I now set down to write to you, upon an affair that appears to me of the utmost Consequence.--must confess I am somewhat at a Loss, in what manner to address myself to You--but presuming upon our former Intimacy, and Acquaintance, and that Friendship. which you have honoured me with, shall without any farther Preface, beg leave to say, that I have long resolved in my mind, a change of the manner of my Life, and have had serious tho'ts of Quitting Agriculture, tho a very pleasing and most agreeable kind of Life; and going Home to Great Britain in order to take a Gound, with a view of founding a Seminary upon the Episcopal Plan, amongst the Six Nations of Indians, under the Patronage of Sir William Johnson--I communicated this affair to my Father some month ago, and had he approved of it, should have immediately set off for Johnson Hall to have laid the affair before that truly great man Sir William, who I eant help thinking Providence permitted to settle in this Country with a Design of his Christianizing those numerous Nations of Savages, over which he has had, & stil has such a surprising Influence, and both the last War, and the War before improved them in military Life; so much both for the Interests of the Crown of G Britain, and the particular advantage of the Colonies. witness the Engagement he had with Baron Dieskau on the 8th Septr 1775, (a Day I shall ever have great Reason to remember for I lost 19 men that morning out of 60 that were under my Command) an action so important in its Consequences as any that ever happened to this Country, from the first Setilement of it to the present Day--had the Baron succeeded in his attempt against Sir W™ this Country, at least great Part of it, would have been deluged in Blood & Slaughter; & such Scenes of Horror & Distress would have ensued, as would shock the Ear of the most obdurate Wretch.--General Braddock ba defeated at Monongahela, and the army under his Com