SD538. Richard Barrett (1789–1839) to Elizabeth Barrett Williams
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 338 (in part).
Jamaica
Aug. 2. 1825.
My dear Mother,
I could not be much surprised, tho’ much grieved to hear of my aunt’s death. You have lived together so long that, the shock to you must have been severe indeed– George has sent out a power of Attorney to Mr Reynolds, a stranger to him, to act for him in Mrs Lockhead’s affairs—but Mr Reynolds wisely I think will not record or act on the power till he knows if any funds are likely to come into his hands to pay the necessary expenses. Begging George’s pardon, I think he has acted very much like a child in this appointment. It is extremely disagreeable to me to correspond with you on money matters, & I wish you had sent out your security to Ricketts so that our accounts might have been settled. It is quite plain to me that you honest folks in England think all the folks in Jamaica rogues, & I among the number am a great one. Having this character I shall in future lay aside the idle delicacy what has hitherto restrained me from speaking openly respecting the state of our accounts. The paper to which you so often refer, has in it several memoranda in your own handwriting of sums received from me, & I was unwilling to send it across the seas when I found it in my possession, as it might have been lost but I am always ready to give it to Ricketts; & the items against me are acknowledged in my books– You cd lose nothing by the loss tho’ I might. I did not intend to bring it to Jamaica. I have now the unpleasant part of my office to Inform. This account current was made up when I was totally ignorant of business, & I put in things that I shd not certainly do at present, for instance I gave you credit for the full prices you had paid for the furniture in Jackson’s tower, & above all for some Mattresses. Whereas they were second hand, & were not worth the first cost perhaps scarcely half– I remember perfectly well telling this to you, & putting it to you if you shd not make a reduction. You gave me no answer. I besides did then & do now think it hard to pay 80£ for poor Sam’s horse. Sam wrote to me & I have his letter, saying he meant me to have the horse when you left the Island. I also beg you to remember that you never gave me any credit for the house at Epsom, which Mr Whitman would have kept at the old rent till I came of age. I lost three years’ rent, but I ask no more in the settlement of our accounts than credit for the time you occupied the house, & kept furniture therein. I believe there is also a balance due to me over the school accounts. I beg a thousand pardons for making this statement—but I am forced to it—by your repeated claims on me– I am sacrifising my life in endeavour to preserve my estate for my child– I am the only one of the family that has had to labour, I may say, for a subsistence. It is well known that Jamaica property yields nothing. All my just debts I am ready to pay– I am ready to pay your Attorney to the last farthing, if I am in your debt. Had I been conscious of owing you money you shd have had it long since. Your income is much better than mine, which costs me hard bodily labour, & on which I have many calls. I shall regret it much if you are angry at my openness— but I could not be any longer silent. Had I not been ruined by my Attornies & by the bad prices I wd have paid the money to you twice over, rather than have written this letter. I sent you a bill of lading for cocoanuts & shaddocks– I suppose H W P sends sugar, or you did not write for any. The Newspaper I shd have sent, but having shipt no produce to London I cd not ask a Captain to take charge of them, they being subject to postage, if not smuggled in by a private hand. I hope this grievance will be removed with many others. I am very uneasy about Elizabeth, & anxious to see her in Jamaica.
Yours my dearest Mother Affly
Richd Barrett.
Address, on integral page: Mrs Barrett Williams / 75 Gloucester Place / Portman Square / London. Redirected: 31 George Street. Redirected, in unidentified hand: Mrs E. B. Williams / No 9 Oxford Passage / Cheltenham.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
___________________
