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I dont know if I ever said anything in my letters of a Merchant here whose name is Porter.
He was one whom Mr Shairpe of London in his letter of recommendation desired I might be
made acquainted with. From his extensive knowledge learning and judgement he may be considered
as far above any other of the English factory: he was the only one of them whom Sir James
Harris has often to his house. We soon drew near together, and as we had the same opinion
on the several subjects which occurred, we b were forming a reciprocal attachment as fast
as possible. I found him a man who might probably be very usefull to you in affording
an account of the Jurisprudence here which is what none of his brother merchants few have any
idea of. The rest in general despise everything Russian, and know no more of the people
or country than what they read in the English newspapers of the Petersbourg intelligence.
He is well versed in Physics; though Political Knowledge is his chief delight. He is master
of a great flow of language, so as at a kind of private speaking club there is here
to be able to attract the attention and astonishment of the company for 2 or 3 hours
together on any subject. With this as far as I have had time to examine him he
is a good Metaphisician and a lover of clear ideas. He seems calculated in short
to be your May: not quite mine for I suppose him at least not to be versed
in the details of Mechanics still less of Shipbuilding & Marine matters: though his judgement
may be good in all as far as his ideas go. I had talked to him about my
"View of the knowledge subservient to the Marine: at which he was mightily please.
I had likewise told him of the offer made me, but nothing at all of my views.
I had lent him your "fragment" and hard labour bill and according to his account he
may well be said to have enjoyed it. I had mentioned spoken of Code to him as a reason
for telling him it that at my return I should beg of him to give me some observation
on the present Jurisprudence of this country that I might send to you. He, Pallas,
Dr Guthrie & myself had more than once had a meeting together at his house.
Such was the state of our acquaintance when I set out for the black sea, and
during my journey I promised myself not only pleasure from his conversation but benefit
from his advice on many matters at my return. The very day of my return as I was
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Identifier: | JB/539/092/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 539.
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1780-10-03 |
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539 |
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092 |
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001 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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