The Cotman Letters 1835-1837

{Handwritten transcript}
To Mr. W. F. Cotman.
No. 11 [Brunswick ?]St.
Brook St. Chorlton-upon-Medlock
Manchester.

Dec: 9. 1837.

(42 Hunter St.)

My dearest Walter
John and myself are just returned from King’s College, earlier than usual from an unexpected holiday - & time enough to receive your letter of the 7th, from the postman’s hands, direct. And direct do I now answer the business part of it, and - without looking into my treasury – by enclosing a £5 note (viz: halfnow) which please acknowledge by return of post & its counter then shall be also sent by the return post. This is a small sum I regret to say, and will go but a little way with you. Therefore tell me candidly, will it do for you for the present, or not? You are awkwardly situated with the Messrs. – therefore cannot ask for more salary. For if you did you might be in the situation of a fisherman angling for a whale & lose your spratt – for, surely, spratt must your salary be called. But this I must leave to you, well knowing that at the fit season you will do in this respect what’s proper. Had you bad hands from a pin prick? Your blood must be in a bad state, for one wound to effect both. Still as this circumstance is not alluded to in your last I presume & hope they are both quite well – though you are not bodily so is evident by the tenor of your letter, and for aught I know want as much patching up as your clothes box – I dare not insult you by the term ‘wardrobe’. My dearest Walter, if you are an invalid I recommend you to mutton, & not always beef, as the latter if it be too much used is heavy for the stomach. Tell me if you find the situation too heavy for you. I am sadly afraid you do. Still if you do but see your way clearly to success, it is what you have made up your mind to grapple with. But still it must not be too hard for you, or life is a burthen indeed. I am very glad to find you are so much satisfied with your lodgings, for whether they are agreeable to you or not would make a vast difference to you in that respect, and especially in such a place as I know Manchester to be. I am sure I repeat the feelings of us all when I say I wish we could (as you have