F.D.
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Chapter 21
Ireland, August 1813
From: E. Bennet, Child & Co.
To: F. Darcy, Royal Canal Co.
Darcy,
Harvest is also well underway at Pemberley. We have found ourselves running short of coppers and silver, and cannot issue notes, as most of the itinerant workers must be paid in coin. If they are not paid, they will move on, and the harvest will be left rotting in the fields. Further, there would be no one to hoe the turnips and clear the weeds from the winter forage crops.
I sent an express to Boulton at the Soho Mint, to strike a further two thousand pounds’ worth of copper, and silver threepenny and sixpenny tokens. Baxter has left with the heavy coach to collect them, together with four armed outriders. We have an urgent need—the banks in Derby and Nottingham are releasing coin only to the local merchants and tradesmen.
Darcy, with respect to the harvest in Westmeath: the canal employs some three thousand navvies; retain those employed on masonry and the like, but release all others from the works and have them gather the harvest in the neighbourhood at the company’s expense. Methinks the canal can absorb the cost—by my reckoning, four thousand pounds—and most of the harvest could be gathered in two weeks, the remainder left to the farms themselves. Certainly, the navvies will enjoy a fortnight awayfrom digging trenches—digging potatoes instead!—and you will enjoy great favour in the neighbourhood.
Should you agree to this, I suggest alerting the principal farmers and estate managers at once, so that they may prepare for the sudden influx of hands. There will be some grumbling, no doubt, for the navvies have a well-deserved reputation for raucous behaviour—but necessity will smooth over most objections. You may wish to remind the farmers that without sufficient labour, the greater part of their crops will be lost, and so too the rents and tithes upon which all depend. The alternative, to add an extra two shillings a day to the navvies’ usual wage, would keep their labour for the canal, but cause great discontent among the farmers and landowners.
From my understanding of the map, it seems an easy run from the aqueduct to Mullingar, for the line of the canal maintains the same level, with no need for locks.
We pray you are done by Michaelmas. When you return, expect the warmest and most heartfelt of welcomes.
Enclosed is a newly published novel byA Lady, which both Miss Darcy and I enjoyed immensely. Also,The Life of Nelson,by Robert Southey. Mayhap these are the last books you will receive before your return.
Your affectionate and faithful friend and servant,
Bennet
Post Scriptum:
On a more domestic note, Miss de Bourgh has sketched a most amusing caricature of you, triumphant atop a pyramid of potatoes. She insists that I enclose it; thus, I have been unable to spare you the indignity.
One last matter—the rector at Kympton is in want of a curate. If you know of a suitable candidate among youracquaintance, pray send word, though it may be best to leave it until your return to Pemberley.
God speed the harvest, and may your labours be crowned with abundance.
Postscriptum Secundum:
You sought my advice on the mind of women. Surely, I can provide only one point of view, and certainly I cannot speak for all women, if it is indeed possible that I can speak for only one. For intentions and understanding change over time—what is seen as reasoned and rational today may be viewed, at some time in the future, as the greatest folly. My opinion is that love, admiration, and respect must be given the highest priority. Many women seek only security, which is wise in itself, for without security, love can provide only a temporary shelter from want. An acquaintance once remarked that a woman should seek security first, for afterwards there will be leisure enough for falling in love as much as she chooses.
Such a plan, where nothing is in question but the desire of being well married; and if the lady were determined to get a rich husband, or any husband, I daresay she should adopt it. But what if the lady cannot even be certain of the degree of her own regard, nor of its reasonableness? Perhaps she had known the man for only a fortnight; likely danced two times with him, seen him of a morning at his own house, and dined with him, say, four times. This is not enough to make her understand his character.
The four evenings—assuming cards were provided as entertainment afterwards—might have enabled them to ascertain that they both like Vingt-un better than Commerce; but with respect to any other leading characteristic, I cannot imagine that much has been unfolded. How are they to understand the other’s character—for it is my belief thatcharacter, friendship, admiration, and respect—as I have said—are the foundations of an enduring marriage. Does a house party allow our couple to know each other, when surrounded by vapid friends and equally banal conversation? Certainly, they can walk out together, and perhaps learn of each other in that manner. Yet, it is unfortunate that society thinks it improper if they were to correspond—for the exchange of ideas through letters, where opinions can be considered at leisure, is a surer means of coming to understand the mind of a man or woman than conversation at dinner or in the drawing room.
E.B.
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Chapter 22
Pemberley, September 1813
From: F. Darcy, Royal Canal Co.
To: E. Bennet, Child & Co.
