| Description | (Misdated 2 Sep.; compare the press-copy among Matthew Boulton's papers. The letter was begun on 2 Nov., but was not completed till some time after the 4th. Directed to Reinhard's.)
My dear Son,
The only letters I have receiv'd from you since your arival on the Continent was one from Bruxells and one from Frankfort, with one from Staedfield, September 27th, which you may naturaly suppose, for want of more, left a vacancy in my happyness. I must own that I hope to receive about four letter per month from you, let them be ever so short, or whether I write to you or not, for I cannot write so often as I wish to do, particularly as my whole mind and time are taken up by the new coinage and the necessary new inventions.
Yesterday relieved my anxieties by bringing me your letter of the 14th October wrote from Leipsick, by which it appears that you have not receiv'd my letter of the 25 September, for you express your surprise that I did not inform you of Mr. Salt's death, which I did do in that letter; and yet, from your speaking of the rowing of boats by steam engine it seems you did receive it. Although I don't wish you to write in the formal stile of a merchant, yet I must beg that you do, in every letter you write to me, mention whether you have or have not received any from me since your proceeding letter, and thereby our letters will be so regularly linked together that if any oen is lost or miscarry it will be missed.
My letters to you will in general consist of three parts:
1st, a narration of all events and news that may be interesting to you on this side the water, and
2nd, observations respecting what may occur on your side, with answers to the contents of your letter, and
3d, such advice and directions for your conduct, both moral and political, as my experience may enable me to give, and your youth and inexperience may stand in need of receiving; and in so doing I shall avail my self of such sentiments of wise, learned, and sensible philosophers as accord with my own, for, alass, I am too much absorb'd by business and by constant new inventions to think of-and for-my son so much as I wish to do.
Jim Watt is gone to Manchester and is to be an apprentice to a respectable house who are manufacturers of cotton, printers of calicos, and dyers in general, which will suit James's chymical turn of mind for one half the day, and for the other half he will find use for his German and French in the counting house. I have no doubt but he will be happier there than at home; and, as to his future success in life, it will solely depend on his industry, application, attention, to his establishing the character of an honest and honorable man, and to his concilliating the esteem and regard of all his friends, acquaintance, and connections.
I have lately receiv'd a letter from Mr. Delessert telling me that Monsieur Sayde is gone off, by which I am likely to loose near 200£. Madam de Lessert hath been ill, but is now better. I have also had a letter from Monsieur Manuel. I beg you will write letters to your Paris friends, that they may not conclude you are ungratefull, or that you have forgot them: rules of politeness require it, as well as principles of gratitude, for you know not whose friendship or good offices you may stand in need of. A private individual can hurt but few, but he may please many, and therefore he should endeavour to be loved, for he cannot be fear'd in general. Popularity is his only rational and sure foundation. The good will, the affections, the love of all his acquaintance and of the publick, can alone raise him to any considerable height. Should you ask me how he is to acquire them, I will answer-by desireing them. No man ever deserv'd who did not desire them, and no man both deserv'd and desired them who had them not, though many have enjoy'd them merely by desireing and without deserving them. You do not imagine that I mean by this public love the sentimental love of either lovers or intimate friends-no, that is of another nature and confined to a very narrow circle: but I mean that general good will which a man may acquire in the world by the arts of pleasing respectivly exerted according to the rank, the situation, and the turn of mind of those whom he had to do with. The pleasing impressions which he makes upon them will engage their affections and their good wishes, and even their good offices, as far as they are not inconsistant with their own interests; for farther than that you are not to expect from three people in the world, not even in the course of your life. I advise you to endeavour to secure a general refuge in the good will of the multitude, which is a great strength to any man, for mankind in general chuse and prefer popular and fashionable characters. A man who solicits a minister backed by the general good will and good wishes of mankind, solicits with weight and great probability of success, and women are biassed in favour of men whom they see are in fashion and hears every body speak well of.
I have just wrote to your old friend Mr. Parlby to beg he will take John Salt, as I think he will stand a better chance at being distant from his mother than near. I think you owe him much, and I wish you would also write to him.
So far had I wrote on Monday last, and intended adding another page, but (as usual) I am constantly interupted.
On Tuesday, November 4, I partook of a great feast at the Hotel, which day was kept as a jubilee to commemorate the Revolution in England in 1688, it being the day of King William the 3d landing in England, his birth day, and day of his marriage with Mary; it was also the day the Spanish Armada was defeated in the reign of Queen Elizabeth in 1588. As time will not allow me to write the particulars of Birmingham feast, I have cut out of this day's newspaper an account of it for your amusement.
Collins is this moment arived, and says he sent your sister's letter to you from Amsterdam, and he also tells me he left you almost without money. As I am desireous of relying on your discression, I will give you powers to draw for what ever money you may want on Mr. William Matthews, merchant, London, and Mr. Striberg will give you the cash, I have no doubt. I also beg you will present my respectfull compliments to Mr. Rhenard, and beg he will also draw on Mr. Matthews for what ever money he may expend on your account, either for traviling expences, board, &c., &c., having already given the necessary orders for their acceptance.
Old Startin, I hear, hath treated young Mr. Striberg disrespectfully and he hath left the house. He is a young man that is much respected at Birmingham, as he is very good natur'd and behaves gentleman like; however, I must own I can't help wishing he was employ'd in some regular business, for being out of employ hath a bad tendency.
Miss Salt is at Soho and joyns in love with your sister and Miss Mynd to you, and Mr. Garbett also.
Adieu, my dear son. I am your most affectionate father,
M. Boulton
This side I have scribbled in company.
[Edited transcript.] |