| Description | (3 pcs.)
Soho Nov 23-1794
Dear Madam
I thank you for your obliging favr of ye 19th & for your good wishes & care of my health. Our present Cook is a very good Servant & manages better than I expected yet nevertheless I perceive there are so many Gaps & leaks about my house for Property to run out at that I think it necessary to have a Person of more weight & authority in my house than any of the present Servts.-Harper is a good & useful Servt. to me & I think him tolorable honest in every thing but Wine. I can wink at trifles but when 3 or 4 Bottles a day Vanish without any Vissible cause it is not bearable however dont mention his name & this fact in the same Sentence to the new Housekeeper. If she cant do without a Glass of Wine Pr Day, which is 1 Bottle Pr fortnight, I have no objection to allowing it, but I will not suffer a drop to be stolen. our common Small Beer is often taken for Ale it being Six strike to the Hogd. & for health & Comfort it is better than Ale: however I set no other restraints upon our Ale than such as temperance requires. But neither Drunkenness nor Thievery shall reside within my Walls. My House is certainly too small, & wants many Conveniences; but as all is now my own I shall by degrees make necessary additions, & at present she may have the same Room & bed wch. Miss Mynd Slept in, to her self, & if her Ideas do not rise higher than Comfort she may sit on that Throne every day-I have no objection to the 18 Guineas Pr Year & if - - - - - - -
I will pay her traveling Expenses & she may come down as soon as she pleases. Although I never enter into familiar conversations with any of my Household yet I shall always be ready to converse with her upon any points that relate to her duty or my own Interest. I shall find Tea & Sugar.
I am sorry to say that my daughter has hurt her Knee first by Jumping off a Horse & 2d by geting out a Coach which has 3 Steps & only 2 of them were down & being dark she thought of steping on the 3d Step & fell. At present she wears a bandage upon her knee which with Repose I hope will soon put her upon her legs again.
I intend to write a Line tomorrow to Mr Loggin to tell him I have bought all the Land in the Regions of Soho & though I can pay for it yet as it will take a large sum out of business, which I have lately extended, by a considerable addition both of Buildings Workmen & new branches of Manufactory, I wish to borrow by mortgageing the whole the sum of 3 or 4 or 5000 £ for I must own I had rather borrow it at London than of Birch who with the Parson will let all the Parish know. If peace & trade should return I have no doubt of making the Houses, Lands & Buildings of Soho bring me in a Rent of 1000 £. I do not propose to build my self, except some stables & a small addition to my house but I am prepareing Land to let to Birmgm. people for Building a small Town upon which from the nature of its situation is to be calld Comfort.
We hope the Ld. Chief will not hear the argumts. upon our Case on Monday as Mr Watts health would not allow him to attend to instruct our Council & we presume the Special Commission business will put off ours till the Jany term & in that case I shall not come to Town before that time: However I wish you would look out & lend an Ear to Money lenders as I again say I had rather borrow it in Town than in the Country. The Title is to be ready by Xmass day but if we could have the money on a Certainty in 2 or 3 Mo. after that time we could easily Manage it. If my coming to Town was found necessary I would come.
Remember me kindly to Mrs. Vere & all within your Walls & believe me to be
Your faithfull & affect. friend
M: Boulton |