JB_538_361_001.xml

Title: [Saturday Aug t 28 th 1779. I think]

Description: Saturday Aug t 28 th 1779.

I think I have heard you say that when you find it necessary you could at any time set your stomach Hottentot

fashion. I now find it necessary to set all my senses Hottentot fashion: but thank my Stars I have been able

to do it tollerably well. I caught such a cold in my neck the night before last as made it all day yesterday

so stiff as not only to give me very great pain when I moved the neck itself but even my back or

arms. I never had any thing like it before. I was then perfectly indifferent about getting on in

my voyage; but however I have almost got rid of it today. Conceive how happy I must be unable

to sit up, and affraid to come on deck for fear of increasing my cold. We had a little

fair wind for a few hours this morning which encouraged our Captain to leave the River:

now the wind is again turned against us, but nevertheless I hope we may reach Margate

this evening. I have no expectations of reaching Helvootslys in less than a week from the

time of our sailing. I sent a letter with the boat ashore yesterday at a little village

just below Lee in Essex. It was a great mortification that I could not go with it myself

and stretch my legs a little, especially as I was a little inclined to be sea sick at that time

My companion the hair Merchant & I mess together socially enough . I set him to exercise his

old profession to day in combing out my hair in which he was well paid for his pains by

the pleasure of admiring the quantity of it. The German & Dutch Grammars

are my standing amusements but they were not to be born yesterday. I have also partly

from my own observation and partly by means of Queries put to the Captain informed myself

of such particulars relating to our Vessel as I thought worth attending to. If my fellow

Passengers are a little blackguard or so, they are tollerably quiet and intelligent enough in their way.

One who is a J e farmer and a bit of a Chemist upon learning that I had a stiff neck set about mixing up some

volatile salt spirit & oil of almonds for me to bathe my neck with: by this he got a Shilling

though I could not apply it myself nor could I set any body else about it who I liked to

come so near me. Another of our company is a German Taylor . 2 others Dutch seamen who

have been in our service. An old cast off servant and lastly a young fellow who has travelled

a great deal is very well informed, but very shabby & vulgar in his appearance and such a one as

I should very ill like to meet with on the road unless I was well guarded. This strange

mixture all together make a very tractable civil company. I am in such good spirits

to day with having got so nearly rid of my stiff neck that I seem disposed to bear very

patiently the unexpected length of our voyage. My only fear at present is how you will have contrive d

to have given some account of me to my father, without making necessary that he should

know of my having left England till I am actually safe landed in Holland.

I will have a letter ready written to dispatch the instant I land in case of a Vessel

being to sail from thence at that time. There might be a possibility of my meeting

with Charles but I have no direction where to enquire for him.

Sunday Evening. The Stinks were very bad last night so that even though I held my nose as well

as I could it was scarcely supportable. The honours however which I am near admitted to fund me in employment

the greatest part of the night. Yesterday evening upon observing an occasion on which the Captain would

JB_538_265_001.xml

Title: [Why have not you in all this while written]

Description: Why have not you in all this while written any thing

to Q.S.P. about your Voyage? It is impossible to keep it

a secret from him, neither is there any reason for it, — and it

is better he should hear of it from you than from me.

Write to him before you go through me that I may see the letter

and write such a letter to me as may be ostensible to him.

I send you the remainder of the Shirts — they came here

but this morning — also of the handkerchiefs. —

Macaulay is with me, & has brought me a power of

books

It was Q.S.P's birthday to day — 66.

Sunday 13 th Dec r 1778.

Linc. Inn.

I sen t you the first part of the linen by the Coach

that set off from behind S t Clement's on Friday at 11 at

night

The Cot was sent the same night to an Inn at the Borough from

whence it was to set off at 9 the next morning & to

reach Portsmouth by 3 on Tuesday afternoon

The Sheets & 2 pillow cases are with it.

Write me word if you receive all these things.

JB_537_136_001.xml

Title: [Dear Papa I hope you will excuse my]

Description: Dear Papa

I hope you will excuse my having sent you but 15

pages of my Translation instead of 20 I intended to have sent you,

having met with some hard passages which made me lose a good deal

of time, and time is precious with me whatever you may think, as

I have no time at all in the Morning except Thursday for this

business and but little in the afternoon on Teusdays and Fridays: I

have 36 pages left to do which I hope to get done next week as I shall

have a great deal more time than I have had yet, on account of an Examination of the Scholars which lasts Monday Tuesday and Wednesday which exempts us from the lectures and disputations which

otherwise we must attend on those days except the Night-lectures w ch

I believe we must attend notwithstanding. These Examinations are when

one of the Scholars the Senior is made Taberdar, on which occasion he and the

rest are locked into the hall from 9 in the Morning till dinner,

and from dinnertime to prayertime, which time they are employed

in doing Themes &c and while they are in the hall there are

no Lectures that the Scholars may not lose the benefit of them

I hope you received the things that I sent you safe: if you

would bet so kind as to favour me with a line it would much oblige

Your dutifull and

obedient Son

J. Bentham.

Sunday Dec r 6 th 1761.