Supporting Documents

SD962.  Samuel Goodin Barrett & Maria Barrett to Samuel Moulton-Barrett (brother)

Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 342 (in part).

Dec 2nd [1838] [1]

My dear Sam

I recd your most amusing letter from St Thomas, but I must say not the most enviable bill of fare on board the Flamer, what would only ruffle your temper wd drive me to have com[m]itted an act of desperation by pitching the uncorteous [sic] Lieut. into the Ocean as an inferior quality of food for a hungry shark– We have been staying at Retreat to Marias great delight, and the Flowers together with the absence of Mosquitoes quite enchanted her– No person who has a penn & a good house should ever interfere with the dirty ungentlemanlike job of Sugar making– Relative to the latter I think it more than probable that we shall not be able to take off our Crop next year as I do assure you that instead of Labour improving I think it is retrograding & that taking the whole parish there are not as many Labourers at work now as in September last– The Spring people are perfectly idle all I can do they will not lay the dung on the Canes, the same is taking place on every Estate nearly in the neighbourhood.

Cornwall is doing as well as any I am told, but Cin Hill they are badly disposed Carey cannot get an ounce of dung laid on Green Park he says[.]

The Freeholders of Trelawney sent me a numerously signed petition to come forward to oppose that Rascal Hill the root of all evil & mischief which I did & the other day I was Elected without opposition–

I send you a paper of the [illegible words] saves me writing an account of them– Our seasons have been mo<st> favorable the last six weeks delightful showers & fine growing weather the cane in consequence have improved[–] Maria wishes a small space so I shall conclude with kind regards to yr Father & the rest of yr Circle. Believe me

Most Sincerely Yrs

S G Barrett

[Continued by Maria Barrett]

My dear Mr Barrett

I cannot allow this letter to go to England without a line from me to tell you how very delighted charmed I was with that pretty place Retreat we were there for a night or two which did us all much good I assure you with the flowers I was so pleased. I reveled in them from morning to night & almost felt I was in England. It is a place where I could be quite happy if I could transplant some English friends here– Give my love to your Sister Henrietta & tell her I trust she intends to return with you with a Retreat to come to no one need mind to come to Jamaica it is so nice too to be away from the horrid musquitoes [.]

I had such nice rides when there on Jenny & I like her better than Mr “Peter” & have some thoughts of changing them if I thought you would not be very angry if I did so.–

When we were at <Retre>at Mr MacDougal stayed a day th<e>re on his way to the Bay he talked much of you what an odd man he is but I think him agreeable– I suppose you are not astonished to hear of Sam’s success in turning out Mr Hill like a wise man he did not dispute the honor with a good Tory Sam has proved himself to be a man of more ambition than I thought him. I have not yet seen your friends Sir Joshua & Lady Rowe they did not come down to Montego Bay this Court– Your Godchild is very well and grown an immense boy Richard trots about famously but treats his little brother rather ill– Pray give my kind regards to your Sisters

and believe me very Sincerely Yours

M Barrett

I cannot say I envyed you your voyage home

Address, on integral page: S. M. Barrett Esq / 50 Wimpole St. / London.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Eton College Library.

1. Year provided by postmark.

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