Heytesbury House

March 14^th

My dear William

      I have to thank you for two letters; the one respecting your proposed alterations here, the other covering a note to my wife which shall be delivered on her return from Bath, to which place she has gone to attend a Ball to be given by Caroline to three hundred people.  Now with respect to your alterations, I can easily imagine what amusement it must be to you to form plans & make estimates of probable expenses; but I feel confident you will never undertake any alterations whatever without the assistance of an architect.  For about 3 or almost I believe 5 Guineas a day you may command what aid you please & you would then set to work on safe & sure ground.

     Mogg tells me that the building of the new walls of this house by my father was a very serious undertaking, owing to the difficulty of getting a good foundation.  The water rose at less than three feet from the surface & it was necessary to sink ………. blocks  to ensure solidity.  From the lay of the ground there will be no difficulty as to drainage.

     I like your plan, as far as the ground floor is concerned, of knocking the tow rooms (dining and sleeping rooms) into one.  It would make a very pretty apartment & all the better for being irregular.  Upstairs however, the arrangement would I think be inconvenient.  If you did not meditate important alterations at no distant period, I think I should be inclined to recommend a pretty close examination of the timbers of the North (upper) Room.  There has always been a very disagreeable musty smell in that room, which certainly rather …….. than otherwise.  It may proceed from dry rot.  In all events the cause should be clearly ascertained before your improvements are undertaken.  It would be no use to pull the room to pieces now, when you may possibly have occasion to do so in less than two years.  It would be well however to learn in …….. that there is a doubt as to the room in question.

     I will bear in mind what you say about the building materials of Fonthill Abbey & if I do purchase for you depend upon it I will do it cautiously.

     In the Summer I could find odd days to haul over a certain quantity of stone with you own train which however is & has been regularly employed for the last three years in your various alterations, with not ten days intermission – rain or shine.  Fox certainly made a lucky hit in the purchase of the leases & he keeps them constantly going.  This winter we were obliged to hire extra ……. to get the dead hedging from Southleigh.  We required five & six ……… to get out of the ……..  We shall have made some 600 ……. Of ……… for you this year – besides repairng the old hedges & I could not cut more than 2 acres of coppice that was fit for our purpose.  The bill for the wood will not come in till Michaelmas.

     I have mentioned to Edward the reduction of your …….. in Coutes’ hands.  I was quite surprised at its amount, as I have always understood that a man who keeps a constant balance of 300£ is reckoned to be a very good customer.  In your situation however a larger sum may be necessary; but I quite agree with Edward that 4000£ is something quite out of the ordinary way of private Gentleman’s business.  I am main glad to find however that you are possessed of such a floating capital.  The interest will serve to educate Freddy.  I will take care that Cooper’s friend shall pay his money when due according to your directions.  I see that Mr. Ogilvy, whom I formerly mentioned to you, has started as one the four candidates for East Medford.  He ………, I presume, that he had no chance at Hindon.

     Francombe Bouverie has begged me to recommend to your civility, a midshipman of the Glasgow, Mr. Haydon.  He is Bouveries’ Godson, & he tells me he takes an interest in his wellfare  & shall feel grateful for any attention you may show him.  Poor Bouverie has had the devil to pay in his household.  His two men servants have been detected all but  in the fact of I. –Y. unfortunately the proof is not sufficiently complete to send them for trial.

     I hear an excellent account of Maria who will reach Town today. She has promised to come here with Cecelia before she leaves England. I am very anxious she should see all that has been done, before she returns to you.

     Lord Fitzharris & Lord Edward Thynne have been rusticated for some night frolic at Oxford.I am sorry for both.  It will sadly annoy Lord Malmesbury; who is very low just now owing to the failure, a second time within……….

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