THE MARCHIONESS OF STAFFORD TO Cleveland House, March 30th, 1810. I am sorry to say that my search for old portraits at Dunrobin was without farther success than finding one of an Earl of Sutherland born in 1609, which is now engraving for the old history of the family of Sutherland by Sir Robert Gordon,* now publishing by Constable, and of which I shall take the liberty to send you a copy when it is finished. I beg to express my thanks to you for the offer of the Gordon collection of drawings, &c. &c. Though I do not particularly collect drawings of that kind, yet the moderate sum you mention, of one hundred guineas, induces me to avail myself of this, provided you continue disposed to part with it; and I shall be glad if you will have the goodness to direct Mr. Christie to let it be sent here; as I shall be glad to look at it, and will willingly give that money. Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland, from its origin to the year 1630, with a continuation to the year 1651. Published from the original manuscripts, and illustrated by engravings.-London, 1813, folio. MR. PINKERTON TO MR. J. B. NICHOLS. Hampstead, March 31st, 1810. I have no correspondence with ***: but I let him know, months ago, that he certainly owed your father for ***. Mr. Barlow, the engraver, can confirm it from the number of maps sent. Your father can certainly see himself righted. It is odd enough that just about the time I was thus attending to your father's interest, there was, as I am told, a scurrilous libel printed in your Magazine. Its malignity is the more strange, as it proceeds on a mere omission of three words by one Griffith, who then carelessly printed the Monthly Magazine. I wonder your father's personal knowledge of me did not prevent this. I am sure such a thing against him should not appear in any journal under my management. I hope that in his own vindication he will give up the author. This is the more unjust, as I sent, for many years, several curious articles (particularly twelve letters on English history) for which I was never paid one farthing; whilst I have eight guineas per sheet for all I send to other magazines. As your father admits libels against me, I hope he will show his impartiality by paying me for my labors in that very work which now abuses me. MR. PINKERTON TO MESSRS. LONGMAN & CO. London, April 5th, 1810. You are already in some measure apprised of the existing differences between Mr. Davies and myself on the subject of the Atlas. As all my conversations pending the negotiation for that publication were with him alone, it is impossible you can be otherwise acquainted with the facts than through his representation; and I am led to believe that you, as joint proprietors of the work, are not correctly informed thereon; because, from your general character and reputation, I had a right to expect greater candor and liberality than I have experienced on this occasion. This con sideration has induced me to make the present appeal to you, before I resort to such ulterior redress, as justice to myself, in my mind, demands. Inheriting from my father what was at that time a sufficient income for a man of very moderate wishes and pleasures, I published many books on antiquarian subjects, from mere love of the science; and which, far from yielding any emolument, intrenched on my little revenue. The occupations of literature do not furnish the best qualifications for conducting the pecuniary transactions of life, as I have been taught by experience; but, in dealing with you as men of honor, I expected to be met on the broad basis of a mutual good understanding. As, however, a difference of opinion has unfortunately arisen, I hoped at least to be judged by the fair construction to be drawn from facts, and was willing to submit that construction to the judgment of mutual and impartial friends; but even this satisfaction has been hitherto denied me. The fair fame and reputation which I flattered myself had been the result of my labors, induced me to project and to propose to Mr. Davies the Atlas, of which he easily foresaw the advantages; and I prepared the calculations in schedule A, to which no objections were made, except when I proposed an annuity of 6007. After several conversations, my allowance of 1007. for each map being considered as a fixed part of the expense, an advertisement was sent to Mr. Davies for his approbation; and he returned it after a fortnight with some remarks, in order that it might appear in the new edition of my Geography, where it may be found after the contents of the first volume. This edition appeared in February, 1807; and the advertisement bears that "the Atlas was preparing for publication, and that first impressions might be secured by the transmission of names to the publishers," the respectable house of Messrs. Longman and Co. being now first added. I regarded this matter as finally arranged, and took a large house with windows of a northern aspect, solely for the accommodation of draftsmen and engravers who might occasionally be employed under my own eye. The collection of Voyages and Travels could have no connexion with this transaction, as the translators were occupied in their own houses. The rent and taxes of this house amounted to nearly 1007.; and I could never have thought of incurring this expense if I had not considered the original calculations as settled. It would in fact be absolutely impossible to conduct a work which requires roomy premises, on a pittance of less than 250l. a year, which it has yielded. At length, after an unexpected delay of more than six months, Mr. Davies appeared in great haste; and, after half an hour's hurried conversation, surprised me into an agreement for 20007., instead of 6000/., the sum always demanded, and the real groundwork of all our conversations for a year and a half. Instead of a sketch to be considered at leisure, or to be submitted to a professional adviser, as usual in fair and equitable transactions of such a magnitude, Mr. Davies, originally bred to the law, thus obtained my signature to a memorandum of which he was to send a duplicate in two days; but, even after two years and two months, a paper purporting to be a copy has been only obtained by me, and I am told it is an agreement by which I am finally bound. To my additional surprise, Mr. Davies, instead of employing Mr. Lowry, a capital artist and a man of science, as was always proposed by me, chose an obscure engraver called Neele, seemingly, as would appear by the result, that he might be totally under the control of Mr. Davies himself, who above all things desired concealment in a work, which, even by the pretended agreement, was to be under my sole direction! This proceeding was not only highly disingenuous, and the memorandum itself obtained by sur |