"It is now late at night, not an hour ago I finished a little poem of about 400 lines, entitled a Journey to Maryland--being the Sum of my adventures--it begins 'From that fam'd town where Hudson's flood--unites with Stream perhaps as good; Muse has your bard begun to roam--& I intend to write a terrible Satire upon certain vicious persons of quality in New York--who have also used me ill--and print it next fall it shall contain 5 or 600 lines. Sometimes I write pastorals to shew my Wit. 'Deep to the woods I sing a Shepherd's care, Deep to the woods, Cyllenus calls me there, The last retreat of Love and Verse I go, Verse made me mad at first and----will keep me so.' "I should have been glad to have heard from you before now; while I was in college I had but a short participation of your agreeable friendship, and the few persons I converse with and yet fewer, whose conversation I delight in, make me regret the Loss of it. I have met with a variety of rebuffs this year, which I forbear to mention, I look like an unmeaning Teague just turn'd out of the hold of an irish Ship coming down hither I met with a rare adventure at Annapolis. I was destitute even of a brass farthing. I got clear very handsomely. "Could one expect ever to see you again, if I travel through Virginia I shall stop and talk with you a day or two. I should be very glad to receive a letter from you if it can be conveniently forwarded--in short 'Non sum qualis eram' as Partridge says in Tom Jones--My hair is grown like a mop, and I have a huge tuft of beard directly upon my chin--I want but five weeks of twenty-one years of age and already feel stiff with age--We have about 30 Students in this academy, who prey upon me like Leaches--'When shall I quit this whimpering pack, and hide my head in Acomack?'--Shall I leave them and go 'Where Pokomokes long stream meandering flows-- "Excuse this prodigious scrawl without stile or sense--I send this by Mr. Luther Martin who will forward it to Col. Lee--and he to you I hope. Mr. Martin lives in Acomack in Virginia this side the bay. Farewell and be persuaded I remain your truly humble Serv't and friend PH. F-R-E-N-E-A-U-"