Letters – Thomas Wentworth to John Wentworth – 12 Jun 1772

Dear Sir,

      On the 29th May last I had the pleasure to receive your two letters, which also gave me the satisfaction to find that you enjoy’d good health and spirits, of which I heartily wish you a long continuance, and no doubt, matrimony will contribute with the subsequent blessings commonly called children, of which however you make no mention.

      I was near two years in the country and am but lately come to town, remaining a Bachelor, as usual with no thoughts of changing. I was in France about 2 months and at Paris with Paul Wentworth (who is now at Amsterdam) I wish that the sea between us was less broad and less tempestuous, or that I could bear the sea better, for I would willingly make you a visit to see your Plantations.

      The very next day after receiving your letters, my surprise about Lambert made me go into the City to enquire at the two American Coffee Houses for Captain Hensell, or any American gentlemen, but to no purpose. I wanted to have found some one that had seen this Lambert to have talk’t and ask’t questions about him for I neither recollect the man nor the name nor any person recommending such a one to me nor giving any letter to you and I didn’t know of any of that name in Yorkshire, but I will make enquiry at my return, so that at present I can say nothing more about him, than that I am very sorry that you and others have been so deceived and cheated by him after so much kindness & generosity shown him undeserving. Your account of Mick W[entwor}th was very curious but did not surprise me, as I always thought him capable of the worst actions none of his family ever mentioned him to me, but I heard from others, that they were very well pleased, thinking that his marriage was to his advantage and credit; I met Mr. Palmer lately who told me that he believed that Mick would lose everything as he had many Lawsuits upon his hands, which gave me great pleasure.

      Perhaps you may remember Miss Augusta Wentworth, only daughter of Mr. W[entwor]th of Dorcester and sister to Captn. Wth. of the Guards, who are next heirs to Lord Strafford, she married lately, unknown to us, to Mr. Hatfield Kaye of Stanley near Wakefield, a man of no family, was an attorney without business, but has near £200 per Ann. and expectance of about as much at the death of an Old Woman, and he has five or six Brothers and Sisters to keep and is greatly in debt. I don’t know what fortune the father gives her, tho’ the marriage was with his approbation. I don’t suppose that Ld. and Lady Strafford will take any notice of them in the country – I forget the sum I paid before for the Dog, but I paid nothing for this, which is stand-by according to your description. Captn. Hensell wrote me word that the other died: the sugar is very good, and I shall be glad to know out of curiosity whether you can make it as cheap from those Maple Trees to serve yourselves and Country, as buying it from the Islands. We have many Maple trees in Yorkshire but I am afraid they are of a different sort, of a very slow growth, and good for nothing, however next year I will have some trees tap’t and boil the juice for sugar, so I shall be very glad if I can promote these trees or others upon my Plantation, and if possible pray send me the seeds of the Con rond and of the Bachelor Tree, both which grow very well in the Hot House, but gave no seed. – I have not had time to try the gun. It will be best and <gainest> to direct anything for Mr. Bosville and me to the care of Mr. Wilson, Merchant in Liverpool for there are many ships from thence go to America. I desire to know how the Box Machine for winnowing corn answers, they are much used now in England to very great advantage. I have bought the new invented Plow, with four wheels of Mr. Moore, perhaps you may have read a description of it in the newspapers. I try’d in first in my Park and it is much preferable to the old ones, where there are few stones, pray what sort of Plough is made use of in your grounds and what sort of ground in general? I have ordered another new Plough for draining wet Lands. Have you got any of these in your country, for where Labor is dear, they must be of very great advantage.

      There are Liverpool ships which go to Newfoundland, therefore when I want more I can get a dog directly from thence. This Stand-by has his ears cut off which disfigures him sadly. 

      You do great honor in transporting to your country the name of my seat where if you enjoy’d anything worth remembrance, it was only due to your name, character and chearfull good company.

      I shall be glad to know what sort of gardens you have, and whether you plant trees against walls, and what sort of fruit trees, for I have bought for my own gardens a new invented watering pot with a long tin tube to wash the walls and the trees and to water the garden beds & a new invented bellows to blow the smoke of tobacco upon the trees, which will destroy the vermin and worms upon the leaves, so if they will be of use to you I will send them as soon as I hear from you again, here inclosed you have the description.

      The House of Lords and Commons have had a great and steady majority this sessions, and have acted as they pleased with a sort of Absolute Power, and have spent much time about a Marriage Bill and the Thirty nine Articles, which might have been better employ’d in Essentials for the Benefit of the country in general – 

      Lord Rockingham has been long very ill and attended by above six Physitians [sic] but is now better and rides out, he is at his house at Wimbledon near London, we have renew’d our acquaintance about two years ago, and he has been at Bretton.

      Mr. Hugh Wentworth is now in London, and pretty well, and Perry Wth. goes on as usual with his running horses, and as I am not in the secret, its impossible to know whether he wins or loses, he lives mostly at Bramham with his wife. Now my best respects to Mrs. Wentworth and I am

      Dear Sir Your most sincere and Much Oblig’d. Obedt. Servant

      T. Wentworth



London, June 12th 1772