Downing June 9^th. 1782¹

Dear Sir

The loss of the list of drawings of the first vol. of the Welsh Tour makes it necessary for me to have the copy you made otherwise I Moses may be guilty of repetition. you ought not to think of binding till the whole work is complete: but for y^r comfort I have sent the last part to the press this week, & hope to see it printed by Christmas. I think I may promise you your Snowdon by the first week in July & packed to y^r wish.

I thank you for the print it is the best I have seen, for the trash sent to me has been horrible.²

Rodney's recal [sic] is a millstone round the neck of the new ministry.³ surely post are stolen or strayed for we country folks do hear a word of First L. of treasury,⁴ Chancellor of exchequer⁵ or Secr. at War.⁶ nor indeed of 1^st L^d of admiralty from March 1782.⁷ are you infested with the Keppelomania else I must be silent.⁸

I beg my complim^ts to M^r Storer I convey this to you through merely to save you the trouble of conveying my trifling remembrance to him.⁹

The epidemic of this country has been a stubborn intermittent: but it now declines fast. The weather is much altered. it is warmer & drier: yet I dread a scarcity for little Barley has been sown. I wish our legislators would attend to the prevention of famine: but indeed the poor are not likely to be such great sufferers for since L^d Shelbourn has put arms in their hands¹⁰ they may serve themselves & rectify their own grievances without the round-about intervention of laws.

My best Compliments attend the Ladies¹¹ of y^r house I am
Dear Sir
very faithfully y^rs

Tho. Pennant.

our apothecary has just called here & from his account I fear that the illness is commenced. He mentions coughs & hoarseness as symptoms.

Impressions of seats of any Gentry living on the roads of my journey to London w^d be usefull to us.

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Editorial notes

1. The year, 1782, may have been added by Bull at a later date.
2. In view of the lack of answering correspondence from Bull at this stage, it has not been possible to identify the print in question.
3. Following the resignation of North on 20 March 1782 a new coalition ministry was established, led by Charles Watson-Wentworth, second marquess of Rockingham (1730–1782), with Charles James Fox and William Petty, second earl of Shelburne and first marquess of Landsdowne (1737–1805) as secretaries of state. For Rodney's recall, see 1018, n. 3.
4. Rockingham held this post from 27 March until his death on 1 July 1782.
5. Lord John Cavendish (1732–1796) held this post under Rockingham's second ministry.
6. Thomas Townshend, first Viscount Sydney (1733–1800).
7. Augustus Keppel, Viscount Keppel (1725–1786) was first lord of the Admiralty.
8. Keppel was involved in a dispute with Sir Hugh Palliser, first baronet (1723–1796), his third in command at the battle of Ushant, 27 July 1778, over claims regarding Palliser's refusal or inability to respond to his signals on the afternoon of the battle. Palliser presented a demand to the Board of Admiralty for Keppel's court martial, and a five-week trial began on 9 January 1779. It was decided that the charges were malicious and unfounded, and Keppel was exonerated to the delight of riotous crowds in London and elsewhere. ODNB s.n. Sir Hugh Palliser, Augustus Keppel.
9. This comment may suggest that this letter, unaddressed and with no postmark, was sent as an enclosure with a letter to Anthony Morris Storer ('through [him]').
10. A circular letter by William Petty, second earl of Shelburne on arming the people led James Graham, marquess of Graham (1755–1836), to move for a Scottish militia as 'a shield to the constitution against the turbulent grasp of democracy and the encroachments of the Crown'. The bill had reached its third reading by 10 June 1782, when it was withdrawn. Hist P s.n. James Graham, Mq. of Graham (1775–1836).
11. Elizabeth and Catherine Bull, and, possibly, Levinia Luther.