Documents

A friend and fellow Phi Beta Kappa member writes to William Short, describing his travels in Europe and discussing sexual encounters.

A friend of William Short relays news from home and asks Short to compare France to Virginia.

A friend and fellow Phi Beta Kappa member discusses his relationship with a married woman and news about acquaintances in common.

A friend and fellow Phi Beta Kappa member discusses love, courtship and marriage, as well as his travel plans.

A mentor of William Short relays news from Virginia and America.

William Short writes to an unknown person and describes events in Europe and Virginia, including his hopes for the abolition of slavery. This incomplete letter is perhaps the first instance of Short expressing his hopes for an end to slavery.

William Short informs the Prussian emissary of the instructions he has received from the American government to conclude the ratification of the 1785 Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Prussia. 

A friend of William Short describes how he is dealing with grief after his wife's death, the upbringing of his young children, and his return to active life.

A physician friend informs Short of Dr. James Lyons' return to the United States, discusses the medical profession and events in Virginia.

The secretary to the American legation in London writes to William Short, discussing political conditions, offering advice, and describing his concerns and hopes for America's future.