New York Jany. 16. 1785
Dear Sir,
I had the honor of writing to you last by the post that left Trenton just before I quitted that place,1 and I should not so soon have troubled you again, if it were not to furnish you with the very excellent pamphlet that accompanies this letter.2 Doctor Price has lately sent over a few of those pamphlets to the President of Congress and left the disposal of them to him. I am very sure that I shall gratify the Doctors feelings as well as my own, when I request your acceptance of one of them.3 We have no news here, except the account brought by the packet from England just arrived, and which is current in Town - that the war between the Emperor & Holland has certainly commenced. A small engagement, near Lille upon the Scheldt, has taken place in which a Dutch regiment is said to have lost 20 or 30 men. Prussia is said to have taken part with Holland, & the Empress of Russia with the Emperor. It is probable that this quarrel, if it proceeds, will embroil the greatest part of Europe. I hope Great Britain will find herself compelled to engage.
My best respects attend your Lady.
I am dear Sir, with the truest esteem & regard sincerely yours,
Richard Henry Lee
Receiver's copy, Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
1 See Lee to Washington, December 26, 1784.
2 That is, Dr. Richard Price's Observations on the Importance of the American Revolution, and the Means of Making it a Benefit to the World (London, 1784), which was reprinted in Boston, Philadelphia, and Charleston. Cf. Evans, Am. Bibliography, no. 19,937.
3 Washington acknowledged receipt of Price's pamphlet in his letter to Lee of February 8. Washington, Papers (Abbot), Confederation Series, 2:330 - 33.