| Description | My dear Sir,
I am sorry to have caused you the trouble of writing to me upon the subject of Baron Vay. I wrote to him at the time I mentioned to you, but upon 2d thought I did not send it untill I had also wrote fully to Mr. Kemplin, which required consideration; however, I at length wrote to Mr. K. and inclosed the letter unseal’d in mine to the Baron, that he might the better judge of our proceedings. I have no doubt but the Baron hath received the letter since the departure of the gentleman you mention, as I directed it a Monsieur [repeated] le Baron Vay of Vaja par Vienne, a Bude. I have no press copy of it, as I wrote it in town, where I had no clark or machine, and therefore I only preserved jottings of it enough to remember the points in question. If you’l please to give the gentleman the superscription of my letter, the Baron will thereby find it, if not already received, which I have no doubt of.
I have just read a sensible speech of the Bishop of Autuns, upon Universal Weights, Measures, and Coins—at least, his sentiments coincide with those I have long entertain’d; and in which speech he mentions the inginuity of Mr. Droz, who I find hath sent him some halfpence struck from my dies in French bell metal. I foresee that Droz will carry back to France my coining mill and other improvments learnt here, and then the French authors will write as Mr. Proney hath lately done in his book of Hydraulicks, and give the honor of the invention of the double steam engine to those who only thought of it 7 or 10 years after we had executed it.
It is realy vexatious that our British coinage hath been so long delay’d, which hath caused a considerable loss of money and honour, both to our country and my self.
Before I left London, Mr. Loggin wrote to Mr. Droz’s attorney (Foxcroft), a coppy of which I take the liberty to send you. As soon as I return’d home, I caused two written notices to be deliver’d to Droz, which were prepar’d by Loggin: the one was to require him to do and perform certain things (viz. those named in the award), and the other was a notice to quit my house. Since which, he informs me he has sent the said notices to his lawyer, to know what answer he should give, and at the same time he requests me to pay him some money on account; to which I reply’d that I should follow his example and write to my lawyer to know what I ought to do, presumeing that he would advise me not to pay him any more untill he had realy perform’d the things required.
Finding that he can’t get any further advantages of me, he has told me this day that he will now deliver the dies and do all the things I require (so far as in his power), and I begin to believe that he is in earnest, and like the Devil when sick, turn Saint.
Wishing you good health, good spirits, and every other good thing which this world can give, I remain, with the highest regard,
Dear Sir,
Your faithfull and gratefull friend and servant,
Mattw. Boulton
Soho, Feb. 4, 1791
[Edited transcript.]
|