Dear Sir

Downing Jan. 9^th 1784.

I am happy to hear from you from any quarter of the Globe; but am made more happy to find that you have the satisfaction of finding that your situation has so well an[...]swered the purpose. I have thoughts of visiting town before this winter is past; perhaps next month & shall be much mortified not to meet with you there. have not you & to be regular amindst the temptations of an irregular age? It is surely worthy the tryal especially when health is to be & the Ladies¹ fortitude enough, contemnere² fashion, [...]the reward

A Letter of mine was probably in stratton-street when yours reached me. I must refer to that for an account of Moses's labors.³ I w[...]ish I could flatter you with the hopes of having a volume in any reasonable time, but other work crosses us & occasions delays. I thank you much for your kind remembranc [sic] in the work of Holbein⁴ but it is really unnecessary. The hard weather has left us in the gentlest manner & as grain is reasonable, & there is a vast addition of manufacturores, our poor are tolerably well off. The known & unknown of this house present their best complim^s & wishes of the season to Miss Bulls⁵ & yourself:

& I remain with true regard
Dear Sir
Your obliged & affec^t
humble serv^t

Tho. Pennant.

Mazel is publishing a pretty work of scotch views for M^r Cordiner as appendages to my scotch tour.

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Editorial notes

1. Pennant probably refers to Bull's two daughters (Elizabeth and Catherine) and, possibly, to his stepdaughter.
2. 'to despise'.
3. This may possibly refer to the undated 1033.
4. This is the first in a series of apparent references to what emerges, from the evidence of 1047, to be Bull's gift to Pennant of a collection of Holbein's drawings, in at least two 'parts'. See 1044 and 1047, in the latter of which it becomes apparent that the works were copies of works of Holbein's by a contemporary artist, based at Basle.
5. Elizabeth and Catherine Bull.