It is but three Days since your Favor of the 3d. Inst. was delivered to me.1 A fair wind, good Company, the Prospect of a short Passage, and thereby avoiding the Fatigue & Inconvenience of a Journey by Land, induced me to return from Albany by Water. The Letter you mention to have written on the Subject of a Pass &c. has never come to Hand.2 on conversing with the Governor Yesterday on that Subject he told me, he lately had the Pleasure of seeing you, and had settled that Matter to your Satisfaction.

I am of the number of those who think Exercise, & Change of Air & Company essential to your Health. I might add a third Requisite—a mind at Ease. The two first conduce to the other. Misfortunes & severe ones, have been your Lott. The Reflection that they happened in the course of a Providence that errs not, has consolation in it. I fear too that your Sensibility is wounded by other Circumstances, but these are wounds not to be probed in a Letter. Could we now & then smoak a few Pipes together, you would perhaps be in a better Humour with many things in the World, than I think you now are. I suspect your Imagination colors high & shades too deep. but more of this another Time.

A Voyage to Europe may as well be postponed, & that for two good Reasons—first because a Passport will not be attainable at present, and 2dly because I believe the Delay will not be attended with Danger. My Belief arises from the following Facts. About Two Years ago a blind Frenchman who had been maintained several Years by the Parish of Rye was brought to my Brother. He had lost one Eye 14 and the other Five or Six years. The Sight of both Eyes were equally opake, & both equally useless. My Brother chose to operate only on one at a Time, but told me it was of little Consequence on which of the two; for that the Difference in the Time was of no moment. He opened the one which had been blind fourteen Years. The man recovered the Sight of that Eye, & requested the like operation on the other, but my Brother declined it on account of the Connection or Sympathy which he said subsisted between the two.

You mistake me much if you suppose the Frequency of your Letters or applications troublesome to me. I assure you it would give me Pleasure were opportunities of being useful to You more frequent than either— When you was last here 14 miles more would have carried you to Fish Kill. That little Ride would have been a Gratification to me, & not unpleasant to you, what detained you? Was you not sure I would be glad to see you? God bless you & give you Health. I am Dr Peter affectionately yours &c.