Letter 3597

[fol. 96] Hothfield 12. April 1729. Sir Hans In answer to your Letter of the 3rd April. I did not intent that you should have the trouble of writing to me, but only desired that you woud call on my Daughter Harold, and tell her what publick Charities you most approvd of that she might impart them to me; And I do rather wish that you woud recommend to me some considerable publick Charitys that I might contribute to them whilst I live than to leave it to be done by others when I am dead and shoud be pleasd if you coud recommend to me any worthy Honest man that woud rightly dispose of Charitys when I am dead, and am concernd that you shoud trouble your self in rects for such little sums you gave, for had there been Thousands instead of Hundreds I shoud have concluded you would have dispersd of them as justly as if I have done it wth my own hands but being sensible this little Concern had been too troublesome to you, you shall have no further trouble in it, but coud wish youd recomend some Honest Man that justly wd dispose sometimes of 100 to poor Familys that have great Charge of Children for I take that to be the best Charity. As I mentiond to you formerly how much I approvd of our Hospitall being built and settled for the preservation of Houndlings so finding it now mentiond in the London Evening post, that at the Assizes in Surry it was approvd of by the judges, and that subscriptions were begun, and as it was thought it woud go on wth great success I shoud be glad to hear your opinion of it, when the method is settled of raising money by a large subscription for purchasing Lands and building the said Hospitall, and I shall be inclined to subscribe to so good a Charity when I hear the management of it will be put into such hands as will effectually go on wth it, and I suppose the subscriptions will be to pay so much yearly towards the building the said Hospitall and I coud wish that the new merchants in London were as much inclined to provide for the poor Seamen that that [sic] lose their limbs in their service, and have no sort of provision made for them when they come home but begging and starving. You may conclude I have continued well since you have not so long heard from me relating to me health for I have had no symptoms of the Gout in my Stomach since I receivd your last directions, nor in any other part of my Body, but am grown within this year very deaf, and my sight so fails me that I cant read a Letter but have reason to bless God that these infirmitys did not come upon me sooner for I dont feel the pain and weakness wch too much attends the Age of 85 wch I shall be if I live till next August, and as I coud never live in London, without being tormented wth Coughing and Colds, so I very seldom have any of them here, and as I was 30 years ago sullinged for deafness wch then perfectly cured mee so I now believe if I was carefully sullinged in June, it woud as perfectly restore me to my hearing wch I desire to hear your opinion of, and shall always continue Your Faithfull Friend Thanet I dont desire to hear from you till you can give me a perfect acct of the settlement of this Hospitall