The Cotman Letters 1804-1833

92
Addressed to Mr. J. S. Cotman
St Martin's Place (sic)
Norwich.

By favor of I. I. Gurney Esq.
(pencil note in margin- ) this may be J.J. Gurney
July 3. 1826.

My dear Sir,
It was only the other day that, in looking over some papers, I laid my hands upon your account with Mess. Arch, and put it where I felt myself sure of being able to find it at any moment. But, instead of that, I have again forgotten its hiding place: it will not however, long lie hid, and you may certainly have it when you come to resume your lessons here. I do not however see how it can be of any use to you after this lapse of time, when circumstances cannot fail to have altered the face of the figures; and you will do me the justice to recollect that I was not in fault for its not being settled at first; as you had it more than a twelvemonth before I saw it. The only thing which, it appears to me, you can do, is to ask Arch for another statement; supposing you think it worth while to stir the matter at all at present, which in my opinion it is not.
I am very sorry that my last letter did not produce the efeect of making you more easy. The view I then took of your situation was, I am quite sure, correct, and Mr Brightwen entirely agrees with me; and so does Mr. T. Gurney, to whom Mrs Turner yesterday mentioned in relation to his niece, Miss Ash, who is coming to Norwich. He very kindly promised to do what he could for you, and did not doubt but his exertions would be effect[[ive]]ual. But we all extremely lamented that you should think of taking a house at £50 a year rent and taxes, when one could be got at half the price, if not at Norwich, yet certainly at Yarmouth; and it is of no consequence at which of ye two you live. As for Derby, at least upon Mr Holmes' advi[[s]]ce, I should feel it to be out of the question. Change is always dangerous for a man at our