29 Jun 1797: Edward James Eliot to Edward, 1st Lord Eliot

[This is possibly the last letter Edward James Eliot wrote to his father, as EJE went home to Port Eliot shortly after this, where he died on 17 Sep 1797.]

My Hon[ore]d Lord

I return You a great many Thanks for your kind Letter and good advice as well as good wishes, which I received ye day before yesterday. I am affraid my Complaint is not of so determined a kind as yours was at that period, or as will enable either me or my Physicians to judge exactly when I may properly leave off the waters. At the same time, as I have very strong proof, and am very confident that I receive a great deal of benefit from them, I shall certainly strain my patience very hard to remain here a reasonable time, or till I no longer feel much improvement.

I took Downampny [Down Ampney, Lord Eliot's seat in Gloucestershire] for a few hours in my way Hither, appointing a Builder from Cirencester to meet me, which he did. After all the noise and alarm Mr Ward had made, of which I own I had been very much the Dupe, about the state of the House, I was glad to find that the necessary outside Repairs of the House are next to nothing. It seems an Idea He (Mr W[ard]) is very fond of, to pull down the old part of the House, as it is call'd, and run up a new Kitchen and back Kitchen behind the Hall, for the sake of lessening the range of Buildings and making it more compact, and it may very likely be a good plan and in the long run worth while, but as I don't apprehend any thing considerable is wanting to be done to that part at present, it will certainly very well bear Consideration. What, I'm sorry to say, will not so well bear consideration is the inside state of the principal Rooms; whose sides and floors for want of assistance are going very fast to decay: being very well worth preserving, I had some conversation upon the spot with the Builder upon them, and he is to send me his notions of the method and expense of doing what may be necessary for that purpose: but the most will be considerably short of what I had supposed the state of affairs there to require. About 60£ towards it, and little bit of land [fill dirt] we shall get you from the Canal, arrears of Taxes for the ground they occupy, and that I believe will finish the enclosed accounts with Them. We have had but a wet time of it hitherto but I have never till today been hinder'd from my ride between one and three. This morning it was perfectly fine till about one when a violent Thunder storm came on, and it has been raining more or less almost ever since.

I beg my Love and Duty to my Mother and Aunt and am, my Hon[ore]d Lord

your very Dutiful and very Affectionate Son

Ed J Eliot

Bath June 29th 1797

*Original letter is part of the Eliot collection at the Cornwall Record Office.
Catalog reference: EL/B/3/3/8