Miss Dix
I this morning [?read] your letter & am much obliged to you for [?y.]
trouble you have taken in writing to me & fancy y̶o̶u̶ we have not
rightly understood each other. You seemed surprised of my long absence
which was occasioned by my having a bad cold & not any affront on my side
therefore as I expected you so near I thought you would have called or else
have wrote to [?know] the reason of my absence, but as you did neither
& did not [?know] but what the difference of that night remained in your
mind & prevented you.
You [?lay] your not coming to [?vex] [?me or] myself which I suppose
you [?ground] on my letter to you of [?y.] 24th of March last, but [?y.] [?intimacy]
have meant between you & my sister, you will [?there] find my [?desire] of having
an addition of 1 to the number of my friends. the [?recollection] of which one would
have imagined would have saved you the trouble of explaining the difference
between your friendship & your affections. As for my giving you [?y] 1st place
among my friend it is purely [?disinterested] & whom I find as a person to place my
affections upon, then will be time enough to alter the expresion.
you

You charge me with a breach of good manners which between
[?bave] Acquaintances would have been [?censurable] but sincere friendship [illeg]
[?mo] such bound & it is their duty to correct what in them seems wrong.
You expres a fear of my embracing Popery? If I have altered my
conduct I have never altered my principles: & you strangely mistake me
concerning confesion, I mentioned it not as a vindication but as an [illeg]
You say you would have told me a little more of your mind which [?might]
not have pleased me. It would instead have proved the Reality of your
friendship, & I was far from being displeased with you that night.
That I need a great [?amendment] in life & [?heart] is true, but a thorough
change would be perfection which is not to be expected in this world.
Your suspecting that I hoped to [?loose] your friendship [?&] take very [illeg]
for I have strictly performed the part of friend & had your conduct [illeg]
to me as mine does to you, I should not have merely [?pitied] you but have
used my utmost endeavours both by prayer & [?persuasion] was i on to have [?reclaimed] you
You still seem to slight a friendship by acknowledging of obligation that
to me which may never be in your power to make amends for. I dont know
that I ever did anything but what friendship required or that needed
any amend but a return of friendship.
I am so far from maintaining a breach betwixt us that I shall
shortly come to see you if nothing prevents, mean while I remain
your sincere disinterested friend [?&]
Jan 5. 1780