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(There are two copies of the second page.)
My Dear Madam
When you reflect upon all the circumstances attending Scales House, I am perswaded you will rather pity than blame me. I bought it at the instigation of my Son & kept it void near 2 Years for him; but finding myself disapointed I expended near 2 Years rent more in improving & repairing it for Col. Mordent who also disapointed me in paymts. My Son then renewd his intentions but afterwards declined it.
I then let it to Mr James Watt who proposed to keep the projection in ye dining Room Square but as my daughter knew I intended to give her the House she recommended a Bow Window.
Soon after she & ye Dr communicated their intentions & wishes to me. I then begd Mr J Watt to relinquish it in their favour which he obligeingly did.-She was perfectly well acquainted with the Situation, its Neighbourhood, its inconveniences, & then with my wishes to promote her happiness & make the place as Comfortable as possible at My Expence, as well as to obviate every inconvenience & unpleasant circumstance: but trees cannot be planted in the Summer, nor Roads stopd up or changd in an instant. When I found the Dr wished to have the piece of Land, next ye road leading to the Manufactory, I promised to add it to the premisses but I found he wanted more I then offerd 1300£ for some land at the back of Toneys but the Seller was offerd more I then told the Doctor I would assign to him the Lease I have from Whately of the Slade (about 15 Years unexpired) & if I could buy it I would. I also mentiond to him my intentions of buying Popes Pleck which would enable me to plant both top & bank of the Pool dam & to pail out a road at the Bottom of it for foot passengers, instead of the top, but this I could not talk of untill I had bought Popes which I have taken measures to do.
My daughter now complains of the publick Houses being so near but I did not build them nor should I have increased the Dust but on the Contrary I should have blockd it out by Building Walls & Stables & planting Trees that would soon be talle ones as to the 2 Trees I cut down they kept out the Air & light from ye Dineing room but not the Dust for they were Scotch firs without any branches below the Chamber Windows. The principal dust is blown from the North West & not across the road & that point will be stopd up by the Stables, the high Wall adjoining & the Trees intended to be planted. I will only build one half of it but I know of not stone ornaments that were intended about it.
I proposed to finish ye drawing room without the Warming Columns according to my daughters wishes but intended to put a Marble Chymney Piece in it & another in the drawing Room & then to plaster & finish ye Chambers plain.
As to the House keepers Room with all the Cubberds Pantrys & Clossets I shall leave to my daughter as well as the tast & Walks in the Garden in which I had principaly considerd her lameness & my own. However as she seems to have so comtemptable an opineon of my tast & Judgment I dispair of giving satisfaction and as she has taken up many prejudices against I wish she may find a place where she thinks she can be more happy whether it be a Farm House a Cottage of Content or a Palace for I have always been more anxious to promote the happiness of my Children than my own. I intended saying more but Miss de Luc calls. With thanks for all your kind & friendly intentions I remain
Dear Madam
Your faithfull and affectt friend
M Boulton
P.S. I have all along observd a reluctance in the Dr. to give me any opineon about the intended alterations in the House; & still more so to accompany me to the premises.
To which add my Daughters numerous objections to the House, Grounds, situation, as well as to the Buildings not yet begun and the preferance she gives to Greenfields & a Farm House. I am therefore desireous they should relinquish the place altogether, & endeavour to find another more to their own satisfaction. It shall make no pecuniary difference to them as I will try to purchase it for them.
If they go to Scales House against their Will they will always feel as if I had drag'd them there, & I also shall have the like Sensations. If she had given me in writing, as was proposed, a list of all the alterations she was desireous of, I would have executed them; but it is not agreeable to me to build up & then pull down again; to gratify humour; & I think a little attention might have been paid to ye old proverb viz: not to look a Gift horse in the Mouth. |