Bowden Park
22d Novr
My dear Talbot
The Duke of Beauforts reply arrived whilst you were in Derbyshire, and it is my neglect that I have not sent it to you before. I now enclose his Letter, which I beg you to return to me when read.
I was very glad to learn a week ago, that you had examined with Mr Hayward the subject of warming the Church: I believe your decision fixing the spot under in that unaccountable domestic appendage where my tenants sit, gives general satisfaction: it will soon be in operation.
As to the other plans, it will be well to keep Mr Carpenters sketches: they may be useful as hints at some future day whenever the want of more room for sittings shall force the matter more pressingly on our attention – I am entirely averse to carry out any change of so ticklish a Subject, as Pews, until opinions generally go with us: which clearly is not the case at present.
You ask if I have ever tried the cultivation of maize. I tried it years ago, when Cobbett made a noise about it and the Locust tree. it [sic] grows well, but only partially ripens in our climate: that is, only a part of the cone is filled with grain: you get much more edible substance from an acre of roots.
You asked me also some time ago, whether I had ever considered the establishing a colony for our Emigrants: if I were about to Emigrate myself or could find a trustworthy & competent Leader, I think it wd be a capital plan: but how hard it is to find these qualities united! But the signal success which has attended all our Emigrants whom I sent out 4 years ago, has given such a good character to emigration, that I believe half the Parish wd go tomorrow, if we wd pay the passage – I don’t think we shall ever again be troubled with a congestion of Labour, as formerly: – but of idle dissolute unable layabout characters we have indeed a plethora
Yrs vy truly
T H S Sotheron