[From Letters of Bishop Hildesley]

Letter LXLV

Bishopscourt, 16th Sept., 1772.

Dear Sir,—I have received all your letters, and am glad to hear Mrs Edward Moore is upon the recovery. You may tell your nephew he is welcome to send a letter in Mr Watts's frank, but only don't let him make it too wide. This same brandy of Mrs Tear's I have heard so often of must be very choice, and therefore she may let me have four or five gallons of it, or what she can best spare. I don't complain of your absence from Bishopscourt, yow have been so long from home. But I am sure of the respect of those who have anythine to receive. You may e'en let Kelly come over so soon as you have the translation to revise. What a sad melancholy accident it is that he gives an account of, sure that must be after we came away. Sure it must be some bad management of the boat or the sails. I often think of our coming on shore in the boat when the sea ran so high; and as it was we shipped a great wave and had rocks to climb over after all. I wish you had thought to have asked Captain Lutwidge after the manuscript I lent him of Captain Lushington's memoir: 'Tis a valuable thing and I would not have lost it for any value. But I believe I mentioned it only to Mr Sewell, and he forgets it.

The small pox begins to spread at Kirk Michael. Five are down with it.

I observe in Mr Ware's account sent me from Kelly there is not a word of the several sums paid to them out of my own pocket, but only of the Draught I gave him, and the several sums I have paid for freight of books he takes no notice of, and fancied he has paid all himself. He knows I gave him Drafts for more than was due to him and of the sums I paid, viz., £18 that was necessary. to make up his bill no notice being taken of them. These things must be rectified, for they are minute, but of consequence. 'Tis true I account with the Society for what money I lay out but Mr Ware should reckon that to the Society for in the Drafts that I drew there was no deduction for myself, that was paid besides. There must be some mistake that must be set right. And so much for business which I doubt you will scarce make out from (164)

Your Scribbling Friend, M. SODOR & MANN.

(164)—The Bishop's handwriting has become very shaky and illegible.