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5
One good thing is, that my mind has been
for this long time quite made up about the
matter, and as I have now no longer any
expectations of your making a farthing there
or any where, I am proof against all disappointments
on that score. I don't mean
by this to say that I can pretend to be positive
your project will not succeed; but only that
I do not build upon the success of it at
all, and that should it miscarry, it is what
I am perfectly well prepared for. Should it
succeed, the success will be a strong presumption
you had reason on your side, when
you refused the offer. Should it even miscarry,
the miscarriage though it will be a presumption
will be no conclusive proof to the contrary.
But be that as it may, your success
in this, be it ever so great will never serve
to acquit you of the other charges.
It is a great comfort to me all this while ,
and a great happiness you will think it,
that Q.S.P. not only is satisfied that you
should stay abroad, but even makes a point
of your doing it, in case of miscarriage: &
I really thought it was behaving like an Angel
when he told me what I suppose he has told
you, that on that consideration he would allow
you £100 a year: 30£ in addition
to the former £70 is no mean advance,
considering how matters are circumstanced.
The misfortune is, that with that allowance
it would be impossible for you to continue to
live at Petersburgh in the stile in which you
have been living hitherto. What then is to be
done?
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6
done? if you continue to live there and drop
your former connections, how will you be able
to resume them in order to sollicit the Code
business when it comes over? The best A better way
probably would be to pass the interval in Sweden,
were it not for the expence of getting
there
. In Sweden there is no luxury — things are
still cheaper than at Petersburgh, and there
I should think you might live upon £100
a year very comfortably: as well as upon £300
thrice that sum here. If the expence of travelling
thither would be too great, could not
you make some pretence for retiring somewhere
into the country, at a distance from
the luxury of the capital.?
Before I have done with you, I must
scold you, for your exaggerated expressions
about I know not what inestimable and inconceivable
advantages you have been drawing
from the plans you have been pursuing, and the
society you have been in. With regard to
present pleasure, a la bonne heure: I give
you credit for it: I enjoy it along with you:
and it can be no news to you, that you can
not taste enjoy a single particle of pleasure which
I can know of and not share. This indeed is
but stuff and Q.S.P.ism as between you and
me: but I can not help saying as much now
it comes across me. Will then but as to future
benefit. I have seen it averred by very
grave authors and I am inclined to be of the
same opinion, that in order to have will, a
man must live . Now I pray in what shape
have the aforesaid inestimable advantages contributed
to that first requisite? and what will
you be the better for seeing into other people's gizzards?
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Identifier: | JB/539/070/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 539.
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1780-08-06 |
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539 |
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070 |
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001 |
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Correspondence |
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Jeremy Bentham |
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