I have just had the pleasure of receiving yours of the 19 instant, enclosed with several letters; As yours is short & spirited, & is the first production of the kind, which I have received from you, I shall immediately return you an answer, & desire you to assure Polly,(1) as well as Mr. Wiggin & the Doctor that I shall acknowledge their favors as soon as possible. I am very glad that you are sensible of your foible which is so obvious to every body else. And I am equally pleased at your sincerity & frankness in owning the truth. This is not the usual characteristic of young ladies. But since you have so candidly confessed your fondness for dress, I will gratify you in your enquiries, so far as my inattention to such trifflings will enable me. I am far from being an enemy to what may be called decency in dress, and I am willing to allow a young Miss to be more attentive to it than an old man. But there is such a thing as excess, against which it is wisdom for both old & young to guard. I hope as you shall by age have more experience & observation that your good sence will lead you to a commendable mediocrity between the extreems of under & over dress. There is another thing which deserves notice on this head & that is the place & company you have to appear in. If I should find some young gentleman in New York, who I should contract with as a husband for you & accordingly send for you here, I should then think it quite consistent to spend a thousand dollars in your equipment. Such is the difference between Stratham & this City that one hundred dollars there, would be more extravagant than the other sum here. There is a delegate from Connecticut who has his daughter with him in this City about 15 years old, whom he introduces in to the best Company & of consequence dresses in the richest manner. I dined with her once. She was dress'd in a white satten. She is not very handsome, & I believe had not been much used to the most genteel company. But her father intends she shall be. In addition to my account of fashions which I wrote to you, I sent a supplement to your mother for Sally Gool if she is at Stratham. This it is likely you will see I don't know what to observe further, only that it is the fashion for young ladies when they are well dressed to be cheerful & very sociable. They never appear bashful tho' they can blush when there is occasion for it. As for the subject of conversation it is no matter how trifling, only let what you say be well expressed. The ladies I think universally crape their hair & are powdered some times. They wear abundance of trumpery over their bosoms, which reaches up to their chins. I have not been to the Assembly yet, where is the perfection of dress. If I should spend a dollar for that use I shall be able to give you a better account. In the mean time let me advise

   I bid you a very affectionate adieu, P Wingate

   RC (MH-H: Wingate Papers).