Dear M^r Owen

Downing July 2^d – 91.

I am glad that things are in some sort of train for the pursuit of discovery of [sic] our Countrymen in N. america.¹ when you tell me matters are arranged & give me the plan, I shall scarcely be behind-hand in any rational undertaking. what ever I do ought to be considerd [sic] as the effect of the liberal mind: for the neglect I have met with fr^m my countrymen cannot give them any clame [sic] from me.

I am very much obliged to you for the Poems from M^r D. Samwell² & M^r Williams.³ had I known that M^r S.^s residence had been in town I shd not failed [sic] last winter [...] enquiring after him. I beg M^r Williams w^d put my name as a subscriber for six copies.⁴ I^to be paid as you direct. for I never yet suffered merit in welshman or saxon to want my mite.

When anything shd calls [sic] you by S^t Botolph’s Aldgate I beg you to examine the Church yard. & let me know if the tomb of the Persian still exist [sic].⁵ [...]vide p. 2667. 2^d Ed. of my London.

I am very sorry I have no frank. Sir R. Mostyn being yet detained in town by the illness of one of his family. I am

Y^r affect friend

Tho. Pennant

Pray where is Penton place. If you come down this year Pray call here.

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Editorial notes

1. For the fervor of the London-Welsh for discovering 'Welsh Indians' in North America during 1791, see Glenda Carr, 'An uneasy partnership: Iolo Morganwg and William Owen Pughe', in Geraint H. Jenkins (ed.), A Rattleskull genius: The many faces of Iolo Morganwg (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2005), pp. 443–60, esp. 449–50; David Williams, 'John Evans's strange journey', THSC (1948), 105–46.
2. The poetry by Samwell mentioned here may be his 'Padouca Hunt', a squib on his fellow-members of the Gwyneddigion society which related to a 'Dadl erxyll am y Madogion' ('fierce debate concerning the 'Madogion'), held on 9 May 1791. The poem was published posthumously in 1799. ODNB; David Samwell, The death of Captain Cook and other writings, ed. Nicholas Thomas, Martin Fitzpatrick and Jenny Newell (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2006); W. Ll. Davies, 'David Samwell's Poem – 'The Padouca Hunt' ', NLWJ, vol. 2, nos. 3 & 4 (1942), 142–52, esp. 142–3.
3. One poem by Edward Williams (Iolo Morganwg) which, through its copious footnotes on Madog's discovery of America and on the Welsh Indians, relates to the concerns discussed in this letter is 'Address to the inhabitants of Wales, exhorting them to emigrate, with William Penn, to Pennsylvania'. It is difficult to imagine Pennant sympathizing with the sentiments expressed, however. Edward Williams, Poems, lyric and pastoral (2 vols., London: J. Nichols, 1794), II, 49–69; and on Williams's Poems see further n. 4 below.
4. Iolo Morganwg was seeking subscriptions for the publication of his English verse, which appeared as Poems, lyric and pastoral in 1794, with Pennant's name down for six sets, as requested in this letter. See Williams, Poems, lyric and pastoral, p. xxxiv.
5. Some account of London (1791), p. 267, notes in this church the 'very remarkable tomb (in the altar form) of Coya Shawsware, a merchant, and secretary to Nogdi-beg, the Persian embassador', with the Persian inscription around its margin, and gives the date of Shawsware's death as 1626.