I am glad to say that my father's fears from my silence these last
two posts were without foundation, & am sorry to say that the hopes
you conceived from it were not better founded. The truth really was
that I wrote nothing because I had not anything to write. Yet we
had not been idle. I have seen and talked to W., who answers the
idea I had of him tho' not the character his sister gave of him. She
represented him as a shy melancholy man, he is on the contrary a very
sottish but dissipated man. On my applying for "G," he immediately
produced an Alphabetical Index of Joe Taylor's papers--Nothing was
there recorded under the name of Gibbon except some old things of my
grandfather's relating to the Duc d'Autem privateer. He promised to
make a further search & I am to call on him to-morrow, but I hope
very little from him. I shall venture to talk of some gratuity, but
in the mean time, we wish my father and yourself would recollect &
search whatever can be found.
My father's last letter distressed me very much. He talks of my
having doubts & suspicions. Whatever unguarded expressions may have
dropped from me, I hope my past conduct & my present designs are
far from deserving the reproach of doubts & suspicions. At the same
time it is true, that tho' neither myself nor Mr. Scott nor even
Mr. Southouse have any doubts, yet if we want to sell, or even to
borrow money on the Putney Estate, any Purchaser will demand, 1st The
Deed of Enfranchisement, & 2nd My Aunt Elliston's release for £2000
due to her, & charged by my grandfather on the said Putney Estate.
It appears indeed by that will that of his eleven copper shares,
six were left to my aunt Gibbon, five should therefore be still my
father's property, and yet there appears only one & that sold to my
father by Mrs. Elliot.
Mr. S. thinks it absolutely necessary that my father should come
up next week to execute on that occasion, & at the same time his
presence may be usefull to us in other respects: I hope in my next
letter to be able to appoint the day for his coming up.
The Chancery Affair can easily be deferred till the clear title
to Putney is made out, and if my father will not encrease our
difficulties by his own fears we shall yet be happy.
I am, Dear Madam,
Most truly yours,
E. G.
[Sidenote: HIS FATHER'S REPROACHES.]
60.
_To his Father._
February 23rd, 1769.