01 Mar 1785: Edward James Eliot to Edward, 1st Lord Eliot

My Hon[oure]d Lord

I am sorry to tell you that I do not think you have much chance of ever getting the Weighing Machine that you bespoke of Bramal[?] in Piccadilly without at least suing him for a breach of Contract. I call'd there today and the utmost I could get from him was that He had fully intended to make it when He promised you he would, but that He had not kept his word, and if He was to promise again he believed He should not keep that any more than the first, and was very sorry He had ever promised at all: I could do no more than press him to give a Categorical answer to the Question of whether He intended to stand to his Engagement or to go from it; to which as I have said his Reply always was He was sorry He had made one promise and would not make another.

Mr [Philip] Rashleigh tells me that Sir Fran[ces] Basset has just informed him, He shall give Him no more trouble at Fowey [Cornwall], which I take it He was not at all sorry to hear. Penryn goes on very slowly: in so good a Cause as theirs I think our Friends did but unwisely in choosing that old sinner Bamber Gascoigne their nominee, he is so much of an agent on those occasions as to raise a great prejudice against his side of the Question: which is almost the only thing that could balance the original Prejudice against Sir Francis [Basset].

I shall hope soon to hear something of your moving towards this part of the World, as I told you before I do not think you will be much wanted in the House of Lords, but I hope that is no reason why you should not spend a month or six weeks in Town before the Leaves come out in the Country.

Our Irish Ministers have made a sad false move in their part of the Arrangement, which has put the business back a little; but I trust it will not produce any lasting bad consequences.

I am my Hon[oure]d Lord
Your ever Dutiful
and ever affectionate Son,

Ed J Eliot

Tuesday March 1st, 1785

*Original letter is part of the Eliot collection at the Cornwall Record Office.
Catalog reference: EL/B/3/3/1