STEVENS

saying that his situation prevented me from explaining myself so fully as I could have wished. I have to beg of you to advance me the value of sixteen pounds sterling which will be paid to your Order by my Father according to the permission which he has given me. I am more desirous to have the money at present as I wish to pay my traiteur, & am apprehensive that it may hereafter be more difficult to get money than at present. I see no hopes of being liberated - indeed I wd rather stay in the prison I am in - provided I can get the Seals taken off my Chamber Door, where I have a Garden to keep there at at 40 Sols a day which with my lodgings is an unnecessary expense - Besides if I am so lucky as to be sent out quite free, I shall immediately retire into the Country at a small Distance from Paris, my Health is very much impaired within these six Weeks & i have absolute need of a little Country air. Excuse my explaining myself so fully, it is merely to prove to you how absolutely necessary Money is to me at the Moment, for I really have none. If I could write a few lines to my family, it wd make me very easy. I am exceedingly obliged to you for the interest you take for me... with a postscript that he is at the Refectoire at the Abbey Prison where I can see the persons you will have the goodness to send me..., 3 sides 8vo., together with an instruction in French to Citoyen Perregaux asking him to send a bill of exchange for him to sign, 1 side 8vo., Au Refectoire à l'Abbayè, 19th October