| Description | (Directed to Frege & Co.)
My dear Son,
I have just receiv'd your letter and Mr.Reinhard's letter dated at Lauchstadt the 16th instant, both of which give me great joy and contribute much to my peace of mind, and I shall regret the moment you are seperated from your faithfull friend and mentor.
You only mention haveing receiv'd one letter from me, but I know I wrote one the 26 June to you nad another the 30th, and I think I wrote another but have no note of it. I also wrote at the same time to Mr. Reinhard, and I wrote once to Messrs. Frege & Co. with, I believe, one to you.
By my former letters you will observe that I proposed you and Collins should meet, and that you and he should travil together the remainder of his tour, and my reasons for it were, first, I thought the change of place, of persuit, and the entering a little by degrees into business would divert your mind from former objects and contribute more to your health and spirits than any thing else, and you would in a certain degree be upon your road towards this country. My object was for you to gain the German language, both in writing, reading, and speaking, and I hope you'l accomplish those objects before you return. I beg you will stay with Mr. Reinhard untill he returns from Leipzig to Stadfeld, and then I beg you'l take his advise in respect to your future persuits. I have no objection to your studying mineing and minerology at Fryburg, but it is not one of the corner stones on which you must found your future fame or fortune, as I don't think you will ever be a Cornish miner, for the meridian of Cornwall is now passed and the mines are grown too deep and too expensive to yield great profits. However, as you are now in the country I beg you'l not loose your time, but at the same time you are learning the language I beseech you to improve your self either in commerce, or chymistry, or some branch of natural knowledge. After consulting your own judgment and inclinations, and above all your good friend and my good friend Mr. Reinhard, I beg you will write to me your decided plan. If it be to go to Friburg, I will send you a letter from Dr. Priestly to introduce you to Mr. Werner, the chymist. If you decide to go with Collins, I will send you letters to deliver to some of my acquaintances at Hanover, at Clostall (Baron Reedon's son, with his cozen Count Reedon are now here), and other places such as I can recollect.
I beg you will always keep in view that I am now between sixty and seventy years, and of course I have but a short time to live, and dureing that short time I am desireous that you should be with me as much as is consistant with that education and those advantages which I am desireous you should obtain. But there are few more essential than that of introducing you into business under my own eye, and that you receive from me all the knowledge and experience which thirty years and upwards hath afforded me, in which I have experienced great losses and disapointments, but nevertheless it is in my power to give you a very eligable and respectable introduction into the world, such as by the adition of your own industry, application, and good conduct may give you a very reputable rank amongst men of character.
I have just receiv'd a letter from Mr. Streiber covering your receit for 80£ sterling, which I beg you will keep an accurate account of. Pray, what proportion doth a Caroline bear to a pound sterling? and at what rate of exchange?
I intended begining this morning to write to you, to Mr. Reinhard, Mr. Striberg, and Mr. Collins, but I was broke in upon before breakfast and have had constant engagements and interuptions all day, so that I fear I shall but just save the coach with this letter, and if I should not be able to write one to Mr. Reinhard I beg you will shew him this, and present him with millions of thanks for the honorable and friendly part he hath taken in your and my favour, by which he hath prevented the distruction of my happiness as well as yours.
I beg you will also present my best wishes to Mrs. Reinhard for her health and happiness, and ma[ke] my respectful compliments to Mr. Freg[e].
Your sister, after bearing much pain by an operation upon her teeth when in London, is now obliged to go to London again next Tuesday, and I shall accompany her and leave her there for two or three weeks. I intended going to Buxton to recruit my own health but I now fear it will be impossible.
I pray God to preserve you and inspire you with such sentiments as may produce honor and profit in this world and eternal happiness in a future state. I am, my dearest son, your ever affectionate father,
Mattw. Boulton
I will possitively write to Mr. Reinhard by the next post.
[Edited transcript.][Priestley] |