended, through mingled stress of business and sickness. My state of health has of late forbid all unnecessary labor on my part, and I now only write to bid you good bye. I sail for the West Indies from New York on Friday next—to be gone, God only knows how long—perhaps it is well I do not surely know myself. My health at last seems to be rapidly declining. So bid good bye to all my friends for me; I do not name them, lest in my haste I should omit any. Sorry indeed I am I should have lived to know of a point of difference between us;