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(5
Whether I have anything to do in this Country or not
we would return to England together next Summer at farthestby the
way of Sweden, Caesland, Denmark, & Holland. I should
wish very much and advice you to come by Sea either the
whole of the way, or at least from Lubec. in the latter
case you would go first to Holland, and all I could wish you
to go there for would be for the purpose of talking with May.
Remember it would be the finest time of year and no danger
at all in the Baltic anymore than in any other Sea.
With respect to Cloaths for such an expedition they would find
a very expensive article as you would certainly include a
part of winter as well as summer. 5 or even 6 suits would
be necessary: but not a bit of embroidery though it is so
much the fashion here. One suit of black and one of
cloth lined with silk such as my light coloured suit was
and then it serves for both seasons. The buttons to this
should be either of steel or some other which from being
just going out of fashion in England are cheap, the but
which have some excellent workmanship. This is all
you would should buy in England the others as they must
be of Velvet Silk or Satin would be cheaper here or
in Holland. They must be all dress suits and made
more in the french fashion than English to hook before
but not big enough to button. buttons in general the same colour fine basted for silk cord velvet or satin Frocks are useless
things except such as you may happen to have by you.
The Cloathes would cost perhaps even 100£ including hats
silk stockings &c. This would be all the money you
would want besides the interest above mentioned.
You would by this expence have every advantage which those
have who travel in this country with immense fortunes.
If you do not come there would be the same reason for your
sending the money as the being comfortable where you are depends so
much upon it. Your expences must be now encreasing and I have
consumed the means there were before of providing for the any occasional
and temporary encrease. In the way however I have proposed I hope
to make up amply for the inconveniency of such consumption.
Let us suppose now that you settle money matters according
to my hopes and that you determine upon coming. Then you
will think of putting papers in order and other such preparations
immediately. But before you would think of setting out you will hear
from me again, by next post or at furthest this day sen night I
hope to be able to give you some little account of what english
law books there are here. Your papers you could bring and
as many books as you please, they their transport by sea would cost little or perhaps
if you came with them yourself, nothing.
I should have of course some commissions to give you
some books for Pleschijeff.
Of all this you will hear more in a post or two.
You are to know that my piles are almost well at last.
(6)
I have read the abstract on the papers given W for the price on
the means of rendering ship timber more durable.
The method proposed by the one which gained the persuasion
was the rule setting the pieces on their ends upright
as it were between walls . Sand bath head
either by the Sun alone or by a moderate fire. It seems to promise
to be of some good effect but I trust I can beat them all
by the help of my Amsterdam friends.
I have read also Crawford on heat. I almost agree
with Guthrie in calling him a second Newton.
I will make you acquainted a little with the circumstances
of my friend Ples and his father &c. His father lives at
Moscow without any public employment very much
respected and could be He is a man of a good stock
of knowledge and of sense too except that he has
a little too much faith in the Saints. He is about
60 years of age. His
appearance is not much unlike an english country
Gentleman. In speak of people fortunes one always
reckons by the number of Boors peasants or slaves
(call them which you will) which a man has
upon his Estates. He has about 6 thousand exclusive
of wife women & children made the
male children are not reckoned till they are 15 or 16 years
of age. He has 2 daughters each of which whom
have 500 boors and between 30 & 40,000 roubles as
their marriage portions. She is already married to
a Mr Kasheleff who has served as an Officer of rank
in the last wars but has now quitted Service, he has a
fortune of about 9,000 roubles a year. His Sister daughter
then has received her portion. The other is about
16 very accomplished of a most charming disposition
and a beauty for this country. The Son is not
allowed above a thousand roubles a year except for travelling
& other such extraordinary expences: but at the father's
death he is to have 4,000 boors. A boor yields
one with another about a pound Sterling a year or
scarcely so much so little do they know or so little
pains do they take to turn their labour to better
account. In this manner 5 of the 6,000 boors are
to be disposed of, what becomes of the 6th I know not
probably to the Mother at least for her life and perhaps
then to the daughters. The fellow will therefore be one day
or other rich and if he pleases powerfull.
Notwithstanding he is or was Captain of a 64 Gunship and has
the order of Merit the pay he receives is but three hundred
roubles.
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Identifier: | JB/539/032/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 539.
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1780-04-12 |
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539 |
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032 |
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001 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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