Dear Sir

Downing sept^r 14^th 1795

I remained anxious for hearing from you. fearful that you was ill; & odd to say fearful that you was well. I bear ill the neglect of friends: therefore almost wished to find some excuse for you. Yet I must say that it gave me much concern that you had so substantial a one. I hope it is entirely removed, and that you gave so speedy a proof that I still have a place in your memory. When I wrote last I had just taken to my bed on account of my knee pan. I lay recumbent six weeks & five days in possession of patience, spirits & my full faculties. I pursued my studies as usual & part of the inclosed is a proof of my ease of mind. It is the last leaves of a history of Whiteford my native parish; that of the adjacent Holy well goes to the press next week & both form a largish book. I disposed of the copy to White at (as usual a low price. He has acted with much liberality about the plates & spares no cost. I shall send you a print very soon as a proof. he is a very different man from his father & reconciles me to the shop. He made me or rather my out lines of the Globe a visit this summer. We made a verbal agreement for [...] copies of them when better times arrive.¹ This agreement will I fear make him think that no part sh^d be parted with. This will prevent me from communicating the copy You wish, as I otherwise w^d chearfully have done.

To return to my knee pan. I am restored to the blessing of the use of my limbs, can walk two or three miles without fatigue & ride tolerably. & this in less than five months. How many have I heard limping for life: or confined for almost as many years! I am truely thankful for this favor of Providence, for enabling me to pass with comfort the remnant of my days

I have now about me my whole stock, daughter two sons² & a most amiable daughter in law in a fair way to make me a grandfather. All unite in best Compliments & wishes to m^r Bull & his two daughters.³ my best wishes are closely united.

As to moses he has for sometime past given himself to miniature painting. His portraits are exquisite but he loses so much time that I fear he never will get what he ought. He sh^d stick to his old branches & then w^d be able to lay up a little money. He promises to do all you wish when winter comes on. His son promises to be a genius in music as well as painting.

As to franks Sir R. M. lives on one side of me & the Bishop the other. You may inclose to the former if you please at MostynFlintshire.

Adieu, Dear Sir,
Y^rs most affect^ly

Tho. Pennant.

P.S. M^r Chiswell &c were with me 3 or 4 days & went away much content with the place.

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Editorial notes

1. Only two volumes of Pennant's manuscript 'Outlines of the Globe' were published by Benjamin White & Son. Both The View of India Extra Gangem, China, and Japan. Vol. III and The View of the Malayan Isles, New Holland, and the Spicy Islands. Vol. IV were edited by David Pennant and published posthumously by John White in 1800. It is not clear whether the arrangement with the White firm at this stage stipulated that these were to be the published sections of the work; the reference in this letter to an arrangement which prevents Pennant from allowing a copy of the section on the Isle of Wight to be made for Bull suggests that the Whites may have had plans to publish a substantial part of the manuscript, if not the whole.
2. Pennant refers to David and Thomas Pennant, junior.
3. Elizabeth and Catherine Bull.