Quincy April 2 1818 Dear Sir Accept my Thanks for your favour [sic] from [illegible] of the 21. of March I receive with great Satisfaction that your Mother lives. Her keen understanding brilliant Witt made an impression on my mind as her kindness and [illegible] did upon my [illegible] but my Inexperience in the French Language deprived me on the pleasure and Advantage of such free conversation with the Family as I wished. If your Sisters have not increased the Family, invite them to Le Raisville; America is the place to increase Family Your Sons have chosen the good part, which ought not to be taken away from them. I am now busily engaged in making Stone Wall, and Employment that has amused me for more than fifty years, and in which the principal part of my agricultural Exploits has consisted. When you made your [illegible] tour in New York and arrived in Albany, I wish you had extended your Occursion [sic] to Boston and to Quincy, You would be amused to see, how narrow my Ideas of Agriculture are, in comparison with yours. But Sir, I am now very Serious, while I condole with you in the loss of your dearest Friend and highly applaud your conjugal tenderness in [illegible] her to Europe for the recovery of her [struck] health; I hope you will excuse me if I enquire who that [illegible] was, my life has been to retired that I am ashamed to say I have never heard. I have a late letter from our illustrious [illegible] The Marquis de la Fayette, in which he says " The State of France is not so bad as it appears. He appears in good Spirits and his Fearfulness has refreshed that of your Friend and humble Servant John Adams Mr. Le Ray de Chaumont Le Raysville, Jefferson County State of New York