Dear Sir

I am happy in a friend who so instantly apprehends the intents of my questions & answers them in so very a satisfactory a manner. my plan ought to be unfolded to you, as you take so kind a part in my labors. I have already written a view of London in its antient state, but drop it soon after the conquest.¹ I still wish to give a state of its increase in population, & of the Customs to the present time. any hints on that head will be of use. is there any account of the increase of the latter: suppose it to be by æras of twenty years.

I take my departure from London: & give as good an account as I can of the Thames as I [...] far As its mouth, then proceed coastways to y^rFortunate island; & thence in the same manner to the Scilly isles. This suffices for the present. every part of this tract I have personally visited except Sussex. If you can point out & describe anything curious on the back of the isle of Wight or that may be seen from sea you will not fail to embellish my labors greatly. are there any autres dire² &c &c to be mentioned, beneath the stupendous cliffs of fresh water bay, or any other wonders worthy to be attended to? I have Worsley but he is useful only in the historic part. I have numbers of views of headlands &c on the foreign coasts of my plan, but am rather deficient in those of Britain. I think you need not trouble yourself any further about the queries except answering that relative to the quantity of salt exported. perhaps that of corn may give an idea of the fertilyity of the isle of W.

I am was not a little irritated when I wrote last by a fresh piece of injustice done to poor Moses by another Welsh man of fortune who bespoke an illuminated copy & gave repeated orders about the manner of doing it ^after being made acquainted with his terms. but when finished expected to have about forty eight pounds of work of for eight pounds.³ To a poor man this is cruel usage, who expected to lay up something against old age: happily for him I have made him in some measure partaker of my authorial gains & have saved for him no inconsiderable sum. This misfortune involves us in it. for I am above six months behind hand in work, which likewise affect you, which I truely lament. But in future you alone shall share the fruits of his pencil. He gratefully acknowleges his obligations to you.

I am at present at Parkgate for the sake of bulking my two little ones. I return home next week. Our friend M^r Hunt who presents his Compliments to you frees this to you.⁴

every good wish attend you & yours.
I am Dear Sir
most truely y^rs

T Pennant.

July 11^th. 1783 but Q.⁵

I was yesterday at Liverpool. to shew the abundance of wealth in that great town, the Corporation are laying out 200 000^£ in pulling down whole streets, purchasing houses &c in order to rebuild them with the utmost splendor & regularity

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Editorial notes

a. 1786 is suggested because of the apparent link between questions asked here and information provided in 1056. Pennant's claim that he has 'personally visited' every part of the journey from London to the Scilly Isles probably rests on his juvenile travels rather than on his 1787 tour of this territory alongside his son David. See Evans, 'The life and work of Thomas Pennant', pp. 443–5; Pennant, From London to Dover (1801), p. 77; From Dover to the Isle of Wight (1801), pp. 148–54.

1. This appears to refer to the beginnings of Pennant's Of London, published in 1790.
2. 'other things worthy of mention'.
3. This man has not been identified.
4. Pennant appears to have sent an enclosure from Hunt, possibly a duplicate print or engraving for Bull's benefit.
5. The year is added in Richard Bull's hand.