BYRON'S LETTERS TO DOUGLAS KINNAIRD ... - Get a Free Blog

1:4 [above address:] for my Sister’s family – after my demise. – –
But I can not pay Baxter – till after Kirkby produces something less aerial than is furnished by these
Sylphlike trustees – or {till} I can sell Rochdale (surely it should produce a few thousand pounds) the
[below address:] lowest bidding was 7000 – and the highest about 17 – or 18000 – in 1816 – 1817) –
and it must be an object to Deardon – I speak of the undisputed part. – If Baxter were paid now – I
should not have a sixpence hardly in your bank – as the money now paid by Lushington merely
exceeds by a few hundreds – monies paid previously & c . & c . I shall keep the Circulars – and letter of
Credit [creeps up right-hand side:] for the present – you are quite right on those points – it is as well to
have a sum in [inverted across top of sheet:] hand; but I have paid largely enough this half year already
to desire to hear no more of Baxter. [inverted down left-hand side:] y rs . ever N. B.
Byron to Douglas Kinnaird, from Genoa, March 1st 1823:
(Source: text from NLS Ms.43454; not in 1922 II; BLJ X 112-14)
[To, The Hon ble Douglas Kinnaird. / Messrs Ransom & Co. Bankers. / Pall Mall. / London. / Angleterre
// Inghilterra]
[across top of first side:] P.S. Have you received a packet by a Courier of the English Consul’s (of
Genoa) – containing a Scotch deed signed – on which we receive £133. 12 {S.} 0 {D.}
Genoa. Marzo 1 o 1823
My dear Douglas /
In my letter of y e . 27 th . I forgot to allude to the Mortgage at 4 per cent. – I only take it
because you say more cannot be obtained at present. I agree with you that we must have nothing to do
with Lord Mountnorris 137 – who is a litigant and bad debtor – but if we go on rejecting proposition after
proposition how are we to end? – – Pray – do not forget to tell me if you received Deardon’s letter with
[Ms. tear: “my”] answer – I cannot tell till I hear from you – whether I shall have to meet him in
England or not – I would rather avoid the expence of the Journey – if he will negociate with you
instead. You can hardly have not received the letter – and you will see the contents as I sent my answer
to him under cover (open) to yourself. – – – – –
I always told you 1. that there would be a war – secondly that the funds would fall – and thirdly that
they would attack public Credit sooner than you expected. – As to my paying off any more debt –
Baxter or others – at present it is out of the question – till Autumn – or even later. –
1:2
The Noel proceeds have not as yet paid their way through the Herald’s and Insurance offices –
Lushington’s account shows Lady R. Manners (or Lord H.) – a M r . Ford – and the Noel Trustees to be
the proprietors – or at least the receivers of any income from that property. – I shall see the account at
the Audit – and if it is to go on in this way – I will put the Arbitration into Chancery – the Chancery
Lawyers may as well have it – as this goodly Company – since it seems that anybody may be better for
it than the nominal holders. – – – – – – – –
When I know what I really can depend upon – – and the exact amount of outstanding debt – I can then
decide in what proportion and at what periods the debt is to be liquidated. – You will recollect too in
the present state of the Currency that I am paying at a considerable loss – when that is more equitably
settled I shall be more disposed to settle the principal. – Baxter can have his interest duly. – Were I to
pay
1:3
him now – my {present} funds in your bank would be reduced to a few hundred pounds – since {of}
the recent 600 – 300 must have gone to replace what was already overdrawn. – You forget how much –
Griffiths – Hanson – Naylor & c . have already received this current year. – It is true I have my Circulars
(2600.) and six hundred pounds in Webb’s bank – but I agree with you that those {sums} ought to be
kept available “in these times”. – I shall keep the letter of Credit too in case of emergency – it has no
fixed period however but is “a volante” but is only for Florence Leghorn – {and} Pisa – – but I could
cash for it here if wanted. – You may reconvert the Exchequer bill as a fund for that letter of Credit – if
you choose – and reserve all incoming payments to make it up good to the amount (£2000) for your
137: Father of Frances Wedderburn Webster.
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