| Description | (4 ff) (Two of the sheets do not appear to belong to this letter; their origin is uncertain, though they are probably of similar date.)
[A small portion at the head of the first sheet has been torn away. The original includes a number of cancelled words and passages which have not been transcribed. ]. . . ed from Lipzig the 5 May and . . . pardon for not answering it before now, but as it was wrote in German and not choosing to shew it to our clark, I have waited till I could obtain a translation of it from a very particular friend; and therefore beg you'l write to me in future in English or French when ever you would say any thing of a private nature, for my partner Mr. Fothergill is now gone into Russia (to renew and establish a more extensive connexion) and will not return in less than twelve months.
I am sorry I had not the pleasure of seeing you when you was last in England as I know not all the particulars of the conversation with Mr. Fothergill, but as I perceive you are a stranger to the great increase of our business and the present extensive plan of it, I will be open enough to inform you that since you was at Soho we have layd out about 4000£ there in convenient buildings for our manufactory and houses for our workmen, we have removed all our manufactory and workmen to it, we have greatly extended our correspondence and increased our trade. We now buy on commission all other goods that are not of our own fabrick for our foreign friends, for, as we depend upon the profits of our manufactory, so we can afford to do the commissions of our friends upon as low terms as possable. But as this increase of business hath requir'd an increas of capital, I have added within these 18 months between six and seven thousand pounds, so that my present capital is above twelve thousand and Mr. Fothergill's above 4000£. Hence you see that the sum you propose to advance bears but a small proportion to our joynt capital . . . and trade is so much increased, yet we ca[n] do much more in Birmingham as our capital increases, for we have now conveniences sufficient to manufactor double the quantity of goods we do at present, although we imploy 5 or 6 hundred men, women, and children.
Now, without intention of making you any French compliments, I say with sincerity that I know not a man in trade that I have a better opineon of, nor should more wish to have connections with, than you, provided we could divise such a plan as would be equitable both to our selves and to you, for unless all agreements of this nature have their foundation in equity they cannot produce a lasting content to all partys, and content is more valuable than riches.
I must own I foresee many difficulty and inconveneiences that would naturally arrise from its being publickly known that we were in partnership with any gentleman of Iserlone, as it would probably deprive us of the orders of many of our freinds there; it would also raise a clamour against us here, and jelousys to our prejudice; even some would be suspicious least we should be the means of transplanting our manufactory abroad; and many inconveniences I can foresee would attend a declared partnership. But on the other hand, I can foresee many conveniences that might attend a private connection between us, as you could sell us many good[s] and often give us usefull intelligence, both in respect to what was doing at Birmingham as well as Iserlone, adn we could do the same by you.
Hence I am induc'd to make you the following offer, viz. That if you choose to advance 2000£ or any other sum, you shall have a share of the profits of our trade in proportion as your capital is to ours, and we will garitee to you that your mony shall pay 10 per cent. per annum and as much more as the profits of the trade amount to. For that purpose you shall have liberty to examine our books when you come to England. They are kept very exact and in the Italian method. We keep an account of our stock once a year, viz. at Christmass, and ballance all our accounts on the 31st of December.
We have bestow'd much labour and expence for four years past to establish our present trade, and now it is become profitable we are giveing that labour and expence away in makeing you the aforementioned offer; but we doubt not but you would exert you self in favour of the trade when once you was interested in it, and from a strickt secrecy and mutal honor I think it might prove to mutal advantage.
This I write solely to you, beging it may remain a secret, and after haveing made your reflections I beg you'l give me your answer, but please to observe that I mean all I say: I abhor all deceit and hate the character of a cunning man; I am open and undisguised and will never deviate from the path of honor and truth, though I should get millions by it; therefore if we can't agree upon the plan proposed I beg we may ever continue friends, being with much esteem, your faithful friend and obedient servant,
[The unidentified sheets have not been transcribed.]
[Edited transcript.] |