SD1051. Edward Moulton-Barrett (father) to Samuel Moulton-Barrett (brother)
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 358 (in part).
London,
Sepr 30. 1839.
My dear Sam
I was very glad to find from Stormie’s letter & your postscript that you had completed your voyage, & that you had done so, so much to your satisfaction, & of course I was not a little surprised to observe that Stormie had proved himself the best sailor of the two, for I had feared from his sedentary habits that the rolling of the Vessel would have stirred up all that was bile in him, & kept him in a wretched state during the greater part of the voyage– I was sorry to hear that you suffered, a circumstance which was hardly to be expected, as we might fairly conjecture from the many months you had passed on the sea, that you would have been proof against these sea stomach Pumps– But now your marine miseries are passed, for which let us thank God, & as He has preserved you both from the dangers of the voyage, so I trust He will preserve you from all those connected with land & climate–
I received your letter three weeks after your Bill for £35 appeared, & in the absence of the former to advise me of having drawn on me, I was of course a little annoyed, but I found that it was not your fault the Bill came by a Russian Ship who dropt it in her way up Channel the letter in the regular way by Post, through Lisbon & hence the delay: I trust the speculation may answer, the result of course you know before this, but let me beg you never to be too sanguine, it cannot bring profit, & it may enhance the disappointment greatly–
I was very sorry to see that you had abandoned the scheme we arranged here, as regarded your movements after your landing, surely it would have been better to have gone first to the Retreat, where by the bye a letter awaited you, & after resting a few days, then have proceeded to Cinnamon Hill, but to take a Boat to convey you from Rio Bueno to Little River was one of the maddest pranks I ever heard of, & a dangerous introduction for Stormie into a hot Climate, I take it the object was to have all your |Props| in with you– In my opinion it was a very foolish & uncalled for voyage; but I trust that no evil results have come of it–
We shall anxiously look for the next Packet, not only to hear your report of the state of affairs, but whether Stormie likes his new life, & thinks that it is likely to suit him– I had a letter from Mr Jump by the last Packet in reply to mine, informing him of my having sent him, very kind & warm-hearted in his promise to do all that I could desire of him in behalf of the new comer– I assure you that it has been to me very comforting– Mind both for you & him, that the Retreat is the retreat from all ailments, only take it in time, & I doubt not that it will save a great deal of other medicine–
And now what do you think of affairs, what of the state of cultivation, & what of the disposition of the Negroes; I have my opinion, drawed [sic] from many sources, with every modification of an adverse view, as well as the contrary, but I want to hear yours– You know upon these Estates we fell off in our Crop 100 Hhds & made a very bad portion of Rum, but I am told the Estates were looking beautiful with every prospect of a better Crop next year, this is certainly better than the reports from 99 out of 100 of the Estates in every part of the Island, as all anticipate a deficiency of a half instead of a third, which it has been this year. poor Cambridge & Oxford, I fear will not only lie very deficient this year, but must be so the next & I suspect very few [illegible word] are in– You will have heard of the fight between Mr Jump & Mr Knibb, & of my complaint to his Society about the latter’s conduct, so that we are at open warfare, all which I fear will tend to <da>mage me in those quarters– I have also written to Anderson in answer to a letter from him to me, enclosing an Extract from Knibbs letter to him, meant for me to see, in which I have treated the Religio-Political agitator in no measured terms, & should he show it to Knibb, it will set him in a blaze, & cause him to wreck his vengeance on me– But I have been told by some come lately from Falmouth, that they think Knibbs star is rather sinking, that the Negroes are getting tired of his calls on them; would that it were so, for the sake of every thing that is orderly, peaceable, & truly religious–
A high opinion, & consequently high anticipations are formed of the new governor, I trust that we are not doomed to be disappointed, but that he will fairly hold the scale balanced between the Parties, & in keeping an even course be the friend of all, & I easily believe with a good government we might do well yet, notwithstanding the East should rise up against us– I wrote to Stormie last packet, when I sent a message to you respecting the property at Falmouth, I hope that you will attend to it– I hear that the Parish has sold their property which they bought years ago from my Brother to some one, who has cleared £1800 by it. Cant we be doing something in this way? Give my regards to Sam & tell him that all the delay in the settlement of our differences rests with him or rather his Agents, & that in order to expedite it, I have been in Town since March, but it has little availed; I trust that we are now in the way to a conclusion, as nothing stops it now, than the engrossing power as to execution, but upon this his side have been engaged now three weeks instead of 4 days– I wish it had been done in Jamaica, but there is no use in complaining now, particularly when I trust, by next Packet that it will be in a state to send out in order to its being registered, upon which application must be made to the Court to dismiss the Suit, for the purpose of getting an order to receive the Compensation–
Tell him, I hear sad accounts of his exposing himself & running risks of getting ill, forgetting that he has a Wife & Children– I beg that he will cease to do so, & take special care of himself–
Thank Mr Tinkler for his letters, which afforded me a great deal of information– I hear that he is established a Bookkeeper upon Cornwall[–] I wish him all success & good Crops next year–
Ba, our most precious Ba, is much the same, but you will have the latest information, for some one will write to Stormie from Torquay; the Bulletin to-day was rather more favorable than it had been for some little time; she has been left much to herself, I mean medically, for Dr Barry has been dangerously ill, & she would not see another Physician; he is however I am happy to say better, & I suppose will ere long resume his attendance on her– We have had a sad summer for her– I am sorry to inform you that poor Newdick is in Exeter Gaol, arrested for debt; & I hear that he is not likely to be released without passing through the Insolvent Court– He was foolish in returning to Sidmouth & I understand was forewarned of what might take place– But he is always dreaming of some unexpected fall of fortune, & I am told has been living upon this expectancy for years– His Property has been put up for sale at Sidmouth, but there were no Bidders– I am really sorry for them for I believe them to be kind hearted people, but unfortunately both are weak & the Lady rather vain–
Would it be worthwhile to send out a few Sheep, several go from England, I believe most years for Black River & with success; I think the Liecester would answer– What think you– I dont know when Selby int<en>ds sailing, not till late I believe– I have been in a towering rag<e w>ith him in leaving with Sughrue some of my Produce behind, & charging 1/2 a gallon for Rums more than any Ship got from Falmouth– Notwithstanding I have a great regard from him & I believe on his part that it is quite reciprocal– Sughrue does not return, as there is little chance of loading two Ships next year, but where he goes is not yet determined–
I hope that you told Mr Jump, what my wish was as regarded Shipping on board the Water Lilly, otherwise from what I suggested to him, & upon which, from his last letter to me, he seemed determined to act, I fear that would get nothing from him–
Rum & Sugars have fallen very much, but I am not alarmed, the deficiency in the outposts will force up our markets ere long–
I have now exhausted my paper & nearly my candle, for I am writing at nearly two o’clock in the Morng of the first of Octr & therefore must wish you good night & good bye with our united loves & affections to you & dear Stormie Believe me dear Sam
Yrs very affectionately
E M Barrett
The rum is decidedly better this year, at least what came by Selby– Sughrue is only unloading & I have not yet seen the samples–
Cambridge is still 2d a gallon better–
I write to-morrow to Mr Carey[–]
Address, on integral page: S. M. Barrett Esqre / Cinnamon Hill / Little River / St James’s / Jamaica.
Docket, in the hand of Samuel Moulton-Barrett: 1839. / E. M. Barrett / Nov. 19th Ansd
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
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