SD1126. Edward Moulton-Barrett (father) to Septimus Moulton-Barrett
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 365 (in part).
[Torquay]
May 30. 1840
My dear Sette
We must let Knibb run his course & perhaps before any great length of time he may run himself out of breath for the violence of the man & the unheard of sentiments, which he declares, as a Christian Minister, must surely open the eyes of the thinking part of Society, & prove him to be a very unfit person to fix their faith upon. I have no doubt that he fears communication between E. Barrett & ourselves & the readiness with which we offered the father a home has defeated one or other of his fine drawn schemes. There is to be an immense Meeting on the 1st June, Monday next, as respects Africa & the means of improving the condition of the people there, & at which meeting, it was Knibb[’s] professed object in coming to England, to attend; there will be there a different class of persons from those he lately addressed, & You will see in how different a strain he will speak, but I am persuaded should he on the contrary let out as he has done at other Meetings, if not called to order, that by a side wind he will get a rebuke, which may be of service to him, or to those, who implicitly rely on all he says– My letters from Jamaica contain much the same information, only that the wet weather retards the manufacture of Sugar, & it is feared will effect a diminution of the quantity—it is worse in Trelawney than St James’s. It would appear that the Crops will not only be late but very short, the whole Produce of Westmoreland does not amount to 1600 hhds, & only one Ship out of five, that were in the Port of that Parish, will get loaded. Bills, notwithstanding all these things, are extremely plentiful, wet or dry weather do not affect them, & perhaps for lack of sugar one of the Ships in question will get freighted with this hateful produce. For my share there have been drawn, & one as follows for George’s acceptance
March 29th in favor of John Billinger for £300–
April 13 do Jos. G. Jump for £300–
April 10 do Dewar, Frog & Co for £400–
there you see in one fortnight, namely by two Packets, Bills have been drawn for £2100– Certainly if prices keep up, we may pay & pay on, & keep matters preatty [sic] straight, but should they fall, from the introduction of foreign Sugars, & it is feared the necessities of the Revenue, & the clamours of the Country for cheaper Sugar must influence the Government, what are we to do then, well, according to the day so shall your strength be, it is all for the best, & we must be content to go down a few steps in the ladder of life–
Stormie should have written a few lines if it were only to tell us how he was from his own pen– I am happy however to say that Jump writes that he was at the Retreat, residing & that he both liked it & his mode of life there– Of course he was well or he would have said, if he were otherwise–
I enclose with this a Notice for payment of the charge on my House &c insured in the Westminster Fire Office, which George must settle for me, it was due on the 28th inst.
Our beloved Ba is much the same; I cannot add any thing to this report.
I wish you would look upon my Table & you will see a small Pamphlet called the Inquirer, which will tell you where it is published, I want the April, May & June Numbers—if the Parcel has not left, put them in it, if otherwise send them, provided the weight be not too great, by post–
I hope some one will write to Stormie by this Packet, which will leave London on Monday. Poor fellow it is the only satisfaction he can derive & we are all bound to offer it him.
I hope that you are all good boys & mind your lessons–
With love to all
Yrs very affectionately
E M Barrett
If you have nothing better to do, will you call on Messrs Andersons & ask them what is the price of Jamaica Fustic per Ton, as I want to insure 4 ton 6 cwt, which I have coming in the David Lyon, & whilst upon the subject request their advice as to the amount I should insure my Sugars & Rums & Coffee for this Year– I mean of course what I should value them respectively at– Tell them, I beg that they will keep the A/Sales until I come to Town– Their Letter I got–
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Gordon E. Moulton-Barrett.
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