Supporting Documents

SD5.  Edward Barrett (1734–98) to Samuel Barrett (1765–94)

Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 304 (in part).

(Copy)

17th Decemr 1782

As I have not received any Letters from you for some time past, and your Brother George never mentioning your Name in any of your Epistles (proceeding I suppose from a redundancy of good nature, having nothing to say in your praise or offer in vindication of your Conduct) its therefore very probable I should have treated you with the same contemptuous Silence, had not I very lately received my Account Current from Messrs Watts & Rawson commencing 1st May 1781 ending 29th June 1782 during that period they disbursed on your Account £383.17.6 Sterling—a Sum far beyond your necessities, pray is your friend Blundell so prodigal of his money? I imagine that sensible Youth will attain what he is in pursuit of, namely a large fund of useful and ornamental learning, and the Character of an accomplished Scholar—and that at about one half the expence incurred by me on your Account, You know that I am and ever was ready to grant you a proper allowance for the prosecution of your Studies, but I am a mortal enemy to prodigality whoever suffers it to gain the ascendant over him will soon be reduced to beggary, and obliged to put up with the shame of becoming burthensome to others,—the Spendthrift does not use his Money but abuses it; I have learnt from different Quarters, your propensity to dress & Ostentation and frequent Entertainments given to those whom you denominate your friends, perhaps ma[n]y of them whom you now spend your Money upon so liberally, would not know you, if you were to experience a reverse of Fortune,—as I consider you, and indeed know you to be a raw Youth, quite unexperienced, you’ll therefore permit me to indulge my sentiments on this subject, perhaps you are one of these weak Youths, that mistakes prodigality for Generosity, and true Greatness of Soul, they are as opposite as the Poles; or Hemispheres, but do not deceive yourself; the Squanderer, is not a beneficient man, a fool that dissipates his Substance is not acquainted with the nature of a good Action, we daily see Young men indulge their vanities to the utmost latitude, that would not bestow a shilling to a charitable object; on the contrary a Man that is emulous to do good Actions, preserves his wealth to have always abilitys for exerting them, now an extravagant Youth is engaged in a continual round of irregularities, he is surrounded by false friends and flatterers who pretend to adore, but in fact they despise him and laugh at his folly, the incense he receives from flatterers and parasites mus be very pleasing to a weak mind, another very great evil arises from too liberal Supplies of money to Youth of a prodigal disposition; namely that it is an effectual bar to all Study; I consider it as a grand Magazine for the support & Nurture of Vice, as it furnishes a Youth with the means of gratifying the most idle & expensive vanities, I therefore am determined that my sons shall not squander what I have been so long in accumulating by the most rigid œconomy; and I believe my greatest enemies will do me the Justice to declare, that I have ever been liberal in granting Money for the advancement of my Childrens Education, indeed I may with great Truth say, that I have ever been emulous therein, and am conscious that I have discharged my duty faithfully and affectionately to all my Children, I shall patronize and continue my attachment to such of my Children whose behaviour may merit it, those whose Conduct renders them unworthy my Notice I shall most assuredly discard, and abandon to their fate of which your Brother Harry is an example, whom I have not seen for many months nor do I ever wish to see him, and I must be so candid as to declare to you, that you’ll experience the same treatment at my hands, without a very speedy reformation on your part, as I am determined to put a stop to your career, and to limit your allowance to £200 Stg p Annum which is a very ample Stipend for a Youth designed for Study, but perhaps not adequate for the support of our present modern fine Gentleman, and in conformity have wrote Messrs Watts & Rawson that should they allow you one farthing more than £200 Stg p Annum, it must be out of their pocketts. I consider it as very fortunate, in having discovered your Temper and promptness to vice and extravagance in my life time, for the very high opinion I once entertained of your prudence, good disposition & capacity would have induced me to have placed the most unlimited confidence in you, and to have invested you with a considerable property under your own immediate direction, but I have settled my affairs in such a manner that in case of death you’ll find yourself curbed and disabled from squandering your Father’s patrimony nor shall I make any alteration in the disposition of my Fortune without I see a thorough reformation in you, which for your own sake I seriously recommend, before you drive me to extremities; I perceive by Messrs Watts & Rawson’s Account Current you exceeded in the Article of expence, that of your Brother George, who is now of Age, and come to the possession of his Grandfather’s Estate, surely you cannot suggest, that a Youth of 17 has an equal right to the same Stipend as an Elder Brother arrived to Manhood– The expences of my Family during my residence at Liverpool including my Children’s Eduction never exceeded £600 Sterling p Annum, therefore in justice to my other Children I cannot admit of your expenditure being so large in future, besides I know it answers no other end, but furnishing the means of gratifying a vicious disposition; before I conclude let me add a word of advice, banish from your habitation, idle & dissipated Youth, cultivate the friendship and acquaintance of Men of Letters and of dignified Characters, from their conversation your ideas will be expanded, your understanding may be cultivated, and a fund of usefull knowledge may be acquired, and by adopting a regular system of Œconomy, you will shew the world that you do not want prudence, and by a close application to your Studies you will merit my confidence and attachment, and the respectfull attention of your Family, friends and acquaintances; by so eligible a mode of Conduct, you may then in reality acquire the Character of an accomplished Gentleman—by a contrary behaviour you will be laughed at, despised and neglected,—the Scripture saith where much is given, much is expected; the World knows that I am now furnishing you and your Brother with the means of acquiring an Education—of the first Rate and making a respectable figure hereafter, as you both inherit good Capacities, should you fail herein, you must blame yourselves for incurring hereafter the contempt of Mankind– If I hear of your reformation I shall then deem my admonitions have been paid a proper attention to, should you continue in your present vicious habits I shall be then convinced my advice has been received and treated with contempt, and I shall demean myself towards you accordingly–

Yours as you Behave–

E. Barrett

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Copy at Eton College Library.

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