I have recd yours of 6th inst.2 I cannot recollect any particular circumstances attending the purchase of Simsons Algebra 3 (you said Euclid, but I apprehend you were mistook, for I never owned an Euclid) only you were with me at Gales' Store4 in the time of the sitting of the Assembly before the last I believe you paid for it, but am not positive. I also remember that Miss Gales deducted [unrecovered] 25¢ from the price (which was 25/)5 on account of some injury which it had sustained. I dont remember of your purchasing any other books at that time. I dont recollect of purchasing any other books of Gales myself except a few days ago I sent to Raleigh to Gales for an Helsham's Philosophy 6 (the price of which was 27/6.) and requested him to present the acct to you. My principal Studies this session have been Euclid, Algebra & Virgil. I am now studying Horace, Algebra, and Geography, privately, & Mair's Introduction,7 We have nearly finished Algebra. After which we have finished it my Class will begin Ewin's Synopsis,8 but as I have been examined upon it once, I shall not study it again, And shall have more time to devote to those studies in which I am behind my Class. If I continue here I can graduate with ease with my Class. The April Examination was finished about a week ago. I am among the number of those appointed to speak next July from my class9

My Acct This Session is as Follows10

	D	C
Recd In Smithfield	53	50
of Saunders	9	50
In Letters	30	00
	$93	00
Paid Mairs	1	75
Pd Taylor 40/ respecting that suspected mony refreshment for myself Horses & Vol 15/	5	5011
Do Vol 10/ Pd the [t]aylor 40/	5	50
Pd Steward 34$ Bingham for tuition & Room 13$	47	0012
2 Ld wood 2$ 2tl Candles 5/	2	50
Can 25 Cents Servant Hire 10/	1	25
Cd over	$63	00

Amt Brot over	63	00
Pd Kirkland 20$	22	00
Letters from Allen Davie (N.York) A. Foster, Dancy, Burges, & Smithfield	1	0013
Bt of pedlar to line Vests 3 1/2 yd Hum 4/6	1	60
Pd Daniel for making fires 8/ paper 3/6	1	1514
Chair 5/ Shoes 20/	2	50
Pd for mending shoes & boots	1	00
	$90	25
Trifles not acct for		75

you see by this statement that I have 2 Dolls on hand, & have pd Henderson nothing. I was [unrecovered] to pay down for those things which I bot. [unrecovered] as the goods are not to be had in the vi[llage.] I am indebted to Henderson nearly 15$. I have spent more money than I expected to spend when I left Smithfield, but have endeavourd to be as frugal as possible, & you can judge from the Statement whether I have been too prodigal. It is rumoured here that you are going to St. Mary's.15 And that you are to be the Author of the Literary History. The Caucus & the Races, Are often the topicks of conversation at this place, And my vanity has often been nigh overruling my prudence

1. Calvin Jones Papers, SHC. The letter is addressed to "Doct. Calvin Jones / Smithfield"; though the letter is undated, a postage endorsement reads "Chapel Hill/17th Apl 1803} 10."

2. "inst.": instant; the present month.

3. Thomas Simpson, A Treatise of Algebra (London: J. Nourse, 1745).

4. A bookstore in Raleigh, NC, belonging to Joseph Gales (1761-1841), editor of the Raleigh Register. Gales' son, Joseph Gales, Jr., had been expelled from the University in 1801; Gales' oldest daughter Sarah probably helped run the bookstore (Dictionary of North Carolina Biography 2:265-67).

5. "/": throughout the letter the slash indicates shillings, each worth one-tenth of a dollar. The price of the book, then, was $2.50.

6. Richard Helsham, A Course of Lectures in Natural Philosophy (Dublin: Bryan Robinson, 1739).

7. John Mair, An Introduction to Latin Syntax (Edinburgh, 1767).

8. Alexander Ewing, A Synopsis of Practical Mathematics (Edinburgh: W. Smellie, 1771).

9. All classes participated in commencement, but being chosen as one of the junior speakers was indicative of Jones' excellent academic record. The following year, Jones finished second in his class and delivered the commencement oration in history on the morning of July 12, 1804 (Battle 1:172).

10. Abbreviations appearing in the account are as follows: Recd (received), Pd (paid), Do (ditto, meaning "the same"), Ld (load), tl (tallow), Can (candles), Cd (carried), Amt (amount), Bt (bought), yd (yard), Acct (account, accounted).

11. The money probably was paid to John "Buck" Taylor , who owned an inn and tavern in Chapel Hill, presumably with a stable. Vol is doubtless a slave who accompanied Jones to Chapel Hill and returned to Smithfield with the horse(s) and buggy

12. The University steward from 1801 until 1805 was Maj. Samuel Love (Battle 1:193). William Bingham (1754-1826) was professor of languages from 1801 to 1805. Bingham , together with one tutor and President Caldwell , who taught mathematics, made up the entire University faculty.

13. Typically, the recipient, not the sender, of a letter paid the postage. Smithfield, NC, is where Atlas and Calvin Jones lived.

14. Students paid servants to bring water and light fires in the fireplaces before daylight; Daniel was probably a slave.

15. A township in east central Wake County, NC. Calvin Jones did move to Wake County in about 1803 and for several years edited and published the Raleigh Star. He also served as mayor of Raleigh.