Dear Sir.

London, June 13. 1787.

I write a few hasty lines, in obedience to your commands, not because I have any thing amusing to send to you, or because my letter is worth the twopence it will cost.

Your letter respecting Enmore is too interesting and too amusing to distroy, and therefore I shall run the risk of offending you, by placing it in my House of Yvery, and a hundred years hence it will be known what a sensible and observing man thought of that Extraordinary place.¹ I have got the prints of it, mention’d by you, and when ever I have the opportunity, I will get them for you. they are part of the Print in Edmonstone’s Peerage² appropriated to the family of Percival.³ I am shocke’d to think what wreched fare, you, and your young Ascanius⁴ found at Northcourt-Hall; It is not so forlorn when we are there, and seeing it as you saw it, I may venture to assure you that you would not find it wholy altogether comfortless and unhospitable was you to return there any time after next week, when we and some friends with us, shall be there for four months.⁵ If M^r. Clark was in any degree usefull to you, I am very glad, & so he writes me word he is, to have had the honor of accompanying You. ’tis an event, where no events ever happen, and our parson will record the sacriligious robbery you are audacious enough to boast of, I hope however the wine was not destin’d for any religious purposes. M^r^Rich^d Clark is in the management of more than half the property of the Island, as much to his own honor, as to the emolument of his principals.

We talk of nothing here but the disturbances in Holland which have already sunk our Stocks two per cent. Sir James Harris came post home, and return’d as quickly, in order to try whether any monies could be borrow’d here in this country to pay the Statholders troops, in which case he could make head against his enemies, for he has many and faithful partisans, let they have all Swiss consciences. The prince of Wales is set up again for the present.⁶ he has been out to see M^rs.. Fitzherbert, at the risque of his life. She catch’d something of his complaint by nursing, and is very ill.

I enclose a print, the strongest resemblance ever taken⁷ - the creases will come out by just moisturing the back.

My Girls⁸ return you every good wish, and

I am Dear Sir
Yours, and you son's, very faithfully

Rich^d: Bull

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Editorial notes

1. There is a brief reference to Enmore in 1061, but a letter with the more extensive commentary suggested here appears to have been lost.
2. This work has not been identified.
3. The Somerset family to which John Perceval, second earl of Egmont, belonged.
4. Bull refers to David Pennant by the name of Ascanius, son of Aeneas, whose illustrious future is predicted by Vergil in the Aeneid.
5. Pennant describes 'the delicious repast of bacon and eggs' together with the 'bottle of excellent white wine' which were offered to him and his son, David, on this visit to Northcourt during Bull's absence. Pennant, From Dover to the Isle of Wight (1801), pp. 189–90.
6. The Prince of Wales (later George IV) requested help from his political friends to settle his debts during 1787.
7. This is no longer present with the letter and has not been identified.
8. Elizabeth and Catherine Bull.