Dear Sir

North Court, Isle of Wight Oct^r 1. 1793

When I look at the date of your last letters, I am perfectly ashamed of myself; in truth I have every day intended writing, but various kind of occupations, to which from being unaccustom’d, I am unequal, have regularly prevented me. I doubt this place which I was so anxious to make my own, now become so, will lead me into Expenses, that will in the end, put me to some inconveniences, and make me think, of what I never did in my life, the reduction of my menus plaisirs,¹ and my print collecting vagaries. I have above twenty workmen to look after, and to keep in order, and the Fleet and army bring us so many unexpected, and unintimate visitors, that I am sometimes under difficulties to feed, and lodge them, and being in the midst of pulling down, and building up, I have no loose days to throw away upon ^these lounging travellers, who expect one at their elbows from morning until night. We rejoice at the circumstances of M^r. Pennants² being about to settle in a manner so much to all your Satisfactions, and I hope it will not be a great way from Downing. – Stet fortuna Domus,³ &^c. -----

I have been at Godshill church, but my Ciceroni M^r. Clarke having long been out of the Island, I can give you no present information respecting such monuments in that church, as are undescribed in Worsley, nor have I that Book here to refer to, and, strange to tell, I can’t hear of one copy at Newport, or else where, that I might examine

as soon as M^r. Clarke returns, should the weather allow a septagenarian to ride so far, I will request him to go with me there; the roads are now too bad for a carriage.

M^rs Wise the Bookseller at Newport, has a little box of ^M.S Collections for this Island, which were her Grandfathers. She won’t sell them, nor indeed do I know that they contain any matters already more than already made public, except arms blazon’d, & some bad views of Houses, and Churches. If she will lend them to me, I will bring them to London, for your next winters perusal there. – I find there (amongst very many other Memoranda, which may, or may not be, in Worsley's publication ,) a note, that on Sep^r. 8. 1650, died the princess Elizabeth aged 19, a Lady of incomparable abilities, and admirable Virtues; being sent Prisoner to Carisbrook Castle, and from the Gentle tution (tuition I suppose) of the Earl of N^[...]. being placed under the Custody of one Mildmay, She wasted away, and expir’d with Extremity of melancholy, and Greif. - amongst the same collections, are pedigrees of the Worsleys, Oglanders, Leighs &c. and some bad drawings of tombs. – – I believe Sir Richards library afforded very many of the materials for his Book, and that D^r Wharton, or some well-inform'd friend hash’d them up lick’d them into form – but of this I am speaking without book –––––⁴ I will learn the truth from M^r Clarke, when I see him again. Sir Richard has a good common understanding, but I hardly believe him au fait to compose such a book himself.

I did not say any thing relative to desiring the favor of a copy of this part of your travels, because I hoped it might be printed some time hence, but should there be no such intention, I shall undoubtedly wish for a copy; have the goodness however first of all to inform me how much I must pay for the same, because I must for some time to come consider prudence as well as pleasure, in my little pursuits; and upon that ground, I hope I shall not offend you, if for the present, I desire you to accept only one Guinea, instead of two, for the reengraving the portrait of your departed friend. I have lost £700 by my obstinate perseverance in not selling out over the funds last Mid^r to pay for this Estate, but I own I thought the war could not continue so long as I now think it is likely to do. Storer is now the Rich Man of our acquaintance; I understand his father has left him an income of £3000 a year, & I knew he had near £1100 per ann^m of his own. Rainsford, who had been here a long while, was sent for at a minutes warning ^from hence to go as fast as he can to Gibraltar to take the deputy Governorship there, in the room of Ohara, who is gone to command at Toulon at Toulon, carrying with him a considerable reinforcement of men.

My Daughter continues growing better, and our proposed journey to Bath is put off, but her constitution is so delicate, and tender, that we tremble least a winters relapse should be fatal. Congratulate M^r D: Pennant in all our names, & congratulate your selves likewise

I am Dear Sir, always yours.

Rich^d: Bull

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Editorial notes

1. 'small pleasures'.
2. A reference to the approaching marriage of David Pennant and Louisa Peyton.
3. 'Let the fortune of the house stand'.
4. Worsley's preface to The history of the Isle of Wight (London, 1781), unpaginated, notes that the work is a continuation of the researches of his grandfather and father, Sir James and Sir Thomas Worsley, and acknowledges the assistance given him in preparing their work for publication by unnamed gentlemen of the island. The Dr Wharton mentioned may be Thomas Wharton.