SD199. James Scarlett to Edward Moulton-Barrett (father)
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 314 (in part).
Abinger Hall
Oct. 13. 1814
My dear Barrett
I have been unlucky in missing you at sundry times & places where I hoped to have met you. I must now write to you on business. Mr. S Barrett of Park Hill is very urgent for payment of the balance of his brother George’s legacy. I own that I have so far indulged myself as not to give up any part of my precious short vacation to this object & therefore I have stated that the money cannot be paid till the first week in November when I shall be in town. Nor could it be paid in prudence till the amount of the legacy duty is ascertained, with which view I have directed a case prepared by myself to be slated for the opinions of two eminent counsel. I should of course have been satisfied with my own, as I have been in many instances, if I did not conceive the question to be really doubtful. I expect these cases then very soon & shall be very glad to terminate the business the first week in November. With this view I must beg of you to direct your merchants to continue such sum as I shall find necessary to be made up on your part. I think you have already paid either 1700 or 2700 (I forget which) towards this legacy. The utmost therefore that I can require will be the difference between that sum (whichever it may be) & 5000l together with something for the trifling balance of interest. Will you therefore have the goodness to direct B P & S to pay at my request so much of that sum as I may require. It is probable that I shall not call for the whole of it as I think the balance in my hands on account of the personal Estate one half of which would belong to you may & indeed ought to be applied in the first instance to pay this legacy. The amount of this balance I can only guess at having no accounts with me nor indeed any account made up so as to include the payments lately made by letter. But this can be done in half a day or less when you come to town. I think from what Deffell told me who covered the last payment for me, the balance will be about 2000l more or less now in my hands– Of this I must either consider one half as applied towards paying your share of the legacy or account to you for it– The result will be the same in either case, except that in the one I shall call upon your merchant for less money, which perhaps would be more agreeable to you.
I could not get a fair wind to take me to France & therefore I have put off my visit to next year. I saw your mother at Brighton last week & expect to see her again on Monday there as I am going to bring back my family to this place for the remainder of the month. I beg my best regards to Mrs Barrett & all your dear Children & am My dear Barrett
Yours most affectly & faithful frnd.
J Scarlett
Address, on integral page: Edward Moulton Barrett Esqr / care of Messrs. Boddington Philips Sharp & Co. / 17 Mark Lane / London / to be forwarded.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
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