SD52. James Scarlett to Edward Moulton-Barrett (father)
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 306 (in part).
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Wednesday [May 1806] [1]
My dear Barrett
I am very sorry to have missed you. I hoped to have seen you at Westmr hall last friday. I left a ticket for you at the Coffee house to admit you to the trial, but I find you did not call for it at Ailes Coffee house.
I would rather converse with you on the subject of the inclosed letter than write about it. Can you make it convenient to take your mutton with me tomorrow without ceremony at ½ past five? If so we can have half an hours conversation together. With respect to the sum of 200l your father immediately requires– If you really owe him the money there is every good reason for letting him have it– As to the request intimated in the last part of the letter it evidently goes to a great length & I shall only say at present, that I certainly never will advise you to put your name to any bills or otherwise to run the chance of involving yourself for the benefit of any other person. It would be hard upon you that you should not have the benefit of your own fortune when you come of age & still more injurious to your family if you should deprive them of it. I would certainly therefore advise you to make no rash promises. If you must send an answer immediately to your father I would recommend it to you to tell him that the subject in the last part of his letter requires mature consideration & that you must take time to think of it—that you request an immediate statement of the amount agt you & that you will send him the 200l (supposing you are convinced that you owe him more money).
You will understand that the whole balance due from me to you upon last years account is at the bankers & you may have the whole or any part of it transferred to your credit when you please. We must meet soon to talk over all these matters. I am now obliged to go to the house of lords about the slave trade bill[.]
Ever yours most truly
J S--tt
Address, on integral page: Edwd M. Barrett Esqr / 61 Upper Berkley St. / Portman Square.
Docket, In EM-B (father) hand: May. 1806.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
1. Dated by the docket.
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