Editor’s Notepg 405Editor’s Note2594To Sir Samuel Bentham11–14 March 1820 (Aet 72)

11 March 1820

Huzza! huzza!

If R.D.s report is correct, the thing is ascertained that S.B's papers, weight between 7 and 8 hundred may be conveyed to Toulouse, namely from the Black Bear Piccadilly, for a trifle not worth thinking about:² the whole payable here: and so they shall be, please the pigs: and S.B. need never trouble his noddle about the matter,—about making selections or any thing else: nor in enquiring at Toulouse or Paris about the cost from Paris. Here they are all of them, and off they shall go, as soon as it can be ascertained whether there exist the copies of Petty's Table,³ if not before.⁴

Dried Fruits. No more botheration about them. 'You took more trouble about them for me than about do. for yourself.' I make no doubt you did: it is quite in the nature of the case. The stores sent I have as yet but imperfectly explored. There was a hemisphere of quince combined with sugar: this was eminently virtuous, while the simply dried ones were as you foretold insipid parchments.

Guanacos.⁵ Two beautiful and virtuous ones just arrived. Lawrence carried me to see: one other came before: unfortunately no male. Buy Pezenas and you shall have two males and four females if they will please to live. Their wooll is longer and finer than that of marino sheeps though not equal to that of the Vigogne (Vicuñas)⁶ who will not live every where as the Guanacos do they bear two [?] of a birth: being about the size of an ass they are used for bearing burthens, but can hardly be equal in strength to an ass.

Buy Pézenas, and if there be here and there a contiguous scrap buyable, I will buy it, plant myself on it, attack you at law, and by my science of grimgripper and your horror of it make you glad to compound and give it up to me gratis. G.W.G.⁷ thus gave increase to Browning Hill.⁸ I mean so far as regards the gradual purchase of contiguous scraps

pg 406Bishop Stortford.⁹ It was no trouble to any body except in respect of the delay to you. Mill went by the house every day.¹⁰

Why should Lady B. give up the thoughts of placing the two creatures¹¹ in that way? The chances should expect to find better for them of doing well on that plan, than if left to themselves. I shall send the £10 before the 25th. A few days ago came from thence a letter to me¹² saying it was only on account of her having written near 7 weeks from the 8th. and not having received a letter in answer that she writes. she incloses a letter which she leaves to me to send or not. According to my injunctions it is sealed. I think I shall send it you, were it only as affording to Lady B additional means of forming a judgment concerning her disposition. Mrs Price Fetter Lane is the person to write to. I told you so in my last.¹³ Let me have a letter for her. Whatever you wish she should from time to time have do not employ any person about it other than me, unless you wish that I should be angry with you.

Wakefield has just been here. He will undertake the business, and of course do his best, being closely attached and eminently honourable. He will survey the place without loss of time. But it should not be on show he says these two or three months: in short till the garden wears its best a〈spect〉

Q.S.P. 13 March 1820 last date

What do you do about Miss Fordyces lost piano with the addit〈tional〉 keys? It has always seemed to me to be but a tub: and so said Bingham who is a Connoisseur. I let H.K. have it a month or two ago, upon his begging it for present use. Bingham says my old Merlins is more valuable.¹⁴

In a few days I think to send off your papers to Toulouse: the box shall be well corded.

Part of Lord Clarendons life as appears from the date, was written at Pézenas to which place and Montpelier he retired after his banishment.¹⁵

pg 407Thence perhaps the title of pleasant given to it in Brookes's Gazetteer.¹⁶

___________________________________________________________________________

14 March 1820. Yesterday not being postday this letter was providentially detained till the arrival of yours of the 7th¹⁷ No 8: in consequence R.D. has been to the Banker's and obtained an answer of which the following is a copy

Messrs Martin have written twice to Sir Saml Bentham in answer to his letters, once lately to mention the discovery of some papers which had been mislaid and once previously with a general Statement of his Account. The half year's Pension was received, and the Account with that receipt now nearly balance of which Sir Saml. appears to be perfectly aware by his letter of the 17 last Decr.

S.B.s 'maledictions' pity such pretious things should be lost. Keep them well corked in one of those bottles in which the […?] of St. Joseph the Carpenter is somewhere kept. Transfer them to the Bankers: or keep them against the next occasion, for your own use. But the Banker I see pleads a set off. Nonsense—nonsense—

Poor unhappy country! my sympathies are strongly excited. What shall I do for it. Vegetable marrow such is the name given to a new invented species of pumpkin. seeds whereof were given to Lawrence t'other day in the Isle of Wight by the Gardener of the King's Architect¹⁸ who latterly became an intimate of the Romillys.¹⁹ The pumpkin is to be eaten in an immature state, as cucumbers are: only instead of raw it is to be boiled: according to the Viner it is very delicious: two plants furnished a stock sufficient for Nashs family: in one of the boxes with your papers (the smallest I think) I will insert if possible a small but by Gods grace sufficient number of these seeds.

R.D. was to have assisted this day at the package of your goods: but the day was put off by Ainslie at the time of the illness of his daughter When Ainslie is forthcoming Mrs Baillies will let us hunt.