I was very glad to receive your long letter & well pleased with all its contents, as well knowing that in one part you had rather expressed a transitory feeling than a settled one. There is a great deal of sterling friendship in the world, & you are one of the last persons who should doubt it. You have so much of it yourself, that you would not only turn in your bed to serve me, but will, I dare say, save my corn-factor Joey Lock

the trouble of sending me a bill the second second bill for the cxxx his good works; – & also prevent the like danger, (if it still exists) from Willis, on the score of the Stewardship.

There is, (I repeat it), a great deal of sterling friendship in the world. It is very true that as men get higher in this world they are less able to act from feeling & inclination. They are involved in party obligations. & political considerations must of necessity predominate over personal ones. This is the case officially with all men, – & in his honour, who I suppose is now to be his Right-Honour,

there is more than this, arising from what a Doxtor would call his idiosyncrasy. He who every morning of his life has been doing something else when he ought to have been dressing himself, will in like manner be doing some thing else when he might be serving those for whom he has the sincerest regard. But upon the specific subject of your wishes, (to which however I see there is an end, by your letter of today) I should really think the surest & easiest way of serving Henry would be by endeavouring to secure his promotion in his own office, where he has the strongest claims, & where he is master of the business.