Dear PapaEppington May 23

  I received your affectionate
letter when I was at presqu'ile but
was not able to answer it before I came
here as the next day we went to uncle
Bolings and then came here. I thank
you for the pictures you was so kind
as to send me and will try that your
advaice shall not be thrown away. I
read in don quixote every day to my
aunt and say my grammer in spanish
and english and write and read in
robertson's america after I am done that
I work till dinner and a little more

–page 2 —

                                    recd. June 5.1790

after. it did not snow at all last month.
my cousin Boling and myself made a
pudding the other day. my aunt has given
us a hen and chickens.adieu my
Dear papa.believe me to by your ever
dutiful and affectionate daugther,
              Maria Jefferson

*Presqu'ile was the home of David Meade Randolph, one of Thomas Jefferson's cousins, who lived in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

*Uncle Boling was John Boling (1737-1800), the husband of Thomas Jefferson's sister Mary. They lived at Chestnut Grove in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

*Jefferson typically noted the day he received his letters. In this case, he received Maria's letter on June 5, thirteen days after she wrote it.