From John Jay to Catharine W. Livingston, 21 January 1782
To Catharine W. Livingston
Madrid 21 Jany 1782
Dear Kitty
Sally will mention the Date of the last Letter we had the Pleasure of recieving from you—1 Mr Ridley was the Bearer of it, as well as of a Picture for which I esteem myself greatly indebted to our good Friend Mr Morris.2 I think it greatly resembles You, and that Circumstance gives it a Value with us, which it is neither necessary nor easy to express— I have seen and admired many ancient paintings of celebrated Masters, but their Effect on ones Feelings is cold & momentary, compared with the Impression made by a less finished portrait of a favourite absent Friend.
Simitier really appears to have done his best, and I confess has somewhat softened by his Pencil, the Resentment excited by the Impropriety of his Conduct. I think he has given you a few Years too many, and if there be any other material Fault, it is in not having transfused into the Eyes, the exact and full Expression of the originals, but this I believe can seldom be done, except in Cases where nature has not been very liberal. I like the real Simplicity of the Head Dress, but the Ringlet on the Shoulder might have flowed in Lines more easy— The air & mien of the whole Picture is graceful, the Dress well fancied, and tho’ the Countenance is rather sedate, it is nevertheless free from Severity, serene, & pleasing.
I wrote to you on the Subject of this picture &c. in Septr. last,3 & as I have since sent two Copies of that Letter, I presume that one or other of them has reached You, especially as it contains nothing which could induce the post office to suppress it. I also wrote to you in Octr. Novr. & Decr. last.4 indeed I generally make it a Rule to write one a Month to almost all my Correspondents, and often more frequently to You.
A Letter dated the 27 Augt. last from my old friend and Companion Mr Benson, arrived here ten Days ago—5 he gives me the most particular & satisfactory account of my Fathers Family which I have as yet recd.— I have not had a Line from Fœdy of later Date than April,6 and I have been too plain & sincere with no. 117 to be admitted into the Number of his Correspondents. What is he doing?
In one of my former Letters I mentioned to you that my Family would probably be encreased this Spring.8 We expect this Event will take place in March. Sally’s Health is in some Respects better than usual, tho’ still delicate—the Rheumatism has left her, but her Strength is not in proportion to her Spirits.
I much fear that your apprehensions about the Saratoga, are too well founded—9 We can hear no Tidings of her. It is possible nevertheless that she may have been captured, but the Probability of it decreases daily. A Regard for your Feelings as well as my own, prevents my enlarging on the Subject. Our Inquiries shall be continued & you shall be informed of the Result of them.
Mr. Morris it seems has sent his two eldest Sons to Europe. They have had a fine passage, and I rejoice at it. I have desired Mr Ridley to send me the Address, when settled at Geneva.10 I have always found myself strongly attached even to the Children of my Father’s Friends, and unless my Heart decieves me, the Children of my own Friends will always find a Place in it. My Ideas of an European Education were never very exalted, and I confess they are less so now than ever.
I had heard of Mr R. Livingstons Appointment, and have been for some Time past expecting a Letter from him, but I suppose he has been so engaged in preparing for his Removal as not to have found Leisure. If this Letter should be more fortunate than mine to him, present him my Congratulations & best Wishes.
What has become of John Penn,11 I have written him two or three Letters, but have never had a single Line from him; which I am the surprized at as well as sorry for— I am much indebted to his Civilities, & should regret his thinking me unmindful of them—
Sally has sent Mr. Johnson at Nantz an order, of which the following is a Copy vizt.
“be pleased to send for Miss Kitty W. Livingston, to the Care of the Hon’able R. Morris Esqr. at Philadelphia, by the first three good Vessels bound there, the three following Parcels vizt.
No. 1. to contain
2 white embroidered patterns for Shoes
4 pair Silk Stockings
a pattern for a negligee of light pink colored Silk, with a Set of Ribbons suitable to it
6 pair of Red Gloves
6 Yards of Cat Gut, & Cap wire in proportion
6 Yards of white silk Gauze—
No. 2. to contain
The same as above, except that the Silk for the Negligee must not be pink colored, but of any other color that Mrs. Johnson may think fashionable & pretty. The shoes & Ribbons to be adapted to it.
No. 3. to contain
The same as above, except that the Silk for the Negligee must be of a different Color from the other two, & the Shoes & Ribbons of a proper color to be worn with it—”
We hope that one at least of these parcels will reach you, & be agreable to your Taste— You will be pleased to observe that they are not merely sent to your Care but for your wear.
Present my Compliments & best Wishes to Mr. & Mrs. Morris, Mr. and Mrs. Meredith, Mr. & Mrs. Peters, Mr. & Mrs. Powel. I have written to G. Morris & Mr. Bingham but nevertheless remember us ^to^ them and to Mr. Matthews.12
Adieu I am very sincerely Dr Kitty your affte. Friend & Brother,
John Jay
Miss Kitty W. Livingston—
2. Catharine W. Livingston had commissioned Du Simitière to paint her portrait for JJ. When she critized it as “fanciful,” and her friends thought it more closely resembled SLJ, Du Simitière declined to turn over the portrait, to Catharine’s astonishment. Robert Morris then stepped in, purchasing the portrait from Du Simitière as a gift for JJ, which Matthew Ridley took to Europe in October. Catharine W. Livingston to JJ, 12 May 1781, ALS, NNC (EJ: 8099); JJ to Catharine W. Livingston, 28 Sept. 1781, Dft, NNC (EJ: 8100); Robert Morris to JJ, 19 Oct. 1781, above.
4. JJ to Catharine W. Livingston, 23 Oct.–November 1781, Dft, NNC (EJ: 8101), is the only letter that has been found.
5. Letter not found.
7. Sir James Jay.
9. See William Livingston to SLJ, 21 Aug. 1781, above, note 2.
10. JJ to Ridley, 8 Jan. 1782, ALS, PHi: Dreer (EJ: 1136); Dft, NNC (EJ: 7915); C, MHi: Ridley (EJ: 4685); JJUP, 2: 122–23.
11. John Penn, a member of Congress from North Carolina, 1775–80, had returned to North Carolina, where he served on the Board of War responsible for managing the state’s military preparations. .
12. Richard Peters, a Philadelphia attorney and member of the Board of War, and his wife, Sarah Robinson Peters (1753–1804); Samuel Powel (1739–93), the last mayor of Philadelphia under the provisional government and speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1780, and his wife, Elizabeth Willing Powel (1742–1830); John Mathews (1744–1802), a native of Charleston, South Carolina, and a delegate to Congress, 1778–82.