date

yet to be done, which I made no doubt M r
yet to be done, which I made no doubt M r W. would dispatch

as soon as he could. He seemed rather uneasy at the question; to

which you see I could not return a mere favourable answer. She seemed not very well satisfied, &. I suppose

she would have questioned me more particularly, but he took

care she should not have an opportunity of speaking to me alone a

moment. I am apt to think that was partly the reason of his being

so long before he called upon me. I should have told you that

I called on them at their quarters this morning & staid with them

from 10 till 1/2 after 11.

M rs W. put me into rather an awkward situation. Her husband

comes to town promising either to be back or write by —

certain day - does neither - she writes to him - he takes no notice

of her letter. She writes to me in an agony letter upon

letter, begging me to make hue and cry after him

Monday March 17 th 1777 Linc. Inn.

I had written thus far when I was interrupted. It is no matter

You can supply the rest. Your letter is come to hand. I can write

no more at present.

There is a very short life of D. Hume come out, written

by himself. I have just been reading it — it will do service to the

cause.

I have just been reading an authentic account of the trial of John

the Painter with his confession which charges Silas Dean pointedly

with the procurement: but nobody else. Only a D r Bancroft

with the knowledge of the intention.

Adieu my dear Sam. Love to M rs D. I shall write again

probably e'er long.

The old Gentleman was with me this morning. He was asking

after you and wondering he had not heard from you. He complains

much of his Lungs; says they are sore: thinks it is the

Gout is got there: says he is afraid he is going to be in the same way

he was in last October: and that he is going to have an Asthma. He

says he would go to Bath as he has been advised, were it not that his affairs
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  • Title: [Rec'd by sale of the} £ s d | Seal - 3 -]
    Description: Rec'd by sale of the} £ s d | Seal - 3 - 3 - 0

    Portugal piece no} 3 - 10 - 0 | Fiddle Strings - 5 - 0

    more than } | Gloves - - - - 3 - 3.

    I rec'd the same from my own | 3 - 11 - 3

    I doubt the man (Greensil)

    cheated me.

    I hope M rs D. will not fail to send me the next letter she receives.

    The dog-skin I send cost 7 s. 6 d It was the largest they

    had — They said 4 pair of upper-leathers might be cut out

    of it. I will have no more Seal Skin shoes — they crack & don't

    wear well. The pairs I bespoke I suppose are done — otherwise countermand them

    That indolent beast Elmsly has not got the sheets for me to

    see yet.

    +I.B. Jan y. 19 th 1777.

    Maljewsky's Code

    Lind's Chairman Scheme

    Money accounted

    I have told M rs W. in the letter I am just going to dispatch

    to her along with the Book, case, Shoes &c that from her not writing I had begun

    to fear she might have been tired of her correspondent &c.

    by way of my not writing: that I had communicated my suspicions

    to M rs D. who told me she could assure me from

    the best authority it was no such thing, but that M rs W.

    expected me to write — This M rs D. must be aware of, that

    we may be all in a story. The packet I shall send by

    the Battle Diligence that goes from the Bolt & Tun tomorrow at

    6.

    Sunday even g. 19 — Jan. 1777.

    I send you the Seal last made as a novelty. It was sent hence

    in a hurry, & is not cleaned yet from the dirt, graving-wax

    or whatever it may be — Sope & water or at worst Vitriolic

    Acid will do the business. When we meet we will toss up

    which shall have which.

    I have had so much plague with writing to the Ws

    and about the W's M rs I must beg M rs D. to excuse me

    for the present. You will shew her all that is shewable — Every-

    thing if you will about myself. Not that about Lind's embryo project

    for himself. He will propose it as soon as he has got the Translation

    of his "Answer" &c printed which he expects in a few days.
  • Title: [Saturday Feb: 8 th. 1777 Your letter]
    Description: Saturday Feb: 8 th. 1777

    Your letter is just come to hand. - Alas! my poor Sam

    what is it I can do for thee? Shall I come down to you? that I

    certainly will if you desire it by return of Post. You know, from

    my last in particular, how precious time is to me,- or I would

    come down tomorrow. I have been rather naughty to day - laid abed

    rather too long and am good for nothing — quite spiritless and confused.

    The morning however has not been absolutely lost I have laboured in

    my vocation with tolerable success.

    Elmsly I see has advertised the Incas and yet I have not settled

    terms with him - only just the Preliminaries I mentioned: nor have

    I done any thing to engage myself.

    I wrote on Wednesday again to M r Davies. Did you any

    of you? I promised him that if you have not I would make you

    write by next packet. The packet goes the 1 st Wednesday after the

    1 st day of every month.

    Have you any thing now of the pain in the breast you complained of

    when at Fetcham.

    That was Wilson's first enquiry upon my telling him you were not

    well. I am writing by his fireside, and he has just reminded me to

    put that question.

    If M rs D. knows any thing of the Inca let her remember &

    do you that it is an inviolable secret. Wilson is all anxiety least it

    should be discover'd. He thinks it would be a great degradation to my character

    were it to be known; and injure me & my projects beyond

    measure.

    It is time M rs D. should do something about the Battle scheme

    M rs W. will expect it. If things hold on till then well and good

    at any rate the thoughts of it will be an amusement to the parties.

    M rs D. therefore or Sam had best write me a letter such as she would write

    to me were the proposal a new one. I shall then answer accordingly.

    Somwhat of this sort must be done,- because my answer is what

    M rs D. will have to give an account of to M rs W. M rs D.'s letter

    should come before M r W. comes to town; as he will probably be
  • Title: [½ after 10. An Extraordinary Gazette]
    Description: ½ after 10.

    An Extraordinary Gazette is this instant crying about,

    I have been & got it. It contains nothing but an account

    of our taking peaceable possession of Rhode Island where

    we took a few Cannon & Prisoners. The Continental Fleet

    as it was called which lay there is not taken, but seems

    to be impounded.

    IB. Jan y 22 d 1777.

    Thursday 23 d

    Thus far I wrote yesterday, not doubting but you would have it before

    now. I ran over to Wilson with the Gazette, & after having written the an

    above left it with him to get put into the post. He gave the commission

    to Molly. "Between two stools" (says the proverb, "the breech falleth to the

    ground. So fared it with me between Wilson & his Molly - She never heard

    the Bellman.

    This post brought me a letter from M rs W. none from M r W.

    I know not how the course of the post is, perhaps the letter I sent him

    on Saturday night did not reach him time enough for me to have an

    answer from him so soon. I wrote to him by the post on purpose, & got

    the letter directed by Wilson,- that not choosing to put it into the packet

    for fear M rs W. should expect to see it, and be uneasy at his not shewing

    it her.

    M rs W.'s letter contains the following passage; which is all that is very

    material in it.

    "Mr Guy has made us a visit of 2 days. His pride would n't

    " submitt to come to the house till he had seen M r W. at a tavern:

    "whom he requested to see in a note to him. M r W. went immediately

    "& as soon asked him the meaning of his behaviour; which

    "G- evaded, saying 'twas a parcel of nonsense. I cannot attribute his

    "visit to any thing but the pricking of his conscience for so heavy a

    "charge against M r W. I still think there is a secret grudge as he

    "was very awkwardly familiar the whole time he was with us."

    She ends thus.

    "I have no message from M r W. who went from home early this

    "morning, & knew nothing of my intention" (meaning of writing.) — "I

    "have some suspicion that I dare not yet wish to disclose to you"

    This is rather aenigmatical — Does it refer, I wonder, to the boarding scheme?