Letter – Diana Beaumont to John Erasmus Blackett – 29 Sep 1799

                                                                                                Bretton, September 29th 1799

Dear Sir,

      I am this morning favored with your letter, and beg you will not give yourself the least trouble respecting anything that strange creature Mr. Wilson has said.  I mention what he choose to say about the working of the mines in your parish of Wolsingham  that you might be acquainted with the reason that induced him to torment us here.  Col. Beaumont and I are fully convinced he is not quite right in his <senses> or he could not have acted in the manner he has done.  I am glad we have done with the Knight, and hope the next Durham Assizes to make a conclusion with the Rector.  We passed a pleasant week at Doncaster Races, we were at Cusworth with Mr. and Mrs. Wrightson. The last day was clouded by the melancholy account from Holland.  Mr. Neville recd. a letter when he was on the Stand to inform him that one of his sons (a Captain in the Guards) had died of his wounds, another son was dangerously wounded, everyone felt for his situation.

      I hope you will excuse my taking the liberty of requesting you would send Mr. T. Crawhall to the Northumberland warehouse to inform them all the glass is arrived except the 6 cans wh. they mention being sent in a seperate  Box, but am sorry to inform them Col. Beaumont and I think them extremely ill done.  It is not possible to know what the crest is intended for, and the Arms were equally bad.  We particularly requested the Clerk would write to let us know when the glasses and decanters were all ready to be engraved that we might have them examined before they were engraved to see if they were right wh. he omitted to do.  Col Beaumont desired the lesser sized wine glasses (of which there are 5 Dozen) might be larger than the pattern they shewed  us and they have made them smaller, they are only a proper size for liqueur glasses, that we shall keep 2 Dozn. for that purpose and return yr. remaining 3 Dozn. wh. can be of no use to us and they are too short to be put in the wine coolers for they do not touch the bottom of the wine coolers wh. they ought to do when resting on the side of the wine cooler.  Col. Beaumont desires they will make 4 Dozn. of wine glasses a size larger than the 3 Dozn. wh. we shall return and also a little longer in the stalk, they must have the Crest and answer to the others, and when they are blown, we will be obliged to you if you will allow your Butler to see if they are right and of equal size, neither the Decanters or any of the glasses or goblets are of equal sizes or thickness of glass, the incorporating cruet was broke at ye bottom, the 6 cans are arrived since I began this letter.

      Col Beaumont writes with me in comp'ts. to yourself and Mrs. Collingwood, I remain Dear Sir,        Very sincerely yours                    D. Beaumont.