LEAVING BERITON.
You know as much as I do of Lord Verney's tythe. Harris has not answered that part of my letter; probably he had not seen his Lordship. I write to him by this post to enquire into that matter, & to order him absolutely to lett the Underwood, and, if he can, to prevail on the Tenants to pay something more for the liberty of cutting the hedges. Whatever is done about the sale must be done quickly, and on that account I fear not so well. The Goslings are impatient. I know not how to ask them for another year, and to take up so large a sum for one Year only would be attended with much difficulty and expence. They wish, if I cannot speedily dispose of Bucks, I would pay off part by the sale of the New River share, for which I know they have a hankering. It is a most delicious bit of Property, and I should be sorry to part with it for such a price as one commonly gets by a forced sale. If they would give me a rotund sum for both, it might perhaps tempt. I wish to hear from you soon. Everything is hastening to a dissolution. Winton has taken my stock (all the horses), but the appraisement came short of what I expected (not quite £1000). I believe many of the things, live and dead, were old. Last Monday I went with Mr. Scott to Weyhill fair, and sold my hops pretty well. The sheep are moving off very fast. My Corn, a noble stock, will be threshed out and sold sous les Yeux de Mr. Luff. The household furniture will be sold by auction after my departure, but I reserve a great deal (most assuredly the three pictures) for my house in Town. Hugonin undertakes the repairs, so that I see nothing which can prevent my quitting this damned place in about a fortnight or three Weeks. As soon as I have deposited Mrs. G. at Bath, I shall be quite my own Master. Adieu.
E. G.
150.
To J. B. Holroyd, Esq.
Beriton, 21st of October, 1772.
To quit a subject now become a matter of curiosity, I shall only say that in this country the Hampshire Gentleman is supposed to have lett his farm exceedingly high, and that on every side he hears compliments from the Gentlemen and clamours from the Farmers. He did not sneakingly conceal, &c. The Tenant pays for the seeds, the Fallows were given him, from the opinion of Hugonin, &c., who agreed that they were very ill made. But now, hark forward.
The Gosling's impatience will I fear hurry us very unpleasantly. Their proposal of the New River share would not suit in any respect. It brings in at least £260 pr. annum, yearly encreasing, and must, I should think, as freehold be worth thirty years' purchase; call it £8000. The average (for it varies prodigiously) of the Copper share is under £100. I cannot think it would sell for more than £1500. When that was done, instead of a surplus of Money, I should find myself possessed of two Landed Estates, with at least £7000 mortgage on one of them, and for a time totally disabled from buying a house or forming any plans of life, for a great deal of the farm stock must go towards paying a variety of middling debts of my most careless Father, which it was unnecessary to trouble you with. So that scheme will never answer. I tell my Fleet Street friends that if it will be very inconvenient to them to allow me another year, or even to stay the Winter, I must endeavour to get their Mortgage transferred for a twelfmonth to some other Person, which cannot be done without trouble and expence. In either case we must act with vigour. I am so far from chusing to sell under 30 years' purchase (a bare £20,000 without Manor, &c.) that I think that a very sorry price: They are still at old Rents. Why cannot we try an auction of the whole before we divide? I wish to see you, and think Denham a good place of Rendez-vous: But before I can get from hence, carry Mrs. G. to Bath, and traverse to Bucks, it will grow towards the 10th of November. Will that do? To another man, I should talk nonsense about trouble, obligation, gratitude, &c. &c. To you, I only say, If I can't meet you at Denham, take R. Way with you, carve Lenborough and let the Deed itself serve you for a reward. I have had another letter from Harris: not a word about Lord V. But he speaks of Mr. Monkeith, a rich man who liked the Estate, and objected only to the Poor's tax. I desired he would give him my direction at the Cocoa Tree, and inform that that objection was removed. Adieu. You do not say a word about Mrs. H. I hope she is better.