proposes to leave, taking his mangle instead; [a mangle was a machine
for washing or pressing, then in use, and a fixture, I think;] he would
not object provided his was as good, but not if he would be the gainer
by exchanging. He concludes, Mrs. Washington and all the family joining
in best wishes to Mrs. Lear and himself, "I am your sincere friend and
affectionate servant," signing his name as before.

The next is dated Mount Vernon, October 3, 1790. In this letter he
refers to the declaration of the ministers of Britain and Spain as
published in the newspapers,[A] and requests Mr. Lear to give him the
earliest information of these or any other interesting matters, beyond
what the newspapers say; remarking that Mr. Jefferson's absence from New
York [Mr. Jefferson was then Secretary of State] might be the means of
delaying the receipt of official advices to him longer than usual. He
requests Mr. Lear to use his endeavors for ascertaining the best schools
in Philadelphia with a view to placing Washington Custis, Mrs.
Washington's grandson, at the best. If the college is under good
regulations, and they have proper tutors to prepare boys of his standing
for the higher branches of education, he makes a quaere if it would not
be better to put him there at once, the presumption being that a system
may prevail there by which the gradations are better connected than in
schools which have no correspondence with each other. Adverting again to
his servants, he reminds Mr. Lear that no mention had been made of
John's wife, and asks what he understands to be her plans. He incloses a
letter from John to her, and another from James to his "del Toboso."
[These were four of his black servants.] He requests him when able to
get at Count d'Estaing's letters to send him a transcript of what he
says of a bust he had sent him of Neckar, together with a number of
prints of Neckar, and of the Marquis la Fayette; and concludes in the
same cordial and affectionate style as before.