JB_538_337_001.xml

Title: [Imley Park, near Brackley, Monday]

Description: Imley Park, near Brackley,

Monday July 13 th. 1779

Dear Sam,

If you will read my last once again, I am very much

mistaken, if you do not find , I told you, that any time before

noon (any day) till Saturday, wo d be time enough for an

answer from you to come to me in a Frank from Q.S.P.

but let that pass — I was glad to find your rencontre with

Farr was the means of Setting you right — after reading what you

said about Lord Shelbourne's going to be married I was not

a little surpris'd to read in y e Morning Chronicle, bro t. me by the

same post, that he was actually married on Th day of the

Date of yours to the Hon. ble Miss Fitzpatrick , Sister of Lord

Ossory — This Match will probably throw him into the

Bedford Party, as it will connect him with that Family.

I shall be glad to see & have a Set of your Currators

& desire you will order one to be made for me, and

I will pay for it — There is a very little Pocket Book, of the

width & length of one's Thumb, w ch. is used with a Pencil for

casual memorandums such as names of Persons & places &c

w ch. I think wo d prove a very Convenient vade mecum for

you, always to have about you, it has a case, & takes up no

room, Farr has one w ch you may see, & if you can't

JB_538_328_002.xml

Title: [not be expected, sho d you go to Russia,]

Description: not be expected, sho d you go to Russia, that Persons there wo d

want to know of you a thousand Particulars relative to the

materials made use of in Shipbuilding here, & the Compar

expences of Constructing them. in short my dear Sam. !

my earnest wishes are that you wo d take every thing

into the account, while you are considering, what may

be most for your Advantage with a view of practising

the Profession, for without such View , you had better

abandon it altogether, & turn your thoughts some oth

way — Mr Randal promis'd to make Enquiries

& let me know the Result of them, & to call upon me

w ch. I dare say he will do. I hope you will let

me see you soon. we shall go to Waltham Abbey

on Sunday till Wednesday in next week — and probably some time

in the week following shall set out for Northamptonshi

for the Summer, we shall be at Imley Park, near Brackl

a House belonging to Mr Basset, who has been so

obliging to give me the use of it, & of it's Furniture

which is compleat.

1779} Q.S.P. at Q.S.P.

May} to

S.B. Portsmouth

Russia II.

My old french Servant Jean Franque has play'd

the fool & married a notorious Strumpet, upon w ch.

present I was oblig'd to part with him last Saturday

after his having liv'd with me near Seven years,

I had been informd of his intention a month ago & talk

to him very roundly & told him the ruinous consequence

he wo d bring upon himself at w ch. he protested he wo d

marry her but break off all Connection with her, but

after all he was infatuated enough to marry her yeste day

was se'en night, & he had no sooner done it but he

was convinced of his folly & was ready to hang himself

Adieu my dear Sam, God grant you may do the best for

your Advantage, & be asured that whatever uneasiness I have

arises from my not being able to do more, to Shew you how much I am

your affectionate Father J h B.

JB_538_342_001.xml

Title: [Pocket, & used to laugh at me for having]

Description: Pocket, & used to laugh at me for having such a one - so that

unless you think fit to have a pocket w ch. you used to laugh at your

father for having - such a Pen & Ink Case will be of no use to you.

I hope in your next to have a Catalogue of your Letters recommendatory,

& a Copy of what Lord Shelbourne has given you - with an

account of every other Circumstance preparatory for your

Departure, & the Name of the Ship you are to sail in for Holland

and what use you make of M r Raikes, whether any for the

purpose of many Remittances — unless it sho d answer to you

in other respects, I sho d think S r. Robert Herries & C o. in S t

James's Street wo d be the best. ytis the Cheapest — I dare

say, M r Thelusson's are Letters of Credit — but I wo d not have

you make that use of them, as they are more expensive

than Herries's, unless you sho d find yourself under a

necessity of doing it — little Sums I dare say, Mr Bush

wo d be glad to let you have, as I co d pay his Bills to

Lodiges who is continually sending Plants &

some kind or other to Bush at Petersburgh.

but the Post is going out , or I shall be too late

nothing Else can Stop my writing, as it may proba

be the last I shall have to send before you are gone hence &

are no more to be seen; God bless you & preserve you,

by Sea & Land, & bring you again to the arms of

your affectionate Father

Jere h: Bentham

Imley Park, near Brackley

Northamptonshire July y e 19 th

1779.

P.S. may it not be proper for you, when you know the Day of your

Embarkation, to wait on Lord Howe, & if he is not at home, to leave

a Note, by way of Card, with your m t respectful Complim ts to L d Howe, &

y t you take y e liberty to acquaint him, that you shall set out, such

a day for Holland in your way to Copenhagen &c, & yt if his Lordship

has any Commands, you sho d be happy to be honoured

with them , to any Persons or places of your Destination, or something

of that sort, — It may be a means of leaving some impressionss with

him, to your advantage, or at least that you may be in his

Remembrance upon your Return — it is not material for you to have any

answer;