.MjA3MA.MzM1NA

London

May 8/63

My dearest Father,

I have just received a letter from Mother & yourself, enclosing one from Mr Taylor of Norfolk, & I was delighted to notice your own hand writing. I am sorry on your account to say that the prejudice if such it be, that I have formed against Mr [Jaz?] Taylor is too strong to allow me to write to him or meet him as I should wish to meet one of your friends; I think his letter to Uncle Conway an ingenious exageration upon truth, & my opinion of him as I once expressed it to you is unchanged. Mr Taylor & Mr Wilson would especially if aided by a Portsmouth directory, make a sweet mess of the [Scabd?] road, Mr T's compliment to my business capacity &c I regard as simply a sweet word thrown in to flavor the argument.

Mother suggets that I should call on Russell; Russell is a snob, & his position here is not by any means a high one; the remarks he made about me in his work on America have given me a good lesson on paying civilities to itinerant foreigners -

Moreover I have had so much to do since I have been in London that I have not had time to present the letters you gave me to Messrs Slater, Mark & O Gowan. Mr Hankey has been overwhelmingly civil; he gave me a dinner, invited me to another, procured me a seat on the floor of the House of Commons, has introduced to me several leading members of parliament, procured my admittance to the Traveler's Club &c. Mr Gillear has also been very civil. Of course any letters of introduction from these gentlemen to you would require proportionate civilities on your part. I met at a dinner a few days ago a former acquaintance of yours Mr Blake. Almost every day I have been out to dinner, & Mr Gregory has offered to have me invited to any parties, & as a single man of fortune and rather a leading member of the Lower House he could gain me access almost anywhere. Busy as I am however this continual dining out is becoming rather a bore. To-morrow a dinner is given me at the Reformed Club, & Mother will be charmed to know (she has always been rather partial to the Aristocracy) that the next day I am invited to dinner at the Earl Somers - In answering this invitation I was guilty of a gaucherie; the invitation was "Lord & Lady Somers request the honor" I replied to them in that address, & I now learn that it should have been to the "Rt Hon the Earl & the Countess Somers"

You can readily imagine what a change this is to me from the rough life I so recently lead; I feel anxious tho' to get back, but I do not feel as I would have done had I not seen [illegible] two years severe service; I ought not to object to it I think for some time if Mr Seddon prefers that I should remain & you stand my expense. The fact that I am a Confed Officer gives me a position here that I could not otherwise have. Everywhere the constant them is admiration for the South, & except by the Exeter hall & most ordinary classes the tone towards the U. States is sufficiently contemptuous to gratify their worst enemies -

I enclose a note from Mr Gilleat. In your reply you had best I think take the ground openly that your interest in the Fredy Co is not in your hands, that you know nothing of the present condition of the Company, but that you have no doubt its position & management entitle it to credit & &cc - - -

Mr Daniel offered Hankey & Co 8 pr ct on advances made by them for paying the English Interest. Hankey & Co not wishing to do this themselves offered it to Gilleat & Co who did not accept the offer - So matters stood when I arrived. I soon saw that Hankey & Co did'nt wish to accept Mr Daniels' offer to them, & I did not do more than refer to it to them. Gilleat's offer to me was voluntary on his part; I did not urge it further than to speak of my opinion of the Company & to say that it would of course gratify me if it could by any reasonable means procure funds to meet its interest, & that I would deposit colateral on certain terms. I think the arrangement so advisable for his Company's future credit here that I shall probably close the offer to-morrow; I also think it's accomplishment will aid me somewhat in other respects. I am sure that you feel sufficient confidence in my knowledge of business to be assured that I will not in any way use your name, & that I shall be very careful how I use my own.

I must close now for steamer; By next mail I will be able to resume to you my discussion of your affairs -

Yours Affect

[illegible] M. Robinson