WILLMOTT'S PROPOSAL.

133

I more fully explained the nature of it. He said: "Provided Mr. Wedgwood will make the situation reputable, I have no objection to accept it. As to the business, I trust I should be able to conduct it as it ought to be conducted, and to Mr. Wedgwood's satisfaction." He adds, "If he were at Gunville, he sees no occasion for any servant beyond a confidential Workman on whom he may depend as doing what he directed to be done during his absence in Staffordshire and on your other concerns." On my mentioning to him about the house he said that, he thought, could be no obstacle, as a very small one, provided it was comfortable, would be sufficient for him. He said he thought he should give up his whole time to Mr. Wedgwood's concerns, and, as he was now at the time of life when he should exert himself, that Mr. Wedgwood should pay him 2007. per annum. To auditing your Brother's accounts, he said he could have no possible objection. He added: "You know I rent this estate very dear; and though I think I could get people who would take it, yet I see no prospect of doing myself much good here; nevertheless, I live comfortably, and by no means lose money." I desired him to consider every part of the subject and to call on me to day. This morning he was with me, and says on consideration, he has no reason to alter what he before said, and that if you thought proper he should think himself happy to be your steward. The more I think of this the more I am satisfied that you would be pleased with the arrangement, as he is really the only man I know capable of fulfilling the duties you pointed out ; indeed, I don't think there are five men in the County so capable of performing them. Willmott has a wife, a very excellent woman, but no family, nor is he likely to have any. As to what you hinted concerning seeking

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THOMAS WEDGWOOD AGAIN ABROAD.

for mortifications, he has too much sense for that; he only wishes to be considered the Steward of your concerns. I of course informed him that all I had said was by on means proposing anything, but merely inquiries of mine. He said he perfectly understood me. Should you authorise me to make proposals to him, he probably could soon dispose of his estate and be at Gunville, or, at any rate, he could frequently spend a week or a fortnight there till Michaelmas, by which time he certainly could dispose of his concern here. I have written to you without waiting for your letter concerning Fleury, as, if anything was done in this business, I should be glad to see it in forwardness before I go. God bless you, my dear Sir. Yours most truly, Thos. Poole. Willmott, if you liked it, could at any time come to you, when you could see something of him, and be enabled more fully to explain the nature of the situation. Should you think proper to farm to a much greater extent at Gunville, he said he should have no objection to undertake the direction of it. Excuse this hasty scrawl and the numerous SAIDS.'1

For some weeks prior to his leaving England, Mr. Wedgwood's illness had increased, and his family, by whom he was idolized, were deeply grieved. 'I sympathise with you in your affliction about your brother Thomas,' wrote Byerley to Mr. Josiah Wedgwood at Gunvillle; 2 but nevertheless the invalid left London on the 7th of May, and on the 9th wrote thus from Calais: I have just a moment to say that I got here in good plight at 5 yesterday, and that all

goes

1 Thomas Poole, Stowey, to Josiah Wedgwood, Esq., Etruria, Stafford

BIANCHI THE VIOLINIST.

135

on as well as I could desire. We had a four hours' passage, and I was not sick in the full sense of the word. We had at least 30 passengers, and in not being sick I was very singular. If my baggage, left behind, comes to-day, I go to Dunkirk to-morrow, thence next day 40 miles by water to Bruges, and so by Ghent to Brussels. I like my companion better the more I see of him.1 He is so pliant that I entertain some hopes of moulding him a little to my own inclinations. He is quite enraptured with my fiddle. He says all the Connoisseurs at the Concert came flocking about him to look at the fiddle that had excited such astonishment by its exquisite tone.2 Dear Jos, I fully meant to have said a word in reply to your kind expressions. You may readily believe that the desire of exchanging a few words before my departure was naturally felt; but, had I intended it, it was not in my power, nor, as you say, would any sufficient good have resulted from it. Thank Susan 3 for her kind farewell, and Bess, and distribute mine about you. I will write again very soon, and trusting to hear from you Poste Restant à Bruxelles I remain most affectionately yours, T. W.'5

4

But in the brief period of five days Bianchi's power of pleasing was at an end. He fell ill, was peevish and irresolute, and was at once dismissed. He had concealed indifferent health, and this disingenuousness, coupled with a deficiency in good manners in mixed company, convinced his employer that he had sustained no great loss; though it mortified the solitary man to

1 An Italian violinist, named Bianchi. Mr. Wedgwood performed well on the violin.

2 Mr. Wedgwood's own violin, a true Cremona, sent purposely from Gunville to lend Bianchi.

3 Mrs. Darwin.

5 Mayer MSS.

4 Mrs. John Wedgwood.

136

EN ROUTE TO BRUSSELS.

find that his six weeks' labour in London, in search of a companion, had thus been thrown away. He proceeded from Bruges to Ghent by water, thence by diligence to Brussels, where he had a letter to deliver to M. Romberg, an agent of the house of Wedgwood.

A HOPELESS JOURNEY.

137

CHAPTER V.

Mr. Thomas Wedgwood at Brussels-His foreign Servant-Cheapness of living at Brussels-Want of a Companion-Desponding Travels on Horseback-Longs to be again with his Family-Exceeding Love for Children-Likes the Flemish-Probably meets Poole in Paris, and accompanies him to Switzerland-Glimpse of Sir James Mackintosh -On Circuit with Basil Montague-Poole's History of WillmottOriginally a Silk Throwster-Receives little Benefit by his Father's Will, and turns Farmer after due Attention and Practice-Willmott's Eligibility not to be questioned-Thinks he could not well divide his Attention between Gunville and Etruria-Letter from Leslie-Proposes to visit Etruria-Thinks Thomas Wedgwood's Case a hopeless One-The 'Silver Pictures -Watt proposes to make Experiments— Not a Particle of Likeness between them and the 'Soho Pictures' Related neither by Processes nor Time-Davy's Lectures on Chemistry, illustrated by fine Specimens of Wedgwood Ware-Paper on the Heliotype Processes in the Journals of the Royal Institution—Wedgwood and Davy's Experiments not successful-Two original Heliotypes-Daguerre dead at this Date-His Son, without doubt, the Daguerre of 1824-8-Mackintosh and his procrastinating HabitsLong in writing the Epitaph for Flaxman's Monument of the elder Wedgwood-Thomas Wedgwood again in England-Beddoes' Prescriptions not salutary-Goes into South Wales with ColeridgeShoots, and is delighted, but soon wearies-Renewed DespondencyColeridge as a Companion-Renewed Mania for the Purchase of Estates.

THE next we hear of the sick and wandering man is from Brussels, where he was on May 17, 1802. Nothing can be more melancholy than the record of these purposeless and hopeless journeys. I am mortified to learn to day,' he wrote to his brother, that a letter I wrote from Ghent six days ago is still lying there, as I did not know it was necessary to pay postage. I write to have it sent hither, and then I shall forward it. It

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